MotorSport Legends Issue 18 by Supercar Xtra Magazine

MotorSport Legends T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E www.motorsportlegends.com.au

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HER SCHUMACAT! THE GRE

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John Fitzpatrick: Bathurst’s English star

ISSUE 18 May-Jul 2012

ISSN 1835-5544

John Bowe: These hands were made for driving!

Q U A R TE R LY

M A G A Z IN E

OURS N O H T H G I R OUTR O F E G R A H IOUS C R E S T S R I F NISSAN’S

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T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E

Contents Editorial 4 Phillip Island is the place to find the stars of the past. News Who did what on the historic and nostalgia motorsport scenes.

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Racing Fury 10-15 Nissan has announced it is entering V8s in 2013, but it won’t be its first foray into Aussie touring cars. George Fury recalls forging the path in the 1980s. Take a Bowe 16-21 John Bowe just loves to race. In his long career he has driven almost everything. In this feature he remembers just a few of his many cars. Historic Racer 23-30 Welcome to the 12th edition of our historic racing section, which includes coverage of the Phillip Island Classic and explores Bruce Canepa’s famous museum. Webb of Intrigue 31 Mick’s not scared to tell it how it was. Bathurst’s own Pom 32-36 A regular visitor to Australian race tracks, this English racer was extremely respected by the locals, especially when he took on the Mountain. Carbon dating 37-41 We take a look at how carbon fibre became the most important material in motorsport. Schuey the Great 42-47 Michael Schumacher is statistically unrivalled as the best ever F1 driver, but is his second coming worth the effort? There and Back Again! 48-50 Fast femmes racing across the Nullabor 1920s style.

Contributors in this issue Grant Nicholas Following Nissan’s recent news that it plans to rejoin the Australian touring car scene, Grant caught up with Australia’s fastest farmer, George Fury, who was the main man in the early days of Nissan’s first serious attempt at outright success. George’s views on Nissan’s current foray make for interesting reading... Adrian Musolino We’ve all seen components that are made from it, but few of us know much more about it. Adrian takes a look at how carbon fibre became arguably the most important development in motor racing history, and we visit the Ford Performance Racing workshop to see how it’s made.

Brian Reed Phillip Island is one of the best racing circuits in the world, which makes it an ideal place for historic motorsport. ‘Brique’ caught up with some old friends at the recent Phillip Island Classic and he even kept an eye on what was happening on the track.

T H E M A G A Z I N E T H AT B R I N G S Y O U R M O T O R S P O R T M E M O R I E S B A C K T O L I F E

Managing Editor Allan Edwards Pole Position Productions Address: PO Box 225 Keilor, Victoria, 3036 Phone: (03) 9331 2608 Fax: (03) 8080 6473 Email: admin@motorsportlegends.com.au Website: www.motorsportlegends.com.au Sub-editor Briar Gunther Artists/Design House Craig Fryers, Dianne McBride Raamen Pty Ltd (03) 9873 8282 Contributors Glenis Lindley, Mark Fogarty, Grant Nicholas, Adrian Musolino and Mick Webb. Photographers Autopics.com.au, John Doig/Torque Photos and Glenis Lindley. Advertising Manager Jennifer Gamble Phone: 0431 451 470 Email: advertising@ motorsportlegends.com.au Distributors Fairfax Media Publication Solutions Material in Motorsport Legends is protected by copyright laws and may not be reporoduced in any format. Motorsport Legends will consider unsolicited articles and pictures; however, no responsibility will be taken for their return. While all efforts are taken to verify information in Motorsport Legends is factual, no responsibility will be taken for any material which is later found to be false or misleading. The opinions of the contributors are not always those of the publishers.

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CLASSIC

Lines Welcome to the 18th edition of Motorsport Legends magazine. Motorsport Legends includes motor racing nostalgia and historic events.

ith its picturesque ocean backdrop, long straights and fast-flowing corners, Phillip Island is without doubt one of the best motor racing venues in the world. When the weather is kind it is the ideal place for historic motor racing and we were blessed with such a wonderful weekend at the recent Phillip Island Classic – we had great cars and a huge crowd. I really enjoy wandering around the paddock and casually saying ‘G’day’ to many of the sport’s greats of yesteryear. Legends such as Bob Jane, Spencer Martin and Murray Carter were all at Phillip Island this March. Another legend at this year’s event was Norm Beechey (pictured above with yours truly).

Stormin’ Norman had finished his racing well before I started covering the sport, so I really don’t know him well at all, but I was pleasantly surprised when I was lucky enough to meet him at the Island. He was so polite and didn’t have a problem when I asked for a few minutes of his time to take a photo. Some time ago I contacted him and asked if he would like to have a chat with one of the Motorsport Legends journalists for a feature article, but he declined in a very humble letter saying that his time in the limelight was over and that he wasn’t sure that today’s generation would want to read about his past. I can assure you Norm, that many Australian motorsport enthusiasts

would love to hear about your great racing exploits and I haven’t given up on trying to get that interview… On another note altogether, this issue is jam packed with great features – including George Fury’s story of his exploits with Nissan in the 1980s and his opinion of the Japanese manufacturer’s attempts to rejoin the Australian touring car scene. We have also covered other great drivers such as John Bowe, John Fitzpatrick and Michael Schumacher. We hope you enjoy the read. Until next time, drive safely on and off the race track. Cheers, – Allan Edwards, Managing Editor

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NEWS

LEGENDARY CLIMB A DREAM FOR LEYBURN SPRINTS DRIVER One of the stalwarts of historic motorsport in Queensland will enjoy a dream preparation for the annual Leyburn Sprints in August when he contests the world-famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado. Leyburn Sprints founder and regular competitor Mike Collins will be one of just a handful of internationals in a field of 99 car drivers and 102 motorcycle riders in the US event on July 8, six weeks before the 17th Leyburn Sprints. Collins and fellow Queenslander and Leyburn competitor Jim Hodgson have been accepted from hundreds of applicants to race a pair of 1960s Ford Mustangs in the Vintage class. Collins described the acceptance as a dream come true. “They could only take 20 cars in the historic class and had over 50 entries,” he said. “Pike Peak Interna-

tional Hill Climb is one of the world’s most famous, challenging and historic motorsport events. “It’s called the Race to the Clouds and over a distance of 20 kilometres it offers 156 corners and a climb from 2860 metres to 4300m. “Jim and I will be trying to drive fast at altitudes almost twice as high as the tallest mountain in Australia with no protection from falling a very long way. “It will be the challenge of a lifetime.” Although the scale of the two events is vastly different, Collins said he would be promoting the Leyburn Sprints as one of Australia’s historic motor racing institutions during his US visit. “Wouldn’t it be great if we could attract a couple of the US competitors to come down and try our event?” he said. The Leyburn Sprints time trials will be run on August 18-19 on a one-kilometre

Above: Jim Hodgson raced this blue Mustang at Pikes Peak in 2011 and then at Leyburn a few weeks later. Top: The car which Mike Collins bought to drive at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

course around the closed public streets of the tiny former gold town between Warwick and Toowoomba.

Proceeds from the not-for-profit event benefit community organisations and projects. MSL

JASON RICHARDS NAMED THE INAUGURAL PETER BROCK MEDALLIST Late V8 Supercar driver Jason Richards has been announced as the inaugural Peter Brock Medallist, recognising his outstanding achievement and positive endorsement of motorsport. Richards was advised of his success in winning the Peter Brock Medal shortly before his death from cancer in December while his wife Charlotte was presented with the award at a CAMS gala dinner in March. Richards was judged to have best exemplified the characteristics that the great Peter Brock stood for during his racing career. The selection committee specifi-

cally noted Jason’s obvious and warm enthusiasm for the sport, despite facing a difficult personal battle over the past 12 months. Of special note was how this enthusiasm was conveyed to the motorsport community and fans as he made numerous visits to racetracks throughout 2011 as he made highly competitive cameo appearances behind the wheel. The medal also recognises the New Zealand-born driver’s record of strong results in Australian motorsport. Besides being a V8 Supercar race winner, Richards also appeared on the Bathurst podium

three times. It is widely accepted that Richards never had a car capable of matching his undoubted talent in V8 Supercars. CAMS President, Andrew Papadopoulos, said Richards was one of the most popular figures in Australian motorsport. He said the selection committee judged Richards to have best demonstrated all of the key attributes of the award, including outstanding driver ability, a fair and sportsmanlike attitude, to a high degree. “A key element is a willingness and capacity to promote the sport

in the wider community, something which Peter Brock was renowned for,” Mr Papadopoulos said. “Last year Jason was going through one of the toughest things that anyone could possibly go through, yet he kept turning up to race tracks and getting into race cars. “That is about as positive an endorsement for motorsport as any individual could make. “His interaction with the fans and his enthusiasm are examples of what this award is about. “I cannot think of anyone more deserving of the Peter Brock Medal.” MSL

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NEWS

WATCHMAKER TO SELL COLLECTION The outstanding collection of motor cars owned by the famed watchmaker George Daniels is to be sold by Bonhams at auction at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on June 29, 2012. The seven motor cars and two motorcycles are expected to realise in excess of £8,000,000. As a specialist watchmaker, Mr Daniels created less than 100 pocket watches and wristwatches during his lifetime, each of which would typically involve 2500 hours of work. His love of engineering also led to his abiding interest in fine motor cars and he accumulated an impressive collection over the years. He took part in numerous vintage car races until he was politely ‘warned off ’ by the RAC Motor Sports Association on grounds of age. In 2010 he was awarded the CBE, and he is the

Above: In 1931 the dashing Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin raised the Brooklands Outer Circuit lap record to 137mph in his ‘Blower’ Bentley Single-Seater.

only watchmaker ever to receive the honour of ‘Master Watchmaker, for services to Horology’. The jewel in the crown of the George Daniels Collection is the ex-Sir Henry ‘Tim’ Birkin 1929-32 Bentley four-litre supercharged single-seater, which set the Brooklands Outer Circuit Lap Record at more than 137mph in 1931. Enthusiastic bidding is also expected for another Birkin car, the 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C-2300 Long Chassis Touring Spider.

