A brilliant day we called the Variety Club ‘Stars on Track’ - a high speed ride around the Sandown race track for lots of sick and underprivileged children and their families in conjunction with Variety - the childrens charity.

 

The day was only possible because of a huge contribution from volunteers, drivers with their cars and officials and our generous sponsors :

BMW Group Australia, Waverley BMW, Shannons Insurance, Wurth Australia, Grip Auto watches, Josco Australia, Evolve Technik, Bell Motorsport, Cup Car Engineering.

And especially Peter Knight, you are amazing.

Without you all we couldn’t have run such a wonderful event.

Thank you to Will Brown for coming down to Melbourne to join us on the day too, with thanks to Wurth. You were very generous with your time and are such a great ambassador for Supercars and Red Bull Racing.

We had over 120 kids and their families having the time of their lives with over 100 cars taking kids for rides.

 

As well as cars on track we had lots of amazing cars on display, including some of the "Variety Bash" participants in their wacky vehicles bound to raise a smile.

  

For the adults we had some great raffle prizes and proper hot laps.

Thank you to all the clubs and club members that came along to help on the day, you are amazing!

VFT, as always there helping out with flags, all the Variety people helping get kids in and out of cars.

It was huge!

We couldn’t have done better with the weather too, just a perfect Melbourne Autumn sunny day.

With all the costs of the event accounted for we have donated $9,000 to Variety Victoria to continue their amazing work with the kids too. Well done everyone for coming and making it such a success.

We will be back again next year bigger and better!

Dear Jo, Graeme and the BMW Drivers Club Melbourne community,

On behalf of everyone at Variety – the Children’s Charity, thank you for your extraordinary support in delivering the inaugural Variety Stars on Track.

The day was truly special. What stood out most was the spirit of community — people coming together to create an experience that many of our children and families never imagined possible. The smiles said everything.

For many children, this was far more than a day out. It was a moment of confidence, joy, and connection that will stay with them for a long time. The care shown by your drivers and volunteers made a profound difference.

We’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from families and wanted to share a few reflections with you:

“Tanner and I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved in making the day so amazing at Sandown. He was very hesitant at first, but the amazing and supportive staff helped him feel comfortable. He ended up going in with me and had a great time. Thank you for including us in such an amazing day.”

“I wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the incredible experience my child had. The level of care, professionalism, and confidence you instilled made a remarkable impact. Chase absolutely loved it. Seeing the confidence and excitement it brought out meant so much.”

“The staff were so lovely and helpful, and the driver was very attentive. We were both grinning the entire way. Thank you for such a wonderful event — a once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance.”

“I just wanted to say a huge thank you to everyone involved with this event. It was an awesome day. I took my grandson, who has Cerebral Palsy, along with my friend and their child, and they had an absolute ball. Everyone was so kind and friendly, and the cars were incredible. My grandson rode in a Mini and was so excited. It was truly a magical experience and one they will remember for a long time. Thank you from all four of us — you do an amazing job.”

Alongside the experience itself, the $9,000 raised is an outstanding result. These funds will directly support more Victorian children living with disability, illness, or disadvantage, extending the impact well beyond the day.

We’re incredibly proud of what was achieved together. This was a genuine partnership and a powerful example of what’s possible when communities come together with a shared purpose.

Thank you again, and we look forward to building on this success with you next year.

Warm regards,
Pete, Jodie & Ella
Variety – the Children’s Charity