February 2010

Hi Folks,

Happy and prosperous new year to you all. Another year has begun with another year of exciting Club events and activities currently being organised.

I have to congratulate the Members of the HSV Owners Club of Qld for your fantastic support of the Club’s activities and events throughout the 2009 Year. I hope you all enjoyed the events as much as we as a Committee enjoyed organising them.

I would personally like to thank the Committee members Greg Sharp, Bernie Garland, Peter Woods, David Squire, Tom Preston, Colin Humphrey and Craig Barrass. Without their loyal support, massive effort and passion for the Club and the brand it would not have been possible to achieve the huge success of the Club in 2009. As the President of the Club for the first year you couldn’t have wished for a better group of like minded fellows to be on the Committee.

November was a big month for Club events as we concluded the year with an aim to go out of 2009 with a bang! November 14th was a double header with Peter Woods organising another excellent Sprint Day at Queensland Raceway followed by a dinner at O Bar and Grill Sanctuary Cove. A great day at QR with 10 cars in the Sprint Run and the awesome sight of HSVs cruising from Loganholme down the Pacific Highway to Sanctuary Cove with lights ablaze and 36 club members and family attending the dinner.

November 19th, the Thursday Night Ipswich Christmas Parade attended by 11 cars and a special thanks to Peter Mallett and Ian Schultz for providing the 2 red Maloo Utes for Santa and the Elves. Santa and the overgrown Elves had been partaking of some Christmas cheer before the event and were in very high “Spirits”.

November 27th, the final General Meeting for the year was held at Bartons City Holden Woolloongabba. On arrival at the dealership just before 7 PM the Club members were greeted by an awesome line up on both sides of the driveway of new E2s with their indicator lights flashing, distinctive daytime running lights blazing, and motors running. What a welcome for the Club Members that attended! Kevin Major welcomed the Club and spoke about the new range of HSV vehicles and their features and capabilities in detail. David Pearce from MPS Insurance Brokers gave an informative talk about insurance products available to HDT & HSV owners and what he can offer to protect our investment in these great machines. He can be contacted on 07 3221 2699 for anybody who missed out on his business card. Then with compliments of Bob Jane T-Mart Macgregor Brad Whiting organised to have Mark Harmston from Pirelli Tyres Australia speak at the meeting. Many members enjoyed the giveaways provided by Pirelli Tyres on the night.
Thanks goes to Bartons City Holden & HSV and Kevin Major for hosting the Club’s final meeting for 2009, well done. A huge thanks to our guest speakers, David Pearce and Mark Harmston once again making the night enjoyable and informative for the Club members.

Then came the finale the Christmas break up at Cormorant Bay Lake Wivenhoe on Sunday 29th November 2009. A huge thank you goes to the members that worked hard to make the day run as smoothly as possible and decorate the venue. Firstly to my wife Jo for all the work organising food and nibbles and decorating, Tom and Yvonne Preston for transporting all the drinks and keeping them cold, Rhonda and Richard Winters helping with decorating and serving duties, Colin and Ros Humphreys helping with catering and acquiring fresh produce for the barbeque, and Peter Woods organising the barbeque and cooking. If I have forgotten anybody please accept my apologies and a big thank you for your help too. I would like to thank all the Club Members and their families and children that supported the day which was around 70 in total and look forward to next year.

I almost forgot the main feature of the day. The big jolly gentleman in a red suit with the long white beard arriving in style on a big red motorcycle, none other than “SANTA” himself. It was great that Santa took time out from his heavy Christmas schedule and dropped in and handed out presents to the children. Thanks Santa, and hope to see you again next year. Ros you must have been a good girl during the year for Santa to choose you as his helper!

Thank you to all the long standing members and new members for supporting the Club’s events and outings during 2009.

2010 has already started with a non official Club cruise day and lunch at Fish Heads Restaurant at Bangalow in northern NSW on Sunday 10/01/2010 cruising from Brisbane at 10.10am. 26 cars and 57 people converged on Bangalow at approximately 12.30pm QLD time or 1.30pm NSW time. During the organising of the restaurant I totally forgot about the 2 time zones and so did they, however after changing the booking numbers 3 times and the last being the morning of the cruise the staff at Fishheads have to be commended for handling that number of people and I must say the Restaurant was filled to capacity. I hope everybody enjoyed the day as it was a very relaxed casual day and a great time to get together as a Club for the start of the new year, also those great machines needed a run.

Motorsport in 2010 has already started with some interesting things unfolding. Queensland Raceway appeared to have lost the V8 Supercar Round with Mr Cochrane and Mr Tetley unable to bury the hatchet except into each others heads. Now it sounds like V8 Supercars Australia is awaiting receipt of a contract brokered by Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale which may give QR a lifeline for 2010.

Ford has made some rumblings about it not producing the Falcon from 2011 and introducing the Ford Taurus into the Australian Market. The Taurus was introduced to the Australian market some years ago, and what a resounding success that was! Can’t wait to see DJR running around Bathurst in a Taurus. Lowndes and Whincup are ready to start the season firmly planted in a Holden. Looking forward to the first race in Abu Dhabi on 18th to 20th February then followed by Bahrain 25th to 27th Feb.

2009 HRT ended the year with Will Davison being 2nd in the drivers championship and Garth Tander 3rd. Must say that was a great effort for the last 6 months of the year including a Bathurst win.

Team Champions for 2009 HRT Fantastic! Hope we can be even more proud of HRT in 2010.

The first General Meeting will be held at Motorama HSV Springwood on Friday 29th January 2010. Look forward to seeing you all there.

Cruise Run 14th February 2010 organised by Colin Humphreys
Hope to see you all at this one. This will be a great day! Ring Colin now and tell him you’re going!

Peter Woods has organised a year of great Sprint Days at QR and Lakeside. Come and support these days,you won’t believe how much fun they are until you do. Come on ladies, get involved in this too. The first Sprint Day will be Saturday 27th March at QR - book now!

Just a reminder that the Annual General Meeting will be held at Zupps Warehouse Coopers Plains on Friday 26th March 2010. The nomination forms for the Committee are in this current magazine. I urge you all to vote for who you want on the Committee for 2010 and don’t leave it to someone else, have your say. If you don’t wish to cut pages out of the Magazine you can download forms from the web site (www.hsvowners.com.au/nomination.pdf).

With sadness two of our very long serving Committee Members will not be standing for re-election in 2010. Greg Sharp has been a large part of the HSV Owners Club since its inception and has led the Club as President for 15 years and in the last year as Vice President. Tom Preston will not be standing for the Committee in 2010. Tom has been on the Committee for many years and has been a loyal servant to the Club and has great passion for the Club. We can’t thank you both enough for all the hard work, dedication and passion for the product you both have displayed year after year. However I am sure you both will remain as active Club Members and standing close by for advice. I wish you both the very best for the future!

The current Committee of myself, Bernie Garland, Peter Woods, David Squire, Colin Humphreys and Craig Barrass will be re-nominating for the Committee and our current positions, and there will be two positions that require nominees. If you are considering standing for a position on the Committee remember you must have total dedication to the Club and the position, passion for the brand, and be prepared to put in a big effort. Anything less will not work for you or the Club. The Club and its Members are the number one priority. If you want the current Committee back for another year send in those nominations, if you want somebody else send in those nominations.

Happy New Year!

Les Gray
president@hsvowners.com.au

P.S. The Magazine cover will now change on a monthly basis!