92 PAGE SPECIAL COLLECTORS’ EDITION BRO N U EPRINT O S AUTO ACTIO F N #1
.COM .AU
SINCE 1971
50 YEARS
Issue #1805 25 Feb to 10 March 2021 $9.95 INC GST
www.autoaction.com.au
LATEST NEWS
GOOD STRATEGY WILL BE KEY AT BATHURST THIS WEEKEND the Supercars Championship will run a sprint round at the legendary Mount Panorama Circuit for the first time since 1996, and Tickford Racing star Cameron Waters believes that overtaking will be a real challenge. Twenty-five years ago, John Bowe won the round driving for Dick Johnson Racing and that year Craig Lowndes went on to take his first Supercars Championship. A lot has changed in the category in two and a half decades, Cameron Waters feels that over a 250km single driver sprint race overtaking will be difficult and pit strategy will have a big influence on the race result. “I think overtaking will be a challenge, it will be a track where it is a little hard to pass,” he told <i>Auto Action<i>. “Strategy will come into it more; you’ll have people thinking about strategy a little bit differently and that’s where you’re going to be trying to maximise. It’ll be interesting to see where everyone ends up there and what we do strategy wise.” A Bathurst season opener has not occurred since 1966 the Supercars Championship back when the V8 Touring Car Championship was held over one
round. Waters is keen to get back there and see what he can do after taking pole position at the venue last year, before finishing as runner-up in The Great Race. “So excited to get there and obviously coming off how we finish there last year is pretty exciting, it’ll be good to go back there and see where everyone is at come the start of this year,” he explained. Rain is expected to play a factor over the weekend, when <i>Auto Action<i> went to print thunderstorms were expected on Friday and on Saturday afternoon. “Then obviously the weather will be quite a lot different (in February) as well, it’ll be interesting to see how that plays into it,” he said. “It’s going to be different going to Bathurst not in October, it’s obviously a pretty awesome track and any chance to get to drive there is good. “It’s very disappointing to not be going back to Adelaide, it’s such a cool track and for me it was pretty close to Mildura, I had a lot of friends and family. “To see Adelaide at that time of year so busy, it was quite cool. It’s going to be dearly missed and hopefully they can bring it back in a few years. ”DM
PENRITE BACK SANDOWN SUPERCARS ROUND PENRITE OIL has extended its support of the Repco Supercars Championship in 2021 to include the naming rights to next month’s Sandown SuperSprint. As part of the new deal Penrite will also become the categories official oil & lubricants partner as well as continuing take up significant signage at Griffins Bend during this year’s Bathurst 1000. Penrite’s extended backing of the championship comes after the Australian company followed David Reynolds across to Kelly Racing during a busy off season. “Again being naming rights of the iconic Sandown event is a great honour for our Australian family-owned company, the track
is truly iconic and is very family oriented which really fits well with our brand.” said Toby Dymond Penrite Oil CEO. “Unfortunately, over the last 12 months we have all faced huge disruptions to our work and personal lives, with Victoria where our head office is located copping more than our share.” “We hopeful like all the fans are that we can to get back to racing and some normality this year and we can’t wait to see you all at the Penrite Oil Sandown SuperSprint.” Penrite’s extended support is the latest in a series of announcements from Supercars leading up to the opening round of this years championship.