It formed part of the 1932 Le Mans Team Car entries with Birkin sharing driving duties with his great friend Earl Howe for the endurance race. Other highlights of the collection include the ex-1908 French Grand Prix and 1910 Brooklands All-comers Plate winner (fastest lap at 101.8mph), 1908 Itala 100hp Grand Prix Car and the ex-Frank Taylor of Taylor Woodrow Construction 1954 Bentley R-Type Continental Fastback. MSL

HISTORIC WINTON MARKS MILESTONES A number of milestones for classic cars will be celebrated at the 36th Historic Winton which takes place from May 26-27. Historic Winton presents a weekend of non-stop racing featuring more than 400 historic racing cars and motorbikes from the 1920s to the 1980s. Celebrations in 2012 include 110 years of Cadillac and 90 years of the Austin Seven, Lancia Lamba and Austin 12/4. On the Sunday there will be a special display of historic commercial and military vehicles and entry is offered free for those with a commercial or military vehicle that is older than 50 years. Another highlight of the event is the ever-expanding Shannons Classic Car Park featuring car and bike club displays including pre-war sporting Rileys and spectator access is available to the Competition Paddock where all of the fabulous old racing machines are on open display. For more information visit www. historicwinton.org or call Noel Wilcox on 03 5428 2689.

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GEORGE FURY

RACING FURY

George Fury recalls his glory days from the 1980s and weighs in on the announcement of Nissan’s return to modern day touring cars. STORY BY GRANT NICHOLAS; PHOTOGRAPHS BY AUTOPICS.COM.AU

uring the 1980s George Fury had a cult following amongst Australian and New Zealand touring car fans especially those interested in the ‘black art’ of turbocharger technology as he was Nissan Australia’s first factory driver when they fielded a turbocharged Nissan Bluebird in 1981. Many still remember the Hardies Heroes shootout at the 1984 James Hardie Bathurst 1000 where Fury recorded the quickest ever Group C lap record on the old Mount Panorama circuit layout. Born in Hungary in 1945, he migrated with his family to Australia and became a farmer on a 500-hectare property at Talmalmo in southeast New South Wales; he still farms the property today. In the early ‘70s Fury started to make well-known rally followers sit back and take notice as he slid his Ford Cortina MK1 through forest stages at break-

Above: In front of the Nissan Skyline at Amaroo in 1988. Top: After a great start to the weekend, George Fury and Gary Scott DNFed at the 1984 Bathurst.

neck speeds, resulting in the loan of a factory Datsun 180B SSS for the prestigious 1974 Southern Cross Rally. He finished a fine fourth behind the factory Mitsubishi Lancers of Andrew Cowan and Joginder Singh and Japanese Toyota star Tatsuo Yaginuma. Next he accepted a drive with the works Datsun Rally Team under the leadership of former Ford motorsport manager Howard Marsden. Fury and navigator

Monty Suffern went on to win the 1977 and 1980 Australian Rally Championship series in their Datsun Stanza plus racked up back-to-back Southern Cross Rally victories in 1978 and ’79. With the name change from Datsun to Nissan the company’s focus turned to circuit racing. Under Marsden’s guidance Fury made his Mount Panorama debut at the wheel of a Nissan Motorsport Australia entered turbocharged Nissan Bluebird in the 1981 James Hardie 1000 with former Ford works driver Fred Gibson as his co-driver. They recorded a DNF after a rear suspension component failed while the sister Bluebird driven by Japanese drivers Masahiro Hasemi and Kazuyoshi Hoshino failed to finish due to alternator and associated electrical woes. “I started racing when I was 28 years old so I didn’t have any motorsport background at all,” explains Fury. �

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GEORGE FURY

Clockwise from left: George Fury was Nissan Australia’s first factory driver when the manufacturer campaigned a turbocharged Bluebird in 1981. George Fury drives a Nissan Skyline at Lakeside in 1989. With the manufacturer sponsorship in the background, Fury drives the Nissan Bluebird Turbo around Bathurst in 1984.

“The driving part in the touring car was relatively easy, but actually learning race craft and the other racing stuff took a little time. We converted one of the last Datsun Stanza rally cars into a Sports Sedan by changing the suspension and the wheels but leaving the rally engine in it. I did some races at Sandown Raceway plus Oran Park Raceway and several other circuits to learn some race craft and a bit more about racing.” Fury recalled one of his first long distance races in the Bluebird at Amaroo Park. “The race was something like 150 laps; people were cutting and thrusting, bumping and tearing around like it was a 15 lap sprint. I couldn’t get over that,” he said. “The biggest thing you notice going from rallying to circuit racing was how much more on the limit you are. Back in the ‘70s we did mainly route charted rallies and several pace noted events, and in the pace noted rallies there is always

a degree of safety that you have and you could not go super flat out. Some people like the overseas drivers did but they always tended to crash out. When you’re circuit racing you notice straight away that the forgiveness is not as great as when you are racing around the track on slicks and you’re just a poofteenth off the limit.” With the rules stipulating that the standard turbocharger must remain in the car, Fury said the Bluebird was quite easy to drive. “These cars were not available in Australia, but they were sold to the Japanese public,” he explained. “It came with a relatively small turbocharger and you couldn’t change it, as it was always the first thing that the scrutineers checked. We never had a flexibility problem in that area; with a big turbo with a big turbine fan it takes time to spin up and that’s when you lose responsiveness of the engine. “In 1981, I got into stride quite

easily at Bathurst and didn’t have any problems recording a quick lap time – I really enjoyed it. I think that all of the cars racing at that time did not have power steering fitted and that made it more physically demanding on the drivers than what it is today in the V8 Supercars. I remember my forearms getting sore during the long stints during the Bathurst races and I considered myself to be one of the fittest drivers in the field in the ‘80s.” Fury and Gibson provided Nissan with their first national series title by winning the 1982 Australian Endurance Championship of Makes. Following considerable development of their Group C Bluebird, Fury and new teammate Gary Scott recorded two impressive victories at the opening two rounds of the 1983 Australian Endurance Championship, the Silastic 300 at Amaroo Park and the Oran Park 300. Several months earlier Fury narrowly missed taking out the

“I STARTED RACING WHEN I WAS 28 YEARS OLD SO I DIDN’T HAVE ANY MOTORSPORT BACKGROUND AT ALL… THE DRIVING PART IN THE TOURING CAR WAS RELATIVELY EASY, BUT ACTUALLY LEARNING RACE CRAFT AND THE OTHER RACING STUFF TOOK A LITTLE TIME” 12

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Australian Touring Car Championship by only six points to Allan Moffat in his Peter Stuyvesant Mazda RX7 after Nissan failed to contest the final round of the series at Lakeside International Raceway. “To this day I do not know why we didn’t contest the final round of that championship series – I have no idea. Howard mentioned that we had blown our budget and we couldn’t afford to be there – I have taken that with a grain of salt because I believe we would have won the championship, as it was a wet race. I sat at home and watched the television coverage and Moffat was in a dither as only he can get himself into, and with our package we would have won it – such is life. When you are a works driver you have to do what you are told and Howard was a fantastic man with words and the way he put it across; talking to him would have done no good.” 1984 saw Fury win the Lakeside International Raceway round of the Australian Touring Car Championship and get pole at the Castrol 500 at Sandown Raceway although he and Scott suffered a DNF in the early stages of the event. The following month Fury became the first driver to put a � Top and middle photos: The Brock Commodore and Fury Nissan Bluebird lead the pack off the start line at the 1984 Bathurst, with Fury starting from pole. Left: Fury finished third in the 1987 Bathurst with Terry Shiel and third overall in that year’s ATCC. MotorSportLegends

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GEORGE FURY

Top: With Glenn Seton co-driving, Fury said the 1986 Bathurst was the year they had a chance to win the Great Race. Bottom: With Terry Shiel, Fury finished third outright at Bathurst in 1987 driving a Nissan Skyline DR30.

Japanese manufactured car on pole at the nation’s iconic James Hardie 1000 – the last Great Race for the Group C cars. Fury’s ’84 pole time of two minutes 13.85 seconds around the old 6.172kilometre road circuit was the quickest ever by a Group C car – race winner Peter Brock in his Marlboro Holden Dealer Team Holden Commodore V8 was next closest with a 2:14.03 time while Fury and Scott finished 14th in the Great Race. “That was a pretty good lap. Despite some suggestions we did not have a turbocharger-boost button in the car, in fact before each long distance race we would decide at what boost the engine’s turbo would live at for the whole race. We would qualify on 1.6 or 1.65 atmospheres of boost and then run between 1.3 and 1.4 boost during the races – we would never screw the boost 14

up higher as we knew that would kill the engine’s reliability.” While Nissan built and developed their Skylines for the new international Group A touring car regulations in 1985, Fury accepted an invitation to co-drive with Kiwi Neville Crichton in one of Frank Gardner’s factory-backed JPS Team BMW 635CSi race cars. JPS scored a notable 1-2 finish at the Sandown Castrol 500 with Richards and Tony Longhurst claiming victory over Crichton and Fury. The following month at the James Hardie 1000 the Crichton and Fury combo suffered a DNF after 68 laps. “Frank rang me and asked me if I would like to drive one of his cars, so I asked Freddie for permission to race one of the BMWs and he kindly allowed me to undertake the drive,” Fury said.

