The Australian Lancia Register will stage its 27th Castlemaine Rally this weekend October 20-22.
The event will see Lancisti descend on the local region for the premium biennial event.
The three day rally will culminate with a public car display at the Wattle Flat Reserve (Castlemaine Pony Club) in Richards Road Castlemaine this Sunday October 22 from 10am to 3pm.
This is a free event and the public are welcome to get along and view the cars ranging from the earliest 1920s Lancia Lambda to the more modern Lancia Beta’s and Delta Integrale.
Australian Lancia Register president Angelo Monteleone said this year Castlemaine 27 will celebrate 40 years since the magnificent Lancia 037 last won the ‘World Rally Championship’ in 1983.
“This was under the stewardship of signoro Cesere Fiorio manager of the Lancia Works team. There will be an actual 037 rally car on display on Sunday, which is quite a treat due to their rarity outside of Italy,” Mr Monteleone said.
The 2023 gathering also marks 50 years of the Beta 1972 -2022.
“The Lancia Beta was Lancia’s first new model after the FIAT takeover, commencing the line up with the 4-door fastback saloon (Beta Berlina), 2-door coupé (Beta Coupé), 2-door Targa (Beta Spyder Zagato), 3-door estate (Beta HPE) and improving with various facelifts and sophistication as the years rolled onward finally finishing about 1985 with the VX series of supercharged coupe and HPE,” Mr Monteleone said.
“Our Castlemaine 27 rally poster portrays the Lancia 037 in its Martini livery and the most popular Beta’s being the Coupe, HPE and Spyder versions in the colours of Italian flag,” he said.
As part of the rally Australian Lancia Register members will have the chance to visit Boomtown Wines, Balgownie Estate, enjoy catering by Togs and live entertainment from Meg Corson, and a lunch at Castlemaine Golf Club.
“We like to support local businesses and community groups as part of the rally and many participants enjoy the chance to make a weekend of it staying in local accommodation and touring the region,” he said.
“It will be a bumper weekend in Castlemaine with our event coinciding with the return of the Castlemaine Artists Market at the Western Reserve on the same date. So be sure to catch the Lancias at Wattle Flat and enjoy a jaunt around the market while you are at it!”