Pirtek has also extended their involvement in the series, becoming the official control fuel and air hose supplier for the next two years, supplying all teams with the essential hoses. As part of the deal the Pirtek Pit Stop Challenge returns for another year, while the brand will also continue as the naming rights partner for the Victory Lane for the 2021 season. “Pirtek are known for the quality and durability of our products and our services in the industry,” said Mark Devitt, Pirtek COO. “We are delighted to see our hoses being used up and down the pitlane and are thrilled to be supplying vital equipment to each
Supercars team.” “We know the teams will be relying on us for quality and performance for their fuel stops in this competitive sport.” “The Pirtek Pit Stop Challenge is the perfect way to demonstrate PIRTEK product and celebrate the talent and precision of the Supercar pit crews.” “We look forward to presenting the Golden Rattle Gun once again at Bathurst in October.” The 2021 Repco Supercars Championship begins next week in Bathurst at the Repco Mount Panorama. Rhys Vandersyde
COFFS HARBOUR TO HOST INTENATIONAL RALLY IN 2021 MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA has confirmed that Coffs Harbour will host the final round of both the Australian Rally Championship (ARC) and the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). The concluding event will occur from November 26-28 thanks to the support of the NSW Government, and will see competitors from Australia, New Zealand and Asia descend on the northern New South Wales town. The Australian round of the World Rally Championship was run at Coffs Harbour in 2011 and from 2013 right up until 2018. However, the last two events have not gone ahead because of the severe bushfires and COVID-19 respectively. However, after two years of disappointment, Motorsport Australia President Andrew Fraser is delighted to announce the return of international
rallying to Australia. “The Coffs Coast has been a big part of the Australian rally scene in recent years and we know this 2021 event will be another fantastic event for the region,” Fraser said. “There’s no doubt that Coffs people know how to put on a world class rally and we are really excited to hosting this event which will see a great mix of competitors from both Australia and overseas late in 2021. “Of course we will work closely with the NSW Government to ensure the event follows all ‘COVID Safe’ protocols, including arrival of any international crews and spectators, who will be subject to the entry requirements at the time of the event.” The New South Wales Government has thrown a
lot of support behind the event, with thousands of fans expected to flock to the region and enjoy all the action. Deputy NSW Premier John Barilaro said staging a world class rally in Coffs Harbour is well overdue. “The NSW Nationals are building a safer and stronger regional NSW by securing world-class events for country cities, showcasing our incredible regions to the world,” Mr Barilaro said. “This is an example of what can happen when you have a council who is prepared to work with the government and stakeholders to bring worldclass events to regional NSW.” Member for Coffs Harbour Gurmesh Singh believes hosting the Asia Pacific Rally Championships in Coffs Harbour is a massive win for the region as it will boost tourism and assist
local economy the Mid-North Coast. “The NSW Nationals are creating a safer and stronger Coffs Harbour and supporting this event will bring a valuable boost to the local economy,” Mr Singh said. “Our tourism and hospitality sector has been reeling since the bushfires and COVID struck and this event will go a long way in terms of restarting our economy. “The rally will bring domestic and international visitors to the region, showcasing Coffs Harbour to the world, and encouraging returning visitors to secure tourism benefits now and into the future.” Further details about the event will be revealed in the next several months including stage routes, the location of the service park and spectator information.”DM
our clubs and licence holders and all those involved in the sport,” Arocca said. “As government-recognised sanctioning bodies, we know we are in a unique position where we can work closely with Sport Recreation Victoria to provide great benefits for the clubs and participants who love motorsport and simply can’t get enough of it. “We thank the Victorian Government for their support of this project which will allow