“It was not until we got to Bathurst that I realised I was not driving a works car; it was actually owned and funded by Crichton. The car was an ex-Team Schnitzer 635 and Frank had thrown away all of the Schnitzer gear and installed components that he fancied and when we got to Bathurst I couldn’t drive the car. Crichton mentioned that he was also having trouble with the car’s handling, so I suggested that he talk to Frank and have the Schnitzer gear put back in the car. Whether the parts were there or not, they were not reinstalled and therefore the car was uncompetitive which was a shame after finishing second at Sandown. Frank’s philosophy was that you drove the car as he gave it to you and no changes were made, he just said alter your driving style to suit the car.” Fury said with one exception, he went to Bathurst knowing the race was unwinnable in a Nissan. “That was pretty demoralising,” he said. “Back in 1986 I finished a close second to Robbie Francevic (Volvo 240T) in the Australian Touring Car Championship after winning five rounds in the Nissan Skyline DR30 running Peter Jackson Nissan Racing colours and managed by Freddie Gibson. We went there with a brand-new chassis with a chrome-molly cage that had a lot of extra diagonal bracing like the current touring cars. It was just a chassis with no suspension or wheels and Freddie wanted to run it in Sunday’s race, however the cars we had been running during the year had alloy roll cages and the bodies flexed a fair bit and we set the suspension up to suit and they were really good in the handling department. The new car was built at the track, the crew simply bolted in the engine, running gear and ancillaries – they thought it was just another car and it should be quicker than the others. Because of the extra stiffness built into the chassis the handling of the car was just awful. Gary Scott got pole in his car and I was third quickest in qualifying behind Allan Grice’s Holden Commodore. In the race Glenn Seton and I had to park the car as it was a heap of shit, and we were forced to stop every 10 laps or so for new tyres. Our tyre fitter was in tears as we had bought tyres from everyone and we just had to give up. That was extremely disappointing

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as it was the year when we had the car to win Bathurst as Gary and co-driver Terry Shiel finished third to a Holden 1-2.” In 1987 Seton took the role as the lead driver and with Fury supporting, they finished second and third respectively in the ATCC to Jim Richards in a JPS Team BMW M3. The next season he finished 13th overall after only contesting three rounds in the new Nissan Skyline HR31 GTS-R. 1989 saw Fury claim Nissan’s only ATCC win of the season at Winton Motor Raceway as he and new teammate Jim Richards finished fourth and sixth respectively in their immaculately prepared Nissan Motorsport Australia Skylines. The early part of 1990 saw Fury without a fulltime drive after Mark Skaife was drafted into the Nissan team alongside Richards, so he joined Glenn Seton Racing for the 1990 Australian Endurance Championship. Seton and Fury won the Sandown 500 in their Peter Jackson Racing Ford Sierra RS500 before suffering a DNF at the Tooheys Bathurst 1000, then Fury finished a disappointing fifth in the Nissan 500 at Eastern Creek Raceway in the team’s second RS500 that he shared with Drew Price. Following the race

“EVERYONE KNOWS THAT V8 ENGINES ARE ONLY GOOD FOR BOAT ANCHORS…” Fury announced his retirement from fulltime competition. It was quite ironic that Nissan’s rally and touring car ace, hailed as the nation’s quickest farmer, would retire from the sport at an event sponsored by the company. “I got a bit disillusioned when I found that the two Sierras were different to one another. Glenn wanted me to run with him in his car, but I didn’t know that I was in the slower car, that put a real sour taste in my mouth and I basically signed off from fulltime racing there and then. During that final race at Eastern Creek Raceway I thought to myself ‘this is one of the best races I have driven in my life’ as I had qualified poorly in ninth spot, probably because the Ford Sierra handled a little better than the cars I had raced previously. I always said that when the pain is greater than the enjoyment I would give the racing away.”

Fury has his own thoughts on Nissan Australia making a return to the Australian Touring Car Championship after a 20-year absence with four cars fielded by V8 Supercar team Kelly Racing. “Why would the boss of Nissan want to go racing in that championship?” Fury questioned. “Everyone knows that V8 engines are only good for boat anchors; there is no worthwhile future development with those engines. Why would Nissan spend a zillion bucks developing a V8 (engine) for touring cars? If they want to be in the series and want their name on the television screen why not have a Chevrolet engine in the car and Nissan branding on the car panels. The whole thing doesn’t ring right to me and I don’t believe it will sell many Nissan cars by having their name on a NASCAR style of car.” MSL

Fury/Olofsson and Richards/Skaife Nissan Skylines cross the line together at the 1989 Bathurst. MotorSportLegends

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JOHN BOWE

TAKE A BOWE John Bowe despaired at the thought of giving up his beloved motorsport career after retiring from V8 Supercars but the versatile steerer is busier than ever, competing in the Touring Car Masters, the Bathurst 12 Hour and other racing bits and pieces. STORY AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY GLENIS LINDLEY

atching John Bowe man-handle ‘Mustang Sally’ around circuits at Touring Car Masters meetings is reminiscent of the days when he drove a Volvo in the Australian Touring Car Championship. Although he’s fondly and best remembered for his long association with Ford, he’s the sort of versatile driver who adapts to any form of motor racing and comes out on top – which is what this popular Tasmanian did during his brilliant career spanning four decades. Bowe comes across as a happy-go-lucky, always smiling, cheery personality - similar in many ways to Craig Lowndes, only not quite as high-profile - so his fight against depression came as a shock. As he explained, after a life spent being totally committed to cars and all the associated activities as a professional racing driver, the thought of walking away from the sport he’d devoted his life to, and loved

Above: Leading at Lakeside in 1980. Top: Bowe at the 2001 Bathurst.

with such a passion, became all too much. “When it came time to retire, the bubble burst,” Bowe explained. “It was like a bad dream. I tried to appear normal although I felt anything but.” As retirement loomed at the end of 2007, Bowe was driving for Paul Cruickshank Racing in the V8 Supercar championship and had recorded over 200 race starts, even breaking the late, great Peter Brock’s record of 212 starts, but

that prestigious milestone didn’t help his emotions and fragile state of mind. “It lost its significance with Brocky not here,” he said. “The closer the last race got, the worse I felt. I just couldn’t imagine facing a life spent watching DVDs and mowing the lawn. “Seeking help was probably the most difficult thing, but once the fog began lifting, I came from the depths of despair, and gradually things didn’t look so bad. ” That nightmare experience is now a thing of the past: Bowe’s back racing and thoroughly enjoying himself in Touring Car Masters, where he continues to battle with several touring car rivals from his heyday years. “I’m back racing in the sport I love, but it’s just for fun now,” declared the man who was crowned 2011 Touring Car Masters champion after a year-long battle with the likes of friends but fierce competitors such as Jim Richards, �

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JOHN BOWE

Andrew Miedecke, Glenn Seton along a host of other equally determined opponents. Winning 12 races in the year is testament to the ability he still has behind the wheel. Most young, would-be stars begin racing karts and Formula Fords, so the boy from Devonport cut his racing teeth in similar circumstances at Symmons Plains. John’s father, a racing enthusiast himself, had a car dealership and was good friends with local legend John McCormack. Back in 1971 at the tender young age of 16, John raced an Elfin in the Tasmanian Formula Vee Championship, winning the state title on debut. A dynamic and talented driver with heaps of potential, he clinched the Formula Ford state title the following year. Soon it came time to venture across to the mainland, where he honed his skills nationally, receiving help and encouragement from the late Garrie Cooper. He recorded runner-up results in the Ansett Team Elfin F5000 in the Australian Driver’s Championship from 1979. Then with his brother Terry, the young Tassie charger established his own team for the new Formula Pacific class in 1981. He qualified his Ralt RT4 up with the internationals – Alain Prost, Nelson Piquet and Roberto Moreno – ahead of all the locals for the Australian Grand Prix, but car reliability was his big enemy. More runner-up results followed but by 1984, the new kid on the block had everyone’s measure, wrapping up the Australian Drivers Championship (CAMS Gold Star) with his dominant style, a feat he repeated again in 1985. Top to bottom: Robbie Francevic and Bowe with Volvo Dealer Team manager John Sheppard and the 240 Turbo. Bowe raced in the 1984 AGP at Calder and that year also wrapped up the Australian Drivers Championship. On track at the 1989 Bathurst and (below) celebrating the win with Dick Johnson.

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At the 1984 AGP at Calder in the Lucky car.

The funny thing was, as Bowe explained, “I never had any ambition to do anything great motor racing-wise, other than race cars”. “I just took it all in my stride.” He hadn’t planned to make the centre stage, but that’s what he achieved during his illustrious career. This ‘reluctant hero’ also never planned to switch to touring cars, even after effortlessly clinching the Australian Sports Car Championship in 1986 in Bernie Van Elsen’s VeskandaChevrolet. “ I was able to set lap records everywhere with it, and it was such a fun car to drive,” Bowe said. Circumstances, and one of his heroes, Peter Brock, unknowingly influenced his career. Brock’s success as a touring car ace was extremely impressive while his own ‘purist’ open-wheel, but low-key exploits, were completely overshadowed by that other more crowd-pleasing class of motor racing. Although he wasn’t dragged screaming and protesting, a little surprisingly, Bowe was enticed into the ‘tin-top’ world, making his debut at Sandown in 1985. Bowe knew the name Robbie Francevic, but had not met the New Zealander until asked to pass on a message to the Volvo star. After that friendly chat, completely unexpectedly, Bowe received a call from Mark Petch, who ran the Volvo Dealer Team, asking him (at Francevic’s request) to co-drive at Sandown and Bathurst. And so a whole new world opened up. His full-time Australian Touring Car Championship season came in 1986. Even though he’d never driven this car

before, he put the Volvo 240 Turbo on the front row in Adelaide, then secured pole for the second race. Bowe ended the year as lead driver, being faster than Francevic. “Robbie got the shits,” grinned Bowe. With John Sheppard then running the team, he finished eighth in the ATCC that year, with mechanical mishaps preventing better results. In 1987 in a factory Nissan Skyline, he co-drove with Glenn Seton at Bathurst, claiming yet another runner-up position. Then came a major breakthrough, with this promising new talent joining Dick Johnson’s team in 1988, and so the long Ford association began. “Driving for Dick was a pretty big deal,” declared Bowe.

Many more seconds were recorded in the Sierra RS500 until he cracked his first Bathurst victory with Dick in 1989. They repeated this again in 1994 in an EB Falcon. Johnson/Bowe also claimed the Sandown 500 that year, the first time in a decade that anyone had scored the double. The next year, ‘JB’ as he was affectionately known (or ‘Jelly Bean’ to Dick), won Sandown again and clinched the ATCC. In the process, he earned the distinction of becoming the first and only driver to win championships in three categories – Driver’s, Sports and Touring Cars. The wins kept coming for a while with Johnson/Bowe also scoring a 12-Hour Production Car victory in a Mazda RX7. Then came Bowe’s bombshell. �

Bowe celebrates 10 years of racing around Mount Panorama in 1995, a year after he won his second Great Race with Johnson.

