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***Club Car of the Year 2012*** 

Congratulations! --- Dan Berry.... 

Dan as the proud owner of this magnificent Clubsport R8, you have been presented with the HSV Owners Club of ACT, Club Car of the Year, 2012.

Details will be available soon... 

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Club Car of the Year 2011

Wayne, how did you become the proud owner of this wonderful piece of machinery?

Owning a HSV is something I have always wanted to do after coming perilously close to replacing my immaculate SLX wagon in 1985 with what, at the time, was probably an impractical buy, a near new VH GP III. With a young growing family and the need to provide a roof over their heads was always first priority, making owning a HSV seem like a fading dream. It’s been a long time between cars which has included a HK Premier, HQ GTS Monaro, E49 Charger, Supercharged VT and CV8 Monaro. It wasn’t until we returned to Australia in 2007 that I finally broke the ice and bought my first HSV – an immaculate VZ Clubby. After being “stalked” one Saturday morning by the then ACT coordinator, Brad Gordon, I was coerced into joining the band of merry men in the Canberra HSVOC; for the first time, experiencing the friendship of the extended HSV family.  

I have always had what I perceived to be clean cars but participating in my first club Show & Shine was a real eye-opener. I quickly realised that if I wanted to be a trophy winner then I had to put in significantly more effort to make the car stand out. With Max setting the bench mark with his immaculate HRT, I found that getting my VZ anywhere near the same condition was indeed a challenge. I was always looking to see what others had done and how I could improve my grooming techniques. Perhaps my time grooming cars in New Zealand softened that challenge a wee bit as over the next couple of years the results would prove that my efforts were not all in vain.

Enter the VE. Ali and I were only thinking of upgrading the VZ as a Xmas present to ourselves when we spied the VE Clubsport advertised in the Daily Tele. Wonderful – red – is there any other colour - immaculate, low K’s, leather, fully optioned, one owner. Just what we were looking for. A couple of phone calls later and on New Years Eve 2009 we reluctantly said goodbye to our much loved VZ Clubby and drove home in the VE. Arriving back in Canberra we discovered to our dismay that the car was peppered with gum sap and was in desperate need of a wee bit of TLC – so much for Sydney grooming!!! After many hours of washing, clay baring, polishing, more washing and polishing the car started to show its true colours. I think the images now speak for themselves. How do we keep the car in this condition? Hard graft and endless hours of grooming; but most of all, it’s the encouragement from other club members to keep improving the car and getting it to what it is today. Having the car selected as the ACT Club Car of the Year is extremely satisfying and is in some way reward for all the effort that’s required to keep the car in this condition. While it doesn’t get raced, bagged or shagged, it does get driven - often with a 20 foot pleasure boat tucked in behind and never without its car bra – thanks to CarBar Australia.

Apart from several cosmetic bits and pieces, the car remains in its standard R8 307KW configuration. It’s shod with KOYA Inox Royal 20 x 10 / 20 x 8 wheels and Falken 452 rubber. Other extras include Walkinshaw engine covers, billet caps and a Pedder’s Sports rider Strut brace.

What do I love about this car – It’s clean, it looks good, it’s a HSV and it’s an absolute pleasure to drive.

I’ve always wanted one – Now I’ve got one !

I think the photos speak for themselves, an amazing piece of machinery. Thank you Wayne for the great write up on your red beast and we can't wait to see it, Ali and you out again at our next event.

Photo shoot kindly sponsored by the White Room, Mitchell.