us to identify opportunities for the sport and provide new opportunities for both new and existing participants to get involved in the sport. “Across Australia, it is well known that motorsport needs more venues and improved facilities to allow more people to experience the thrill of motorsport. The support of the Victorian Government is a great show of faith in the future of all forms of motorsport.” The full strategy will also include the development of a 10–20-year implementation plan. This news follows on from Sport and Recreation Victoria’s recent funding commitment to Victorian clubs. The Victorian Minister for Community Sport Ros Spence is notably confident that this will be great for racing participants in the future. “We’re backing motorsport across Victoria for the benefit of participants now and in the future,” Spence said. “The Government allocated $7.4 million to the Racing into a new era for Motor Sport initiative – this study is a crucial part of that investment. “This is about setting a strategy to deliver the facilities that clubs and associations as well as racers, crew and fans need.” DM
GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS VICTORIAN MOTORSPORT MOTORSPORT AUSTRALIA, with the support of the Victorian Government, will take a look at all forms of motorsport in the state with a focus on both facilities and participation. The Victorian Government has provided Motorsport Australia with $200,000 to support this initiative. Motorsport Australia will develop new infrastructure and a participation strategy which aims at improving access to the sport from grass roots all the way to the top. An audit of all facilities across Victoria will be undertaken to provide a detailed understanding of infrastructure needs for all disciplines of the sport. As part of the project, Motorsport Australia will identify the current value of motorsport to the Victorian economy, as well as the infrastructure needs and opportunities to increase participation within the sport. It has been revealed that the strategy
will focus on diversity, identifying the best practice models to encourage more women and girls to get involved in motorsport as competitors, officials, or volunteers. Motorsport Australia CEO Eugene Arocca feels this is an incredibly positive step for motorsport in Victoria. “The development of this infrastructure and participation strategy for Victoria is something that will lead to significant improvements for
storage shed down the road in Botany. We scrambled a team to collect as many as they could into a couple of cars and we foraged through thousands of photos and negative strips for hours in order to illustrate the King of the Mountain’s storied life. We finished at 3am on a Saturday morning, three hours past our deadline, but we got it done. And came back on Sunday to begin producing the rest of the magazine. Brock was an iconic part of Auto Action’s history, and as tragic and unbelievable as his death was that day, I am extremely proud of that particular issue and the determination my team delivered to honour Australia’s greatest motor racing hero. Auto Action not only paved the foundations of my career in this incredibly colourful industry, it also opened the door for some crazy adventures that most could only ever dream of; I’ve driven Formula Fords, a Formula Holden, a few rally cars and even a couple of V8 Supercars, including Lowndes and Whincup’s 2007 Bathurstwinning Vodafone Falcon. I’ve ridden shotgun with numerous Supercar legends as well as Victor Bray in his ’57 Chevy Top Doorslammer, and had the bejeezus scared out of me as a pillion on the back of a Suzuki Superbike with Mark Willis. The craziest, though, was navigating a 1400hp jet boat for Jason Bargwanna in South Australia, which ended with us barrel-rolling seven times and crushing the boat into a tin can. Congratulations to Auto Action on its 50th anniversary. It’s been one hell of ride.
MARGEIT: Editor 2008-2016
IT’S ALMOST inconceivable to think Auto Action is turning 50, first hitting the newsstands in February, 1971. In Australia, Bob Jane was crowned the Australian Touring Car Champion in his Chev Camaro edging out Allan Moffat in his Ford Mustang and Ian Geoghegan, also driving a Mustang. And a young Dick Johnson was classified 13th in the standings… in his Holden Torana. In Formula 1, Tyrrell driver Jackie Stewart dominated the season, winning six grands prix on his way to the second of his three world championships while Australia’s Tim Schenken scored the only podium of his F1 career when he finished third in Austria in his Brabham Ford.
MARK FOGARTY FIRST COVER #1048
Editor 2003-2004
ROB RO OB TIM ROBSON FIRST COVER #1084
Editor 2004 - 2006
STEPHAN OTTLEY ITERIM EDITOR FFIRST COVER #1175
Editor 2006
ANDREW MCLEAN SECOND STINT AS EDITOR 2006 - 2008 COVER #1206
ROB MARGEIT FIRST COVER #1284
58 AutoA AutoAction Acttion