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JOHN BOWE

After some poor team results, mechanical failures and sluggish car performances, JB became a little disillusioned. The incentive to change to a new team as lead driver, along with a hefty pay packet (for those days), said to be around $300,000, proved irresistible. The promise of this tempting carrot, the lucrative contract and CAT Racing’s mega-dollar budget lured Bowe away. After the successful 11-year partnership with DJR, this ‘honorary Queenslander’ departed for greener pastures, with suggestions that he’d become the highest paid driver in Australia at that time. There was disappointment but no bitterness when ‘Jelly Bean’ left. Dick simply said, “I couldn’t afford to pay John even half that amount.” His dream of notching up more Bathurst wins and championships turned into a nightmare, despite the generous backing from earthmoving heavyweight Caterpillar. The new team was inexperienced, untested, unsuccessful and – as it proved – not such a wise decision after all! “Hindsight is a wonderful thing and I probably should have stayed with Dick,” JB admits. His Falcon AU XR8 consistently struggled throughout 1999 and beyond although it was occasionally lighteningquick. At Queensland Raceway, he won a race and qualified on pole for CAT Racing, but was disqualified for bumping Garth Tander out of the way. “Driving rules then were pretty flakey,” said the man notoriously hard to pass. Despite calling on his enormous depth of experience three challenging years with ec_strip_mslegends.pdf 1 1/12/2010 11:07:58 AM

The CAT Racing days were frustrating for Bowe who was used to being at the pointy end of the field.

CAT, including an ownership change, gave him little joy and few rewards in terms of results, but from 2000 to 2003 he utilised his diverse talents, competing in GTP Nations Cup with numerous race wins. “I’m a freestyle driver. I love driving different cars,” Bowe said. While he’s a self-proclaimed worrier and harsh critic of himself, he’s also highlymotivated when it comes to racing, but he soon admitted that “motivation didn’t make the car go fast”. Enter friend Brad Jones. Bowe had known Brad and his brother Kim, who were well-respected in Super Tourers, AUSCAR and NASCAR before they entered the V8 Supercar championship in 2000. When approached to join them in 2002, Bowe readily accepted, playing second fiddle to Brad Jones in the expanded two-car Ford team. Early

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promises of good results never happened due to under-funding compared with big-budget operations. But they finished third at Bathurst in 2004 and Bowe won a non-championship support race at the 2005 Australian Grand Prix. They were happy times. “I stayed there hoping the team would finds its feet,” Bowe said. Then word filtered through that Kim’s nephew Andrew Jones was about to lose his drive at Tasman Motorsports, so Bowe did the honourable thing – vacating his seat so Andrew could secure his future. Although Bowe could have shifted camp to Holden with Larry Perkins, he accepted an offer from fledgling team Paul Cruickshank Racing for one year, “a lot out of loyalty to Ford and Paul, my first mechanic at DJR all those years ago.” Ironically, the sport’s ‘Senior Citizen of

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Supercars’ joined forces with the youngest V8 Supercar team. “I’ve been racing for over 35 years. That’s a long time... longer than most of my competitors have been alive,” Bowe laughed. “I don’t expect to win any races. Paul operates on a shoe-string budget. “My aim is to do a good job, work with these guys and help the team to another level,” enthused the ever-smiling JB, who has helped Karl Reindler in the past, and this year will also offer ‘words of wisdom’ to David Wall. When retirement came at the end of 2007 it marked the end of an era, but to his immense relief, this likeable legend was able to continue racing. He’s competed in several categories since, including production and historic open wheelers and of course the current love of his life, TCM, plus he’s a familiar face at events such as Speed on Tweed and Muscle Car Masters. Dabbling in the GT Championship, winning for Ferrari and Lamborghini kept his enthusiasm on the boil. In 2010, he proved without doubt he could still win races, snaring the Bathurst 12 Hour in a BMW 335i with Garry Holt and Paul Morris. His John Bowe Driving business was established in 1997 with Terry and another driver training professional, David Cuff. Offering drive days from corporate to high performance, it’s just another outlet for Bowe to continue his love of cars. Then for kicks last year, following an invitation from Wilson Security Racing, he jumped back into a V8 Supercar at Eastern Creek for a corporate guest drive day,

Bowe finished out his V8 Supercar career racing for Paul Cruickshank’s Ford team in Glenfords Tools livery.

absolutely loving the experience. “The sequential gearbox makes it simpler, and the engines are certainly better than I remember them,” admitted the legend, “but there are no thoughts of a comeback”. “It’s impossible to turn your back on a lifetime of passion. It’s just a question of getting the balance right,” declared the man who said he was past his ‘used by date’ several years ago. Being honoured by “John Bowe Straight” at Symmons Plains and having countless awards and records attached to his name is a fitting tribute to one of the sport’s greatly respected drivers, who classes Jamie Whincup and Garth Tander as the pick of today’s bunch. So what does the future hold for Bowe? “Well, Sally (his ’69 Trans Am Mustang) had her regular makeover; I made my

annual pilgrimage to SummerNats, competed in another Bathurst 12 Hour, then there’s V8Race Bathurst*. “Stevie’s an awesome driver, and I haven’t forgotten how to do it either, plus our first race meeting (TCM) was at Adelaide’s Clipsal 500 (which Bowe convincingly won).” “I love motorsport and will try to do it forever,” declared JB. Bowe doesn’t accept the concept that he’s an icon, believing that’s Peter Brock’s domain, but he certainly has a more positive approach to life than he did at the height of his dark, depressing year, and now rates loyalty to family, friends and sponsors as a priority. MSL * V8Race Bathurst is a full-on driving experience with Steve Johnson and Bowe at the famous race track.

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HISTORIC

RACER

PHILLIP ISLAND’S FLYING MACHINES

Word is getting around the globe that the Phillip Island Classic is an event that cannot be missed. The 2012 running of the carnival featured plenty of special historic cars. STORY BY BRIAN REED PHOTOGRAPHS BY JOHN DOIG/TORQUE PHOTOS

f the 2012 meeting was anything to go by, it’s no surprise last year’s equally spectacular Phillip Island Classic was shortlisted for an international award as one of the world’s best historic motor race meetings. And the word is getting around. Of the 573 entries received by the Victorian Historic Racing Register this time around, no fewer than 12 came from across the Tasman plus six from the USA, five from the UK, one from Canada and one from Denmark. The exchange these days is reciprocal with local drivers including Laurie Bennett, Bill Hemming, Kim

Forty XU-1 Toranas were a special attraction at this year’s Classic to mark the 40th anniversary of Peter Brock’s first Bathurst endurance win.

Rick Hall from Emgland gave a demonstration drive of the 1959 Ferrari Tipo 500.

Shearn, Roger Ealand, Bob Harborow, Peter Strauss and the globetrotting Tasmanian Scotty Taylor making regular trips to the circuits of Europe and New Zealand. Then there were the cars.

Rick Hall from England drove the 1959 Ferrari Tipo 500 in which Italian ace Alberto Ascari won the first two World Formula One Championships, winning 10 of the 11 races it contested. This famous car was later campaigned by Australia’s first F1 driver and WW2 Spitfire hero, Tony Gaze. More recent F1 cars are finding new homes in Australia, and Phillip Island hosted several at the Classic. Leading the way in the Groups P, Q R and Invited races was the 1985 Ferrari 156/85 driven originally by Stefan Johansson and now campaigned by Sydney’s

Guido Belgiorno-Nettis. Guido also owns the other team Ferrari raced by Michele Alboreto and had it on standby in case it was needed. Another F1 car from 1985 was the Lola Hart of Ian Ross – the car originally raced by 1980 World F1 champion, Alan Jones. His championship winning Williams FW07 made a welcome appearance, along with the ex-Jack Brabham, Bib Stillwell 1969 Brabham Repco BT-31 now owned by Peter Strauss. Other notable cars included the Surtees F1 TS9B of John Gale, Chris Farrell’s Spirit � MotorSportLegends

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HISTORIC RACER

Ian Ross drove the Lola Hart that Alan Jones raced in 1985.

Above left: Australian touring car legend Murray Carter attended the Phillip Island Classic while Robert Tweedie and the Elfin MS7 (above right) performed well in the Groups P, Q, R Sports and Racing and Invited Cars class.

Honda BMW, the 8-litre plus McLaren M8E ‘big banger’ sports car of Duncan MacKellar, and the Gurney Eagle T2G Indycar. Robert Tweedie’s former Australian Sports Car Championship winning five-litre Elfin MS7 performed strongly to score a third and fourth placing in this star studded field. There has been a resurgence of interest in the thundering Formula 5000s, once Australia’s premier open wheeler category. This year 33 entries were received from Australia, USA, Canada, England, Denmark and a sizeable contingent from New Zealand, with Steve Ross (McRae GM1) the most successful Kiwi driver. Ross won three of the four races, with Aussie driver Andrew Robson (Lola T332) filling second place in all four races. Promising young driver James 24

Davison, now with American experience behind him, drove his uncle’s 1974 Lola T332 to victory in race three and lowered the lap record to 1:29.3062. His uncle, Richard Davison, a former Formula 2 champion, is a son of the late Lex Davison, and James is the son of John Davison, former Sandown boss and himself an F5000 driver of note. The Davison clan was there to cheer on James, including his cousin and V8 Supercar driver Will Davison, fresh from his win the previous weekend at the Clipsal 500 meeting. The ‘tintops’ provided great racing, and evergreen Jim Richards was back behind the wheel of his 1985 BMW 635csi for the first time in 24 years. This was one of the ‘Bimmers’ that delivered Richards one of his four touring car titles. Another

multiple Australian champion (and equally evergreen), John Bowe raced a 1970 Porsche 911ST in the Group N touring car events. It was also a star studded pit area and paddock with many former champions on hand. Patrons of the meeting were the husband and wife touring car drivers, Fred and Christine Gibson. Fred is a former Bathurst winner who went on to head the team that won four Australian Touring Car championships and three Bathurst 1000s. Christine had a distinguished career that began in a Mini sports sedan and culminated in works drives for Holden and Alfa Romeo. 1972 was a landmark year for Bob Jane, who captured his fourth Australian Touring Car title. Jane was there with several of the cars he competed in or sponsored

during his illustrious career. Arch rival during the sixties and seventies was Norm Beechey, and “Stormin’ Norman” was on hand enjoying the camaraderie. Dual Gold Star champion Spencer Martin, who drove a Brabham and an Elfin 400 sports car for Jane, was back with his old team boss and was seen re-living old times with contemporaries Kevin Bartlett and Colin Bond. Both former champions Bartlett and Bond now keep an eagle eye on driver standards from the control tower. Bev Brock was an interested spectator, as was Harry Firth, and being the 40th anniversary of Peter Brock’s first Bathurst endurance race victory, the Torana XU-1 was a special attraction. In fact there were 40 of them taking part in a tribute to ‘the King of the Mountain’. On the outfield some 500 desirable cars from 43 clubs were on static display, while the Expo Centre attracted large crowds over the three-day carnival. This year celebrates 60 years since the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club (PIARC) was formed with the charter of purchasing suitable land and building a permanent motor racing circuit. Money was raised by selling 3000 club memberships at 10 pounds each, and the circuit was opened with a 10 event meeting on December 15, 1956. One of the star drivers taking part was a youthful Jack Brabham, and today, 85-year old Sir Jack is the patron of the Victorian Historic Racing Register, the organising club. It was a proud time for our triple World Champion being associated with the 2012 Classic Festival of Motor Sport at the Island.

