General News
18 October, 2023
Bathurst tribute for Reg
THE pilgrimage to Bathurst for Panmure’s Reg Dumesny was an annual tradition – one he enjoyed with friends from the Guzzlers Car Club.
THE pilgrimage to Bathurst for Panmure’s Reg Dumesny was an annual tradition – one he enjoyed with friends from the Guzzlers Car Club.
Reg was killed in a single vehicle accident in January this year, but a group of friends sought to pay tribute to him with a rare privilege being granted at the recent Bathurst 1000.
Friend John Adams said it was an emotional trip for all involved.
“I got stickers done up as a tribute,” he said.
“It (the trip) was a memorial and a way to honour Reg.
“We followed the same track up that we always followed.”
Where the tight knit friends went, Reg’s memory was never far away – with a photo of Reg travelling with the group.
“We had a photo of Reg with us,” John said.
“In a way, Reg was there with us.
“We stopped at Conargo Pub and had a drink to Reg.”
At Bathurst the group was granted permission for Reg’s beloved 1968 Pontiac Parisienne to complete a lap around Bathurst on race day.
The group of friend’s – which also included Reg’s son, Jake – original request to join the lap of honour was denied, but the group did not take no for an answer.
The took the request higher and were finally giving the okay to join the processions.
John said the group had tried a couple of avenues to get Reg’s car in the procession but were knocked back.
“I, being pigheaded, wondered into the office and struck up a conversation with a scrutineer and got a name in corporate to talk to,” he said.
When the good news arrived it was just 24 hours out from the event.
“Being able to do that (complete the lap) was an honour, to do that for him, to take his car around Bathurst with over 220,000 people on the mountain,” John said.
“It was an exciting feeling. We had Jake with us.
“Being able to do the lap for his Dad, I think he was a bit overwhelmed.”
John spent about three weeks ahead of Bathurst getting Reg’s car in running condition to make the long journey.
“It ran like a dream, he would have been proud,” he said.
“I don’t think he would have thought it would be there.”