In the intervening 50 years, the names featured on the cover may have changed, but one thing has remained true – Auto Action has reported on the races and the racers with the same indefatigable tenacity and vigour. The list of Auto Action editors is filled with some of the most respected and honoured names in Australian motor sport journalism, names instantly recognisable to a legion of motor sport fans around the country. At the top of the list is Mark ‘Foges’ Fogarty. Foges has been part of the fabric of this great magazine almost since its inception. I’m not no sure if he contributed to the first issue back in February, 1971, I know for certain it wasn’t too long after. He’s not only been a k constant presence in these pages, but also a mentor and a friend. co I joined AA in March, 2005, just another hopeful looking to forge a career in journalism covering a subject I was – and remain to this th day – deeply passionate about. The hours were long, the work often of gruelling. But that was rewarded with a life spent absorbed in motor racing, living and breathing the sport we love. m The privilege of attending race meetings – whether the rarefied air ai of Formula 1, or the business behemoth that has become our own ow Supercars championship, to grassroots club level racing – being on ‘the inside’ was not ever something I took for granted. Rubbing shoulders with the heroes of our sport is also something I have never taken for granted. I remember the thrill of meeting my own childhood heroes as a boy obsessed with motor sport. You do too, probably. Imagine then, not only working alongside them, but getting to know them, learning about what drives them to be the best, and sometimes, in those rare moments of self-doubt that even race car drivers have, their human frailties. I treated those, often confidential moments of doubt with respect and with trust, still do. I took over the editor’s chair in 2008, just three years after I started as ‘Staff Writer’. I didn’t feel even remotely ready for such a big responsibility. But, when long-time AA drag racing correspondent, John Doig, presented me with a good luck card inscribed with ‘leap, and the net will appear’, a lot of my self-doubt evaporated. It’s the small acts of kindness that get you through life’s difficulties sometimes. I still have that card, and it serves as a reminder when life gets a bit… complicated. Little did I know in 2008, when I moved to the corner office, that t I would serve as the custodian of Auto Action for the next eight e years, making me, to this day, the longest serving editor in the t magazine’s 50-year history. It’s an honour – and a privilege (there’s that word again) – I have never taken lightly. ( Perhaps the biggest privilege was working alongside some of the great people this magazine has fostered and nurtured. As part of the giant ACP empire at the time, Auto Action was always the little fish in an ocean of publishing talent. But, that didn’t diminish its importance to the wider magazine stable. Auto Action was then, and remains to this day, a breeding ground for journalistic talent. The rollcall of AA alumni is as long as it is storied. Many, many of today’s movers and shakers in the world of, not just journalism and not just motor sport, but the wider automotive diaspora, got their start at Auto Action.
Even over my eight-year custodianship, the men and women I hired, often as a raw young guns straight out of university, have gone on to edit some of the biggest and most highly-regarded automotive magazines in the country. Their success is Auto Action’s success. And Auto Action was – and remains – successful. I remember receiving an invite to attend the 2010 Australian Magazine Awards. AA had been nominated in two categories. But, with the award ceremony falling on a Friday, and with Fridays being sacrosanct in the world of AA deadlines, I politely declined to attend. I was needed on deck, the magazine waiting for no one. Besides, there was no way our humble little magazine would claim the honours in a field stacked with high-volume, glossy publications, whose sales figures dwarfed our own. A strongly worded suggestion from my then Publisher, the wise and gentle Michael Koslowski, changed my mind. ‘You need to go, Rob. That’s all I’m saying.’ Dutifully, I dusted off my suit and on Friday morning was at a lavish breakfast put on by the event organisers, all the while checking in with the team back in the office to see how Friday deadline was going. We won both categories and going to the podium to receive AA’s trophies remains singularly one of the proudest, yet most terrifying, experiences of my professional life. Speeches? Hadn’t even thought about one. Instead, I croaked out some words about all the hard-working people who made this recognition possible. And I thanked Mark Webber for the lift in sales that year. You’ll remember, Webber was at the peak of his Formula One career in 2010, in title contention until the final race. And our coverage of his season helped move magazines. That’s what Auto Action has always done best, and continues to do to this day. It dives deep into the world of motorsport, bringing you the stories you won’t see on TV. It cuts through the public relations spin to bring you the real story. Yes, that has meant we’ve annoyed people, and I’ve fielded many phone calls from irate team bosses or wounded-pride drivers explicitly and colourfully expressing their displeasure at something that had appeared in that week’s issue. But, one thing I always took pride in was that AA reported the truth, even if sometimes that truth was unpalatable.