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HISTORIC RACER

CANEPA’S GARAGE Bruce Canepa’s motorsport activities knows no bounds, having competed in the Daytona 24 Hour and Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with his sights now set on the Bonneville Salt Flats... and he freely opens parts of his massive car collection for the public to view. STORY & PHOTOGRAPHS BY GRANT NICHOLAS

hen you talk to Bruce Canepa you immediately note that he is a person who thrives being busy both on and off the racetrack. Go to a historic race meeting and he is usually racing three to four different racecars as well as overseeing up to a dozen clients and their race machines. Venture away from the track to Scotts Valley, Northern California, and you will be impressed by the superb architectural home of Canepa Design that houses a thriving business encompassing a showroom of investment quality vehicles, Concours D’elegance and motor racing restoration service, engine rebuilding, hot rod and personalised vehicle customisation, state-of-theart truck and transporters plus the widely acclaimed Canepa motorsports museum. Canepa mentions that he started racing as a 10-year-old and there was no organised karting venue so he and some mates raced in alleys in Santa Cruz near his parents’ house, then in his midteens he raced on a nearby NASCAR style quarter-mile dirt track oval. The racecar he raced belonged to two workers in the body shop of one of his father’s car dealerships. Eighteen months later he built his own Sportsman with a Chevrolet body and 358 cubic-inch engine, which he raced for several seasons before 25

Bruce Canepa wants to set a new land speed record in this Chevrolet HHR on debut at the Bonneville Salt Flats.

venturing into the Supermodifieds and eventually the high-speed Sprintcars. “I just loved the Sprintcars as they taught me a lot about driving. You have 800 horsepower up front and you are right on the edge with them all of the time if you are going fast,” Canepa said. “I was at the Indianapolis 500 100th anniversary and I caught up with some of the World of Outlaws drivers I had raced against Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell – it was fun chatting to them. “Next I went and road

raced in a single turbocharged Porsche 934 up against the more powerful twin-turbo 935s, which was quite different from the Sprintcar, but I managed to gain some strong results. In early 1979 I finished third in the car at the Daytona 24-Hour Race with Rick Mears and Monte Sheldon sharing the car – Danny Ongais, Hurley Harwood and Ted Field won in a brand-new 935. After the race Porsche AG asked me what my racing plans were and eventually they built

me a 935 that turned out to be the last one the factory built.” The next two seasons he continued sports car racing, co-driving with Gianpiero Moretti in the famous MOMO team Porsche 935. 1982 saw him back at the Daytona 24 Hour alongside Bobby Rahal and Jim Trueman in the first MARCH GTP “Ground Effects” Prototype. At the same time Canepa started competing at the world famous Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, qualifying first and finishing second overall in 1981, after having spun the car on the final run rather than hit a photographer who was standing on the racing line. Canepa was at the wheel of a 450 horsepower twinturbo Porsche 930 powered Paul Newman chassis open wheeler. Due to the car’s enormous show of speed it was outlawed. He ventured back to the mountain in 2000 in a Kenworth truck, setting the course record for Big Rigs in 2000, 2001, and 2002 thanks to a 2000 horsepower engine that pumped out 4300 foot-pounds of torque – his record still stands today. At the 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca, Canepa displayed extraordinary speed and dexterity as he raced with success in a wide array of events in his 1967 Porsche Left: Classic cars are literally stacked as high as the ceiling at Bruce Canepa’s garage.

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910/6 sports racing car, 1969 Porsche 917K sports car, 1970 ex-Mark Donohue AMC Javelin Trans-Am plus his all-time favourite the ’79 IMSA Porsche 935. Ever on the look out for a fresh challenge, Canepa is working feverishly towards his debut assault on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a turbocharged/ intercooled 2-litre 1000 plus horsepower Chevrolet HHR. His goal is to run it across the measured mile at 300 miles per hour while establishing a new G/Blown Fuel Competition Coupe land speed record – quite a debut for someone who has not driven on a salt flat. “Our primary business is selling cars. We buy the nicest cars and I only want the best original or best restored cars or best to be restored,” comments Canepa as we walk through the expansive

restoration workshop. “There are a lot of people in this business but very few do it the way we do where only the best will do. We are restoring the very first Duesenberg ever built back in 1921 for a client and it will be entered in the next Pebble Beach event in August 2012.” Other exotic or priceless vehicles under restoration include the very last Cobra 427 to be built plus a 427 Cobra race car, an ex-Le Mans Porsche 962 plus an array of hot rods, Mercedes-Benz, Chevrolet Corvette and Porsche sports cars. The finishing touches were being applied to the latest generation aerodynamic package for a 2012 Peterbilt truck. A first floor public viewing platform allows car club members and enthusiasts to view the company’s craftsmen at work refurbishing or restoring these �

The Gelo Racing Team 917-10 Porsche that former Australian F1 driver Tim Schenken raced in 1975 won Best of Class at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, demonstrating the quality of the restoration work by Canepa’s team.

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HISTORIC RACER

A TOUCH OF HISTORY FOR SALE

Above: Oval track cars on display at the museum. Left: The 1969 917K Porsche was just one of the cars Canepa raced in a variety of events at the 2011 Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Laguna Seca.

prized machines. While inspecting the many racecars and motorcycles that adorn Canepa’s motorsports museum your attention is drawn towards two special sports racing cars that Australian drivers excelled in. Renowned as the world’s fastest road racing car is the Gelo Racing Team Porsche 917-10 Spyder that former Australian Formula One driver Tim Schenken raced to third in the 1975 German Interserie Championship with three pole positions and victories in the last three rounds. Such is the restoration by Canepa’s team, the car won Best of Class at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance, and it is still 28

capable of zero to 200mph (320kmh) in 12 seconds from the 1150 horsepower twin turbocharged engine. Sitting nearby is the factory 1992 Nissan Performance Technology Inc. GTP sports car that Australian CanAm, IndyCar and two-time IMSA GTP Series champion Geoffrey Brabham raced with Chip Robinson. Other magnificently restored machines amongst the 27 on display included Buddy Baker’s 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, the first NASCAR to run a race lap at more than 200 miles per hour, Richard Petty’s 1969 Ford Torino Cobra NASCAR, 1970 Trans-Am Ford Mustang raced by Dan

Standing proud amongst Canepa’s collection of race cars is part of Australia’s motor racing history, the 1967 Ford Mustang that Greg Cusack raced in the 1967 Australian Touring Car Championship under the Castrol Team banner. This extremely rare car was one of 26 Shelby Trans-Am Ford Mustangs built in ’67 and believed to be one of only five that are known to be in running order today. It was the only competition Mustang to be fitted with new twin-choke downdraught Weber carburettors from the factory, and the only car shipped direct to Australia. Ford Australia originally ordered car number seven for leading open wheeler and sports car driver Greg Cusack to compete in that season’s Touring Car Championship. Shelby American switched their order to this car (number 20), which was fitted with Webers carburettors. Official Shelby American documentation indicates that this car was shipped to Cusack’s Gregory Ford dealership in Canberra on April 11, 1967 along with six sets of wheels. Three months later Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan won the ’67 touring car title at the wheel of his highly developed Ford Mustang GTA in a single race at Queensland’s Lakeside International Raceway with Cusack finishing a fine fifth. The next season Neil Allen scored an impressive win in the car at Sydney’s Warwick Farm circuit beating reigning champion

Geoghegan. Several years later it was sold to Gordon Stephenson and then Tony Calvert. Over the next 25 years the car was used for club racing until being purchased by Paul Burchall in 1992 and later sold to Warwick Miller who applied for, and received FIA Historic Vehicle Identity papers in August of 2000. Three years later he sold the Mustang to a respected California collector and vintage racer. Once landed in the United States the car has undergone a complete mechanical and cosmetic restoration. It was completely repainted and fully detailed with all components refinished to new condition. The Mustang’s 302 cubic-inch V8 engine develops 395 horsepower and was totally rebuilt by Ryan Falconer Racing Engines along with the Borg Warner T-10 four-speed transmission and the 3.89:1 ratio rear end. The car is currently in faultless period correct specification and comes with a Historic Motor Sports Association (HMSA) Logbook plus is fully sorted and ready to race. It has competed at the Monterey Pre-Historics at Laguna Seca, Reno Historic Races, Coronado Speed Festival in San Diego and displayed at the prestigious Quail Motorsports Gathering during August 2010 in Carmel, California. Contact Bruce Canepa at Canepa Design on +1 831 430 9940.

Gurney and Peter Revson, 1972 Chevrolet Chevelle drag car that held five NHRA national records by ‘Hall of Fame’ recipient Buck Kinney, 1987 Dale Earnhardt Wrangler Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS NASCAR, Japanese Trust Team’s 1990 Le Mans 24-Hour Race Porsche 962C, 1960 and 1961 Offenhauser

powered USAC oval track Sprinters plus Canepa’s first Sprintcar and his potent Porsche Turbo Pikes Peak open wheeler and the compelling Porsche 935. Entry to the museum is free and it is open to members of the public to inspect his private collection during normal business hours.

