Motorsport Australia has removed the exemptions in their rulebook that allowed some historic racecars, replicas and tributes to compete in period-style cigarette sponsorship on their cars. Instead, every car must now comply with federal tobacco advertising laws:

“Each Automobile must comply with the Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023. 

“The Public Health (Tobacco and Other Products) Act 2023 includes a prohibition on the display, publication, or promotion of any regulated tobacco product, including on any 5th category Automobile livery. Any Automobile livery that promotes or is likely to promote a regulated tobacco product must be removed or covered. 

“Where there is any dispute as to the eligibility of an Automobile for tobacco advertising signage, the onus of evidence to show that the livery does not promote and is not likely to promote a regulated tobacco product is the responsibility of the Competitor.” 

The previous ruling referred to the 1992-era legislation, which had exceptions for cars with tobacco sponsorship, under certain conditions.  

 The change seems to have been prompted by a controversy at the recent Muscle Car Masters meeting at Sydney Motorsport Park, which saw Foxtel/Kayo drop their coverage of the Touring Car Masters.

A number of competitors at Muscle Car Masters were directed to cover up their offending livery, including JPS, Craven Mild and Benson & Hedges. 

JPS BMW owner David Towe savaged the decision on social media, arguing that removing the branding altered the historical identity of the cars:

“The sad part of all this is that another piece of history is being erased to satisfy the sensitive little petals that carry more influence than they should. They think they know better than the rest and don’t want their feelings hurt and the motorsport world loses pieces of history.

“I’m really looking forward to competing at the Baskerville Historics next month but if I race again it will be in a plain black car. I would imagine I’ll be able to get away with that but for anyone who has a red and white Marlboro paint scheme or a Craven Mild gold and white, or Rick Allen with his Benson & Hedges paint scheme etc. They probably won’t be allowed to run as even if they remove the wording they’ll still be carrying the distinctive and identifiable logo of the cars. This is ridiculous.”