I had a sign on the wall in my AA office, and it read “News is something, someone somewhere doesn’t want you to know. Everything else is just advertising”. It’s a truism we lived by at Auto Action. Sadly, the rise-and-rise of the Internet and the 24-hour news cycle that delivered the latest stories directly to your pocket, took its toll on Auto Action, like it has on so many other austere news and media outlets. I remember the call in early April 2016, my then Publisher Ewen Page summoning me to his office. And he didn’t mince his words: ‘We’re shutting you down, Rob. You’ve got two more issues to produce’. And that was that. Auto Action, 1971-2016, RIP. Except it wasn’t. Soon after the public announcement, I fielded a call from a highly-regarded Supercars team owner. He wanted to buy the magazine and was interested to hear my thoughts. When I asked him why he would want to expand into publishing, his reply was as honest as it was surprising. “I don’t actually want to go into publishing, a magazine about car racing is the last thing I need in my business. But the sport needs a magazine like Auto Action.” Ultimately, he didn’t buy the rights to Auto Action. But, he was right. Motor sport does need Auto Action, an independent voice cutting through the spin cycle and reporting, not just on the big stories, but also at every level of the sport. If I have one regret about my time as the editor, it’s that I didn’t
push back hard enough against the then management when they directed me to cut back on our coverage of club level motorsport – ‘No one reads that shit anyway!’ – I demurred and dutifully reduced our commitment to the grassroots of the sport we love. It was a mistake. It’s true that the people who reside at the very upper reaches of our sport make for good stories, stories people want to read. But it’s the people who tow their Improved Production RX-7, or Formula Vee or whatever car they’ve built painstakingly and lovingly in the garage at home, to race tracks around the country to compete against each other in front of crowds whose numbers can be counted on hand, that are the lifeblood of the sport. And that’s why I am proud of AA’s leadership, under the helm of Publisher Bruce Williams, that it once again acknowledges and recognises the importance of these ‘clubbies’ – these racers! – to the motor sport Pantheon in this country. Without them, we are nothing. And without Auto Action, their achievements go largely unrecognised. It is, after all, the journal of record for motor sport in this country. And has been for 50 years now. Long may it prosper.
on his path to Formula 1 grand prix winner. Tracking his rise and subsequent success continues to form part of the fabric of AA to this day. AA has also been lucky enough too, to chart the success of Jamie Whincup, the seven-time Supercars champion who only recently confirmed this year will be his last of full-time racing as he transitions into the role of team owner and principal. The issue of Auto Action, following his seventh Supercars title, where we declared boldly – ‘Whincup – Better than Brock’,
PHIL BRANAGAN: Editor 2016-2018
Some of the Big Stories
IT WAS long-time – and current – Auto Action contributor, Luke West, who took the phone call on that fateful Friday afternoon in September 2006. When he got off the phone, his face was in shock. “Peter Brock’s just been killed,” he said. It took a moment for Luke’s words to sink in. The phones started ringing then, and all hell broke loose. Peter Brock’s death in a rally in Western Australia was far and away the biggest story of my time at Auto Action. It was one of the hardest stories to cover, not just for the impact Brock’s death had on the motor sport world, but on the nation. Brock was – and remains – a household name in the way few other car racers have. His death stunned an entire nation. We had no time to grieve, though. Within minutes of confirming the news, the AA team sprang into action. That week’s entire issue was scrapped, and in its place we created the Peter Brock tribute issue over the course of an afternoon and long into the night. Working on that issue was as intoxicating as it was difficult. Brock had touched so many lives over the course of his long and storied career. And we, those of us who worked at Auto Action, were no different. We worked as we grieved and over the next 48 hours created a tribute issue that I remain proud of to this day. Of course, motor racing in Australia was bigger than Peter Brock, even if it didn’t always feel that way. Certainly, his larger-than-life figure loomed over the world of motor sport, but others have made an impact that has stood the test of time. During my eight years in the editor’s chair, the rise and rise of Mark Webber was an ever-constant. We tracked his career from hard-working grafter to world champion contender. Sunday nights in front of the TV were spent cheering on ‘our boy Mark’, the intensity escalating when he found himself in a race-winning car in 2009. I can still remember the laps winding down in Germany, 2009, text messages flying back-and-forth between the AA team. “If Webber wins this, we’ll have an easy day with the magazine tomorrow,” was the resounding theme. And it was, the thrill of putting to bed the first Auto Action to feature an Australian grand prix winner on the cover since 1981, a defining moment. Much later, Webber signed that cover for me with the words, “Rob, thanks for all your support”. It proudly hangs in my home to this day. I have another signed AA cover of another Australian Grand Prix winner hanging on my walls. In 2006, AA’s then editor Andrew MacLean threw me a plane ticket and the kernel of a story. “There’s a young bloke from Perth racing in the Formula BMW World Finals in Valencia, Spain. Go and check him out.” Dutifully, I found myself in the paddock at Valencia with a then 16-year-old Daniel Ricciardo as he took the first tentative steps
those involved not wanting the story told. The mantra on my old office wall never rang so true: ‘News is something, someone, somewhere doesn’t want you to know. Everything else is just advertising.’ When confirmation finally came weeks later, we were vindicated, every detail in Bruce’s original story pinpoint accurate. There was egg on faces, but it wasn’t on ours. That story and the events that unfolded went a long way to dispelling the ‘Auto Fiction’ myth, and I’m proud to have played a small part in it. It certainly remains the biggest ‘breaking news’ story of my time in the editor’s chair, one that I look back on with pride and the satisfaction of a job well done. Today, Auto Action continues to chase those stories someone doesn’t want you to know with the same tenacity and, more importantly veracity, as it always has. It’s a credit to the team led by Bruce Williams who continue to forge a legacy of bringing you the stories that matter from the sport we all love. Happy 50th birthday, AA.