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20/3/12 5:16:15 PM

WEBB OF

Intrigue Mick Webb remembers the might of the Nissans against the other marques

issan’s return to Australian motor racing is a great thing and something long overdue in the V8 Supercar Championship. As much as I have been a Ford man, and enjoyed blowing Holden drivers into the weeds, the V8 Supercar Championship was certainly lacking excitement with just the blue and red brands. Nissan entered the top level of Australian touring car racing back when I was running the Mazda team for Allan Moffat. Back then Fred Gibson was a Nissan driver, before taking over the team when manager Howard Marsden moved on. As most people know, in addition to being a great driver, Fred had run a super successful business in Sydney called Road And Track Automotive Services. When Howard stepped aside from the Nissan program and Fred took over, he took it to a new level in Australian motorsport, which is really saying something because Howard ran a very good outfit. With the budget, the staff and the facilities Fred had, the only thing you could compare it to today would be Triple Eight. It was very hard to beat Fred. There have been lots of stories claiming that Nissan had nitrous oxide and variable turbo boost, but I doubt it. I know Fred would do anything to win a race, but I don’t think that he would take the risk of getting caught cheating. While the Nissan was a little car like our RX7 in that it was Japanese, lightweight and equipped with a small capacity engine, the Bluebird had a distinct advantage,

The turbocharged Bluebirds were particularly quick at the Mountain.

especially at Mount Panorama – a turbocharger. The little RX7s had fantastic horsepower at 9000 revs but they didn’t have any torque and we couldn’t get them to accelerate at Bathurst, and that is where the opposition outsmarted us all the time. That goes back to one of my previous columns where we looked at a six-speed gearbox because we could gear it to accelerate up the hill, but it still wasn’t good enough. The turbo offset the small capacity of the four cylinder Nissan engines but we didn’t have a turbo. If we had, it would have been goodnight Dick – we would have blasted everybody. As a result, every lap had to be a qualifier. With the Falcon, Moffat would run about three laps at qualifying pace, then he had to nurse the car because they were heavy cars and they were under-braked, and so were the Holdens. The Mazdas and

Nissans were different. For instance, we ran the 12A engines to 10,500rpm and had to keep them above 8000 all the time. You had to concentrate on driving the ring out of the car the whole time. At Bathurst, trying to get it off the line with a full tank was the biggest killer. We always tried to go the longest distance we could to cut down the amount of pit stops. If you go back to when we ran Wanneroo Park in the ATCC we ran a super light load of fuel and did something unheard of – a mid-race pit stop. We knew the gap we had to achieve because Alan Horsely, who was the Mazda team manager, and I worked out how many laps we could do and what lead we could establish in the race to be able to do a pit stop and still come out in the lead, which we did. We proved it and we made history by stopping in an ATCC race in that era. – Mick Webb MotorSportLegends

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20/3/12 5:16:46 PM

JOHN FITZPATRICK

DRAMA AT MOU N

MotorSportLegends

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20/3/12 6:34:29 PM

U NT PANORAMA!

Allan Moffat, John Fitzpatrick with grid girls at the 1979 Bathurst race. Left: Fitzpatrick had to nurse the L34 Torana to the finish line in 1976 as lead driver Bob Morris nervously watched from the pits.

Bob Morris could hardly bear to watch as English ace John Fitzpatrick coaxed their ailing Torana to win the 1976 Bathurst 1000. Fitzpatrick recounts to Mark Fogarty that the win ranks as a highlight of his distinguished international racing career.

STORY BY MARK FOGARTY; PHOTOGRAPHS BY AUTOPICS.COM.AU

he dramatic TV images are still burned in the mind nearly 36 years later. In the pits, Bob Morris has anguish in his eyes and both his hands are raised, fingers tightly crossed. Out on the track, his Torana L34 is trailing smoke as his English co-driver John Fitzpatrick nurses it to the finish of the Bathurst 1000. The closing stages of the 1976 race were arguably the most emotional and tension-filled in the storied history of the annual Mount Panorama classic. The vision of Morris, helpless on the sidelines, and Fitzpatrick’s agonising progress in their ailing car have remained vivid memories ever since, etched in folklore as a race ending for the ages. Adding to the drama was the fact that as well as wondering whether the Ron Hodgson Racing car would make it to the flag, the Holden Dealer Team car shared by Colin Bond and John Harvey

Paddy Hopkirk and John Fitzpatrick’s Morris Cooper S finished sixth at the Sandown 6 Hour International on November 29, 1964.

was in hot pursuit and closing fast as the final laps counted down. Fitzpatrick became the most popular Pom ever at the Mountain by holding on to score a famous, if later controversial, victory. Agony turned to ecstasy and the other enduring image from that late afternoon of emotional outpouring was Morris in the immediate aftermath of the win with tears of happiness – and relief – streaming down his face. � MotorSportLegends

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20/3/12 6:34:32 PM

JOHN FITZPATRICK

For the third year in a row, a privateer team had beaten the factory-backed squads in the most important race of the year. Morris and Fitzpatrick followed John Goss and Kevin Bartlett in their independent Falcon in ’74 and Peter Brock and Brian Sampson in their unsupported Torana L34 in ’75. Fitzpatrick, one of Europe’s leading touring car drivers at the time, was invited to partner Morris in ’76 on the recommendation of Frank Gardner, who’d co-driven with him the previous year. Gardner was unavailable because he’d switched to Allan Grice’s Craven Mild team due to the tobacco sponsorship with his all-conquering John Player Chevrolet Corvair sports sedan. “Frank and I had been driving against each other for 10 or more years and we were really good mates, playing golf together,” Fitzpatrick recalled. “He was a really good guy and, actually, Frank helped me get the drive with Bobby. He couldn’t drive with him, so he suggested me to (then leading Sydney Holden dealer) Ron Hodgson to replace him and that’s how I got to drive with Bobby in ’76. So it was because of Frank that I was lucky enough to be there the year that we happened to win it.” It wasn’t Fitzpatrick’s first time at Bathurst. In ’75, he was a member of Brian Foley’s multi-national driving squad in works-supported Alfa Romeo GTV2000s, racing for Class B honours. The team’s other internationals were his close friend, Aussie expat Tim Schenken, and French femme Marie-Claude Beaumont. Fitzpatrick was partnered with Fred Gibson, but they failed to finish. “I got roped into it because, going back another 11 years, in 1964 when I was only 24, I was driving for the Cooper Car Company in the Minis and at the end of the year they brought three cars out to the Sandown Six Hour. There was Paddy Hopkirk and myself, Rauno Aaltonen and Timo Makkinen, and the third car was Brian Foley and Peter Manton. So I met Brian then and we became really good friends. So it was Top left: The Morris/Fitzpatrick Torana A9X completed 111 laps at the 1977 Bathurst. Middle left: The Morris/ Fitzpatrick Torana DNFed again the next year. Bottom left: Allan Moffat and John Fitzpatrick’s 1979 Ford Falcon had race winning speed before it retired. 34

MotorSportLegends

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Left: The Moffat/Fitzpatrick Ford Falcon XD was a non-finisher at the 1980 Bathurst (piston rings) and only completed three laps. Above: Fitzpatrick reunited with Morris at Bathurst the following year and it was a much happier ending for Fitzpatrick because the comibination finished second outright.

really due to a personal friendship with Brian. When he ran that Alfa Romeo team, he wanted some international drivers.” Driving a works Mini Cooper, Fitzpatrick was runner-up to Jim Clark in the ’64 British Saloon Car Championship and won the title in ’66 in a Broadspeed-prepared Ford Anglia (yes, really). By ’76, he had had success in European touring car racing with BMW and Ford and was on his way to establishing himself as one of Porsche’s leading GT and sports car drivers, culminating in his move to the USA to become a leading driver and team owner in the IMSA series in the early ’80s. Having competed and won at the classic tracks of Europe, Fitzpatrick wasn’t over-awed by Mount Panorama. “I don’t think the track was an eye-opener because we’d been to Spa and NÜrburgring, and the cars really weren’t as good as the European touring cars,” he said matter-of-factly. “The rules were different. Our cars handled better and everything.” What did impress him, though, was

the Bathurst 1000’s status as a major national sporting event. “Just the atmosphere and the enthusiasm of everybody, and the guys on the top of the hill screaming and shouting for Ford or Holden and all that – you never saw that in Europe at all,” he added. “So that was the aspect of it that really made a difference, which we enjoyed, and that’s why over the years I just love coming back. The track’s good, but it ain’t that good, really. It was only three straights joined by the bit over the hill, to be honest. “People revere Bathurst here, but for what we’d done, NÜrburgring and all that sort of thing, it wasn’t the track that impressed us. It was the excitement of the event. And the fact was it was a big event because even the cars were really shit compared with the European touring cars at the time. To be fair, the

cars were probably more of a challenge than the European cars were because the European cars were easier to drive. They handled properly.” The avuncular Englishman, who will be 69 in June, has spent much of the past 20 years away from racing. He moved to southern Spain and became a successful property developer in Sotogrande, where he still lives. And avid golfer, Fitzpatrick’s home has a view of the Valderrama golf course, a major stop on the European tour. In recent years he has dabbled in historic events, including memorable outings at the Goodwood Revival in a Ford Galaxie 500 similar to the one raced in Australia in the mid-1960s by Sir Gwaine Bailey and the late Lex Davison. What continues to amaze him is that he is still remembered in Australia for winning Bathurst so dramatically. “It was just such a big event and, of course, in those days the TV coverage was incredible. I was in the Channel 7-sponsored car in ’76. And then, of course, when we won it, it seemed that suddenly everybody in Australia knew who I was. And even today, I follow the golf – I’ve been a golfer all my life – and a lot of my friends are pros and a couple of years ago one of them came to stay with me for Valdarama and he’d married an Australian girl. “She was only about 23 or 24 and she happened to mention to her father that she was staying with John Fitzpatrick. Her father said ‘You don’t mean John Fitzpatrick who won Bathurst?’ It really put me on the map in Australia.” Morris and Fitzpatrick qualified fourth behind pole-winners Allan Moffat/Vern Schuppan, Peter and Phil Brock and Bond/Harvey. Fitzpatrick remembers that he and Morris regarded themselves as leading contenders rather than the favourites to win. �

“THE TRACK’S GOOD, BUT IT AIN’T THAT GOOD, REALLY. IT WAS ONLY THREE STRAIGHTS JOINED BY THE BIT OVER THE HILL, TO BE HONEST... IT WASN’T THE TRACK THAT IMPRESSED US. IT WAS THE EXCITEMENT OF THE EVENT.” MotorSportLegends

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20/3/12 6:34:37 PM

JOHN FITZPATRICK

Fitzpatrick’s last appearance at Bathurst was in 1982 with Bob Morris. Despite qualifying in sixth, the car was too damaged to start the race after a wheel broke while Fitzpatrick was driving during a Saturday practice session.