certainly polarised fans. Whether you believe it or not, there’s no question Whincup is, and will go down in history, as one of the greatest touring car racers this country has ever produced. And that’s the thing about Auto Action. It’s always held a mirror up to the sport. Sure, not everything the magazine has covered has been agreeable to some sections of the motor sport community, but it has been accurate. That accuracy is something Auto Action has always prided itself on. Yes, stories have emerged that seem incredulous at the time, earning the magazine the none-too-flattering (although quite clever) title of ‘Auto Fiction’. And yet, if you look back through the 1800 issues or so since 1971, you’ll find a common thread – accuracy and veracity.
Nothing illustrates this better than when we broke the story that a plan to bring Mercedes-Benz into the Supercars championship was a done deal. I remember first hearing rumours much earlier in the year. But, unlike a lot of rumours that can quickly be dismissed as fanciful, this one had legs, multiple sources confirming that Betty Klimenko and her Erebus team had managed the unthinkable and done a deal to bring Merc into the sport, albeit as a non-factory team. I mulled over the story for weeks, possibly even months – the sands of time have diminished my memory – before eventually deciding it was a story worth covering. I enlisted the help of Bruce Newton, who along with his colleague ‘Foges’, remains one of the pre-eminent journalists covering motor sport in this country. Bruce got the story, down to the last nuts and bolts, and we pushed green-for-go. Artwork was commissioned to turn an ordinary E-Class Benz into a current Supercar and it graced the cover of that issue boldly and proudly. And from the moment it hit the newsstands, damage control was in full force. Involved parties made statements that the story was a fanciful fabrication, that ‘Auto Fiction’ was doing exactly what it was known to do. In short, we were being discredited at every opportunity. Except, of course, we were right. And we had the story, despite
FIFTY YEARS of Auto Action. Where do I start? Maybe here; my view of motor racing magazines now is just the same as it was 50 years ago. I think it is a big plus for the sport and the media to have independent print magazines that report, faithfully and without fear, on what is happening on and off the track. That might make me sound old-fashioned, but so be it. I have had three separate views of AA. The most recent was as its editor from mid-2016 to mid-2018, bringing the magazine back from the grave. Prior to that, I had PHIL BRANAGAN been a contributor, as long FIRST COVER ISSUE 1689 ago as the late-1980s and ’90s, and again from 2014-16. That was an interesting time; a lot was going on in the sport and writing about it was enjoyable, and I had just one deadline to worry about, not everyone’s! But for most of the time my view of AA came from across the trenches, from the desks of Motorsport News, from 1994 onwards. Working with former AA editors Chris Lambden and David Hassall, I was there first as a staffer and then, for a dozen years, its editor. If you have ever thought that the spirit of competition in motor sport does not extend out of the pitlane and into the media room, think again. The pursuit of the news was as relentless as V8 Supercar makes arguing about aero parity, and few holds were barred. AA pinched our F1 correspondent – so we grabbed theirs. AA would lob hand grenades at us. We would fire back at them. It was not enough to get the story; we had to make sure they didn’t! And here’s the thing; it was never personal. That’s an easy thing to say, but hard to do. But it wasn’t. I respected and even liked nearly all of their contributors and editors, and still do, and I like to think it is mutual (and if it isn’t, guys, please be gracious and don’t burst my bubble). I rated them highly; we had to, because we believed the rivalry pushed both publications to do better, be better. The characters in AA have been a big part of my life. Foges and I have known each other literally since we were teenagers. Even as someone who cannot draw to save my life, I admired the work of Stonie as much than anyone I can think of; it never really occurred to me that I would get to work with him and, even better, count him as a friend. Garry O’Brien is nothing less than a relentless machine, whose enthusiasm for motor sport at all levels is approximately the size of Uluru. And to this day, I am saddened to think that whenever I go to a track, Jon Evans will not be there to swap lies with. Did he occasionally elbow me sideways to keep me away from a story? Yes he did. But he was a great news hound, a fine writer and a gent, and I miss him terribly. Along the way AA has been a training ground for some excellent writers and photographers, who have made the move to other publications, in print or pixel. Even from a distance it has been satisfying to see AA play a role in the business, its talent recognised and advanced through the echelons of the media. So, to everyone who has played a part in a half-century of Auto Action, my heartiest congratulations. To those involved now, long may you continue playing a part in its journey New season starting, get busy!
AutoAction
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1973 19 973 Lola L l T330/332 T330/3322 Chev Ch F5000 F50000
Frank Gardner and Lola engineer Bob Marston were the parents of the most successful ever production racing cars. Honourable Oz F5000 mentions for the Elfin MR5 Repco, MR8 Chev, MR9 Chev and Alan Hamilton’s Alf Costanzo driven Lola T430 Chev plus ground-effect McLaren M26 Chev – the fastest F5000 on the planet.
1974 VW ‘Volksrolet’ Chev V8 Sports Sedan
A clever crowd-pleaser. Bryan Thomson and Peter Fowler stripped the goodies off Warwick Brown’s McLaren M10B Chev F5000 and built a rocket. The suspension geometry was never quite right but BT won heaps of races. Many of us went to a meeting just coz’ the Volksy was on the bill.
1974 Holden Torana L34
They mostly had the edge over the Fords. Lotsa blokes made these motor – Brock, Bond, Bob Morris, John Harvey and Allan Grice are names which spring to mind. Plenty of weekend-warriors also did well with them. Wins at Mount Panorama in 1975 and 1976, an ATCC for Bondy in 1975 and Manchamps for the General from 1974-1976.
1974 19 974 Elfin Elfi MS7 MS7 Repco-Holden R H ld
Garrie Cooper’s MS7 sporty was an assembly of mainly his MR5/MR6 F5000 bits bolted to a new ally’ monocoque tub. Styled on the lines of the Can-Am Porsche 917/10 it was an incredibly quick, successful car in GC’s hands and the dudes who followed. Note also the Elfin NG and Crusader FVs, 620/620B FFs, 700 F2/3, MR8 F5000, 792, GE225 and 852 F2s and FA891 Formula Holden.
1974 Cheetah Mk5/6 Toyota F3/F2
One of the greatest quietest achievers in Oz motor racing was the recently departed Brian Shead. He built a swag of FJ, ANF 1.5, F3, F2, F Atlantic, F Holden and Clubman cars over the better part of four decades. Cheetah had longevity. Special shout outs for Birrana and Bowin. Bob Britton is still with us – Rennmax endures, Britto has several new cars on the go. Honourable mentions to Ian Richard’s Richards 201s and Jim Hardman’s 1980-1981 Hardmans.
70 AutoAction
1976 Tyrrell P34 Ford Cosworth F1
Yes folks, there was a time in F1 when innovation was possible, even among the ‘box-stock Ford Cosworth V8 and Hewland tranny’ garagiste. Didn’t Ken Tyrrell and Derek Gardner’s six-wheeler put the cat amongst the pigeons! Initially considered a PR stunt, the car was quick in Patrick Depailler and Jody Scheckter’s hands – 1976 Swedish GP winner. When Goodyear got a bit bored with it and ceased development of the little 10-inch tyres the car lost pace even with Ronnie Peterson at the wheel, and was shuffled out of the deck. Don’t forget too the later March and Williams 6-wheelers with four at the rear were tested, but soon after the idea of more than four wheels got banned.