“We were thinking there was a chance,” he said. “It was quite clear that Brockie was the favourite – I mean, he was the guy we had to beat – and Allan Moffat was very competitive at the time as well. We were thinking there was a chance, but we weren’t thinking we were going to win the race. “Of course, as people had problems, suddenly we were in the lead. In fact, right at the end, Bond and Harvey were something like half a minute behind us and then we struck problems. We had a massive oil leak from the back of the bell housing all over the clutch and one of the driveshafts was playing up. So, suddenly, they were just catching us at 10 seconds a lap and we just got it over the line.” Fitzpatrick hit the front when the Bond/Harvey car made a late pit stop to replace the fan belt when they were half a minute ahead. “We were sort of in touch for most of the race and then when the Dealer Team had a small problem, suddenly we were in the lead,” he said. While Morris and the rest of the Hodgson team – and everyone else watching at the track and at home – held their breaths, Fitzpatrick was also unsure if the smoking Torana would make it to the finish, much less stay ahead of the charging Bond. “I was just praying it would finish. Of course, you’re not thinking ‘This is Bathurst, I have to win Bathurst’. I was only thinking about getting it to the finish. So we were lucky, but in a big race 36

like that, you have to be lucky. I’ve led at Le Mans a few times and never won because I’ve been unlucky. “Winning it meant everything. It was fantastic. As I say, it was such a big event – such a happening with all the television and interest in the race. I mean, I knew what a big deal it was to win that race. “When I won, I thought ‘Jesus, this is fantastic’. Suddenly, I became known here. And, as I say, even today, people here know who I am because of Bathurst. I only own it once, for goodness’ sake!” The victory was not without its controversy, with HDT manager Harry Firth forced to fume in silence despite his belief that a lap-scoring error meant Bond/Harvey were actually a lap ahead. This was later confirmed by race officials, but Holden executives vetoed a protest as Ron Hodgson Motors was one of the company’s largest dealers. After years of suspicion, the story finally came out at a testimonial dinner for Harvey in 2003 when a senior Holden executive, who was a junior manager involved with the Lion’s ‘unofficial’ support of HDT in the ’70s, apologised to him for denying he and Bond their rightful win. Just a handful of years before the 40th anniversary, Fitzpatrick was stunned to learn that the result was in dispute. “I have no idea about that,” he declared. “That’s the first I’ve heard of it. I’ve never heard that. And don’t forget, I came back every year for four of five

years after that and I’ve never heard that story, ever. “Anyway, you can’t take it away from us.” Fitzpatrick contested four more Bathurst 1000s. He combined with Morris again in ’77/78, their Torana A9X failing to finish on both occasions, and then joined Allan Moffat in ’79, when their Federation Insurance XC Falcon had race-winning speed before it retired. He admired Moffat’s single-minded approach and they became close friends. “My memories of driving with Allan are nothing but good – really good,” Fitzpatrick said. “He was a perfectionist and, for me, he was a gentleman. I always had a great relationship with Allan – a lot of respect for him – and we definitely had a chance to win in ’79.” He was reunited with Morris in an XD Falcon in ’81, when Morris was reeling in Dick Johnson until his racestopping collision with Christine Cole at the top of the mountain. His final appearance at Mount Panorama was in ’82, again with Morris in the XD, which broke a wheel in practice while Fitzpatrick was driving. Although Morris had qualified sixth, the car was too damaged to start. Fitzpatrick never returned because he became embroiled in his IMSA team, which indirectly came about through racing at Bathurst. He met Porsche 935 team owner/driver Dick Barbour at Bathurst in ’79 – when the American co-drove Ron Dickson’s Barbeques Galore Chevrolet Camaro – resulting in his switch to sports car in the States the following year. Fitzpatrick is hoping to be invited one day soon to the Phillip Island Classic or, better still, to be reunited with his Bathurst-winning L34 at the Muscle Car Masters. It would be particularly appropriate for him to be featured in ‘Old No.7’ at the 2016 edition of MCM at Eastern Creek – just a few weeks before the 40th anniversary of the victory that ranks among the Bathurst 1000’s all-time unforgettable moments. MSL Mark Fogarty is Editor-At-Large of Auto Action and writes regularly for The Age. Foges is celebrating 40 years as a motorsport journalist in 2012.

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20/3/12 6:34:39 PM

THE CARBON REVOLUTION It’s lighter than aluminium and stronger than steel, and it is now used in almost every category of motorsport from Formula One to V8 Supercars.

STORY BY ADRIAN MUSOLINO; PHOTOGRAPHS BY GLENIS LINDLEY A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO FORD PERFORMANCE RACING, AND ITS HEAD OF COMPOSITES, LEE CASON, FOR ALLOWING MOTORSPORT LEGENDS TO PHOTOGRAPH A CARBON FIBRE COMPONENT BEING MADE.

ast year marked the 30th anniversary of one of the most important technical innovations in motorsport, which has had a great impact on the automotive industry and beyond. In 1981 McLaren debuted the first carbon fibre composite monocoque called the MP4 (eventually known as the MP4/1 as newer models replaced the original), much to the shock of the establishment. It was an ambitious project for a team that had lost their way since James Hunt’s 1976 world championship triumph. Ron Dennis took control of the team with his Project Four operation in 1980, bringing with him innovative designer John Barnard. Coming from a North American racing background, Barnard had flirted with the idea of using carbon fibre to construct a monocoque. Backed by Dennis’ ambition to return McLaren to the forefront of F1 and Marlboro’s financial might, Barnard had the support to do so and approached a company called Hercules, who had extensive experience with carbon fibre in other fields, to co-ordinate the project. Some manufacturers had used carbon fibre in rear wing assemblies and other parts, but never in a whole monocoque. After all, the technology was still relatively misunderstood, having only been properly developed in the 1950s and slowly applied in the aviation industry. Right: Much of a V8 Supercar driver’s surrounds are made of carbon fibre, including the coolsuit dry ice box.

Above: The roll cage, bonnet and boot lid are not made of composites but much of the modern V8 Supercar (such as Will Davison’s Ford Performance Falcon pictured) is carbon fibre or Kevlar, including some engine components.

Eventually the process of strengthening and utilising the material improved; applying layers of carbon fibre, moulded and bounded together using resin.

Once heated in an autoclave, which is in effect a large oven, the carbon hardens. Once the mould is removed, all that’s left is the chassis or whatever product is being produced. In the innovative age of the early 1980s, when the arrival of turbo engines and the development of ground-effect pushed the technical boundaries of Formula One to new frontiers, looking to new technologies such as carbon fibre for a technical advantage became necessary for teams such as McLaren. Lotus had also used carbon fibre in the construction of the infamous Lotus 88, but its controversial twin chassis was banned from competing by the FIA and never raced. So it was left to the McLaren’s MP4/1 to prove whether the material could be competitive and, more importantly, survive the rigors of the sport – � MotorSportLegends

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CARBON FIBRE

1 Each carbon fibre component starts with a special mould, such as this brake disc cover at Ford Performance Racing. Note the ‘non stick’ agent (in the yellow labelled tin in the background) coats the mould similar to buttering a cooking dish.

5 Heat is continually applied throughout the moulding process to keep the carbon fibre pliable.

2 Carbon fibre is supplied as a cloth which becomes pliable when it is heated. It can take many layers to produce one component. It takes five layers to produce this brake disc cover. Here Ford Performance Racing’s Head of Composites, Lee Cason, applies the heat to the first sheet of carbon.

3 When the backing sheet is removed you can clearly see the familiar ‘weave’ of the carbon fibre. Carbon fibre goes ‘off’ after about two weeks if not stored in a freezer.

4 Cason begins to apply the carbon fibre to the mould. 38

The composite workshop is kept at no more than 21 degrees Celsius otherwise the raw carbon fibre cloth goes ‘off’.

Carbon fibre is not the only composite used in the modern race car – pictured here is a roll of Kevlar and a roll of Aramid.

MotorSportLegends

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6 A layer of simple foil is added before the baking which sticks to the component and acts as a heat reflector to retain heat in the brakes.

7 A film is then added to stop the breather material from sticking to the vacuum bag or the component.

8 The mould is then wrapped in a ‘breather’ material.

which many doubted it could do. Initial tests in the aviation industry showed carbon fibre could shatter under heavy impact, casting doubts on how a material that weighs half the amount of steel and much lighter than aluminium would hold up in a collision. Yet the technology had come a long way and in 1981 McLaren proved carbon fibre’s competitiveness and strength. John Watson claimed a rousing and emphatic (over 40 seconds to Carlos Reutemann’s Williams) win at his home grand prix at Silverstone. He finished sixth in the drivers’ championship that season with four podiums, at a time when Renault’s turbos were becoming increasingly �

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Visit www.nobrac.com.au or call us on (03) 9331 2608

MotorSportLegends

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CARBON FIBRE

9 It is then placed in a vacuum bag and sealed.

10 Ford Performance Racing is one of the few teams in Australia that has its own autoclave – which is basically a large oven.