1971 Matich A50 Repco F5000
Frank Matich and his boys in Brookvale and Cremorne led by Derek Kneller built six identical monocoques between mid-1971 and 1973. The A50, A51 and A53 were all winners – John Goss won the 1976 AGP at Sandown three years after it was built. The almost unknown Bowin P8 Repco-Holden was the most technically advanced F5000 ever built in this country but arguably Frank’s Matiches were the best. It’s a pity FM didn’t continue as a constructor/entrant but he’d had enough.
1975-6 9 Ferrarii 312T 2
Marvellously integrated, sublimely balanced 312T brought Ferrari in from the cold. Forghieri chassis put all 525bhp of the 3-litre era’s most powerful engine to the ground thereby creating the fastest car in 1975 and 1976 with Niki Lauda at the wheel. The BRM, Matra and Alfa Romeo V12s (Alfa flat-12 duly-noted too) provided variety during the Cosworth DFV’s reign, but the Fazz boxer-motor was king of the 3-litre engine heap.
1973 Ford Falcon GT 351 Coupe Group C
John Goss was the first to race one of these handsome coupes in Group C. I can remember him kicking the brilliant-yellow McLeod Ford, Mawer shod car delightfully sideways out of Shell corner lap after lap during a South Pacific Series round at Sandown in the summer of ’73. He paid the trail-blazing price in rooted bottom ends until lubrication issues were solved. Ditto the L34 Torana early on. Fred Gibson, Moffat, Murray Carter, Bond, Jim Richards and of course Gossy made Group C and Sports Sedan variants of these cars sing. Bathurst wins in 1973, 1974 and 1977 – not a bad effort.
1976 Porsche 935 Group 5 Sports-prototype
Any number of Porkers could be chosen for this list. Let’s go for the 911/930 Big Daddy – first raced in 1976, the 935 won everything from Le Mans down. Some came here. To see Alan Jones giving Alan Hamilton’s a serious touch-up was worth travelling for, mentions also for Pete Geoghegan, Rusty French and Allan Browne. Car shown is king of the breed – Moby Dick down.
1979 Williams FW07 Ford Cosworth
If Frank Williams and Patrick Head had FWO7 on circuit earlier perhaps Alan Jones would have won the ‘79 world championship in addition to 1980. Colin and he team came up with a working ground effects can but Frank and his boys perfected it. To see AJ mop-up Calder’s 1980 ‘Formula Libre’ AGP was magic, getting the family double with Stan Jones winning the 1959 AGP at Longford, Tasmania in a Maserati 250F. Quintessential ground-effect design, arguably the best ’79 copy’ of 1979 to 1981.
1976 Chev Corvair V8 Sports Sedan
Frank Gardner and Allan Grice were so successful in this car that the rules were re-written to effectively exclude it. Sydney racer Tom Nailard started the project and sold it to Gardner when he ran out of dosh. Gardner raided the Lola spare-parts bin with which he was so familiar. Together with John Anderson and others, they created a spaceframe F5000 in drag which was finished in a workshop alongside the Jane-Gardner Race School in 1975. Cripes it was fast. Too fast, it was a category killer, winning the Oz Sports Sedan Championships from 1977 to 1979, one for Frank and two for Gricey.
1979 19 979 Chev Monza V8 Sportss Sedan
Moffat’s came from DeKon in the ‘states. Janey had Pat Purcell build his with assistance from Tom Coad and Ron Harrop in Melbourne, from the best of local and imported bits. Talk about track presence. Impressive in Bob’s hands – two Oz Sports Sedan championships in 1980 and 1981 but positively awesome with Brock at the wheel. In fact all Monza Sports Sedans were cool and are now highly collectable, with several local now being restored.
1979 19 979 Holden H ld Commodore C d VB Round R d Australia A t li
Brock was a Monarch – crowned King of Moomba in’86, at the height of his fame he could have walked across the Yarra. His 1979 Repco Round-Australia Trial win added lustre to the legend. George Shepheard’s 202 ‘XU1 spec’ engine, brilliant preparation and cost-is-no-object support package won the race. The Brock-Meister drove though all the competitive stages and most transports. More demanding than his previous dirt Rallycross experience! PB seen here having a thrash... some 20 years on.
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