11 Once the oven is sealed the component is baked at approximately 180 degrees Celsius.

12 The baking time and temperature is controlled by a computer program. 40

competitive, albeit still reliably unreliable, and the Ford Cosworth DFV brigade were enjoying their last hurrah. But carbon fibre’s greatest test, arguably, came at that season’s Italian Grand Prix at Monza, when Watson ran wide on the exit of the second Lesmo on lap 20, losing the car and backing into the Armco with a heavy thud. Such was the severity of the impact that the rear-end of the McLaren sheered off completely. Yet Watson climbed from the remains without injury – a testament to the strength of the monocoque. With Andrea de Cesaris alongside, a driver with a reputation for pushing beyond the limits of his cars and often ending his races against the Armco, the innovative monocoque won over the doubters on its ability to protect its drivers from heavy hits. McLaren scored four wins in 1982 – two apiece for Watson and returnee Niki Lauda – with an evolution of the MP4 (MP4B) to take second place in the constructors’ championship. And once the TAG Porsche turbo came on strong with the MP4/2 in 1984, the evolution of the original MP4, McLaren became the dominant force in F1, as rivals Ferrari and Williams finally embraced the use of carbon fibre with the 126C4 and FW10 respectively. But by this stage McLaren had escaped at the front, scoring three consecutive drivers’ championships from 1984 till 1986 and two constructors’ championships in 1984 and 1985. The carbon fibre age had well and truly arrived as the technology was begrudgingly embraced throughout the

MotorSportLegends

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grid, due to its high production cost relative to aluminium. Soon it spread throughout motorsport and the automotive industry, with the McLaren’s F1 sportscar the first to use carbon fibre composites for a road car in the early 1990s. Today, BMW is amongst the manufacturers relying more and more on carbon fibre, with plans to build a range of electric cars, called BMW-i, using carbon fibre passenger cabins. VW has developed a prototype carbon fibre car called the L1, while Audi and Mercedes-Benz recently tied up with carbon fibre manufacturer Voith to increase the use of the material in their production lines. As the material becomes more readily available and widespread, cost – the biggest drawback of carbon fibre’s usage – is inevitably coming down. Outside of the automotive world carbon fibre is used to produce National Hockey League (NHL)-level sticks, racquets, laptops, musical instruments (guitars, mainly), racing bicycles (McLaren helped develop the carbon fibre bike used by champion sprinter Mark Cavendish) and within aviation. Now standard in the motorsport and automotive industries, carbon fibre nevertheless faces competition as manufacturers strive for lighter, stronger and cheaper materials. The innovative and unique DeltaWing concept car, initially mooted as a potential IndyCar chassis, will compete at the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 2012, introducing a new bodywork material called REAMS (Recyclable Energy Absorbing Matrix System).

REAMS is said to be an improvement on carbon fibre; the bulletproof material is stronger and doesn’t shatter on heavy impact, is lighter, easier to manufacture, and recyclable. Today it’s not only Formula One where carbon fibre is prominent; even the modern V8 Supercar, such as Will Davison’s Trading Post-sponsored Ford Performance Racing Falcon, has some form of carbon fibre or composite material in most of its components. Just like in 1981, motorsport is constantly evolving and pushing the boundaries of technical innovation, with applications beyond the race-track. MSL

Above: Here’s one we made earlier: The finished product. Top: And here it is on a brake disc on Will Davison’s Falcon. The brake disc cover is used to retain heat in the brakes.

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Visit www.nobrac.com.au or call us on (03) 9331 2608 MotorSportLegends

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MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

SCHUMACHER THE GREAT Motorsport Legends visited the 2011 Singapore Grand Prix to gain an insight to this magnificent event while also continuing to monitor the progress of the returning legend and most successful Formula One driver in history, Michael Schumacher. STORY BY PAUL MARINELLI; PHOTOGRAPHS BY PAUL MARINELLI, MERCEDES BENZ, RED BULL RACING and AUTOPICS.COM.AU

eturning after a three-year hiatus from the sport, the 42-year-old, seven-time World Champion finally joined forces with the company that gave him his start in professional motor racing, Mercedes-Benz. He took over the driving duties of the Ross Brawn designed red number 7 Mercedes GP Petronas machine alongside his impressive young gun countryman Nico Rosberg. Schumacher’s return has brought with it his renowned tough driving style and the initial media and fan reaction to this was not at all good. Perhaps after his three-year absence we had managed to forget how he raced to more titles than any other driver in 42

history and how more than 30 per cent of his Formula One starts resulted in dominant victories. There was nothing that was in any way different about his driving, it was just laid out for us to see in its most raw and determined style once again.

Perhaps we had become too sanitised by the close but more courteous racing of today’s star drivers. Some of his moves were without a doubt dangerous, but they were all classic Schumacher – like them or loathe them. The German ace never gave an �

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MotorSportLegends

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MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

SINGAPORE: RACING METROPOLIS AT NIGHT It’s the sheer magnitude of the event that takes your breath away at Singapore’s Marina Bay Circuit, the modern day home of a global sporting event that despite being held four times, has earned its place as a legendary Formula One Grand Prix, earning major accolades for its technical and organisational excellence. Nestled right in the heart of the spotless city of Singapore, which is a steamy, welcoming and vastly multicultural financial hub of the Orient. It may surprise some to find out that Singapore does have a motor racing history that dates back some 50 years. It is therefore no wonder that this spectacular modern day street race reincarnation is so popular locally as well as globally. It has only been run on four occasions to date, but the modern era Singapore Formula One Grand Prix is already one of Formula One’s legendary events, being the first ever night-time based Formula One race. The sheer magnitude of the event, the logistics required to supply power and light a high speed five kilometre street circuit, the host city and its warm attitude to visitors, the streamy climate and the country’s status as an Asian financial powerhouse ensures that this event remains truly unique on the ever expanding Formula One calendar. While being nothing short of an incredible success upon its debut in 2008, the first Singapore Grand

Prix under lights would also be the venue for one of F1’s darkest scandals that resulted in the premature end to Nelson Piquet Junior’s Formula One career and the ousting of Renault factory Team Principal Flavio Briatore along with temporary bans for other team members of management. This took place after Piquet submitted evidence that he has been told by Briatore and another member of team management to deliberately crash his car at a certain part of the race, in what was seen as a move that would force a Safety Car period, and enable his teammate Fernando Alonso to be in the best position possible to win the race. Piquet did deliberately crash when told to do so and Alonso did win the race, the plan working perfectly until the scandal was uncovered. A war of words broke out between Piquet and Briatore in the media following the race with recorded radio conversations eventually costing Briatore his role as Renault Team Principal and gaining a lifetime ban from the FIA, from which he eventually successfully appealed.

Schuey seems to be repaying the favour back to Mercedes-Benz for giving him his start in professional motor racing and is loving every minute.

inch in his race battles for position before his come back and the same applied in 2010 and 2011, albeit that it is clear that his equipment has not been up to the job of winning races. An example of one his more forgetful race moves took place at the 2011 Singapore Grand Prix, when he dived for an impossible gap on the bewildered Sauber driver Sergio Perez, then finished it off by driving over the top of the rear of his car! There is no doubt that Formula One’s biggest star has been challenged by the speed and determination of the new generation of Formula One World Champions like Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso, while also having to fend off the talents of his own highly talented teammate Nico Rosberg, who has consistently proven to have more qualifying speed. Having stated this, Rosberg’s race pace is not as impressive as that of his superstar teammate. There is no doubt the latest generation of Formula One drivers clearly have an abundance of pace for short-burst qualifying runs rather than being progressively faster over a race distance (preserving tyres etc) compared to the drivers of Schumacher’s era. There has definitely been improvement over the 2011 season from Schumacher - two consecutive top five

MotorSportLegends

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finishes in Belgium and Italy can attest to that - but there is no doubt that his return to Formula One has not been anywhere near what he or his Mercedes GP Petronas team envisaged, no matter what public comments either of them make. In Singapore, Schumacher appeared fitter and more content than ever, the highly-strung and virtually reclusive racer of the past seemed like a distant memory. There is no doubt that he is enjoying his time back in Formula One with Mercedes GP Petronas, his return having filled a major void in his life and he has fully embraced it. His intense dislike of media interviews is still obvious, particularly with F1’s comeback of the century not yielding any major results to date so the same questions continue to be asked. There is little to no doubt that if it were another driver in Schumacher’s car with the results that he had gained so far over two seasons, that driver would be history. We need to be fair though, as three years away from an ever-developing sport like Formula One is something of an eternity and so much has changed since Schumacher headed back to the green hills of Kerpen with the most �

“AM I AS GOOD AS WHEN I WAS 25? I DON’T THINK SO. I CANNOT BE AS GOOD. BUT I CAN BE BETTER IN OTHER AREAS GIVEN MY HIGH LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE.”

Max Stewart won the 1972 Singapore Grand Prix with the Mildren-Waggott.

SINGAPORE GP HONOUR ROLL The history of the Singapore Grand Prix can be traced back 50 years to 1961, when a regular Formula Libre event was held on the Thomson Road Street Circuit until 1973. It was known as the Orient Grand Prix and the Malaysian Grand Prix until Singapore gained its independence in 1965. Therefore, actual Singapore Grand Prix statistics commenced from 1966. It is interesting to note that the only multiple winners of the Singapore Grand Prix are Graeme Lawrence with three consecutive victories from 1969 to 1971 (two of those in a Ferrari) and Ferrari F1 World Champion driver Fernando Alonso who won this event in both 2008 (albeit in controversial circumstances) and in 2010. The honour roll of this predecessor to today’s world leading night Grand Prix follows, with Australian racers featuring prominently: 1973 – Vern Schuppan (March-Hart) 1972 – Max Stewart (Mildren-Waggott) 1971 – Graeme Lawrence (Brabham) 1970 – Graeme Lawrence (Ferrari) 1969 – Graeme Lawrence (McLaren-Ford) 1968 – Garrie Cooper (Elfin-Ford) 1967 – Rodney Seow (Merlyn-Ford) 1966 – Lee Han Seng (Lotus-Ford)

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MICHAEL SCHUMACHER

impressive collection of F1 silverware known to mankind. Things like testing restrictions that saw Schumacher complete just over 2000 pre-season test miles ahead of the 2010 season, while also trying to develop a brand new car. Before he retired (without the testing restrictions), his preparation would have been more like 10,000 pre-season miles on Bridgestone tyres designed to his liking.

SHUEY STATS

Starts: 280 Wins: 91 (32.5 per cent) Podiums: 154 Pole Positions: 68 Front Row Qualifying: 115 Fastest Laps: 76 Championship Points: 1501 Laps Raced: 15,674 Kilometres Raced: 75,288 Kilometres Led: 24,144 (32 per cent) Grands Prix Led: 142 Laps Led: 5111 *As of the end of the 2011 Singapore GP

Variable wing aerodynamics, KERS, specific designation Pirelli tyres plus all manner of race starting automation systems and so forth, plus some of the most talented and determined young drivers on the planet have made it a major challenge. Schumacher’s return to the sport has also clearly displayed that our current leading F1 drivers, including Australia’s Mark Webber, are without any doubt the real deal in terms of their outright speed and skill set. “With time, things will come,” Schumacher told the media in Singapore. “Am I as good as when I was 25? I don’t think so. I cannot be as good. But I can be better in other areas given my high level of experience. My determination and motivation remains as strong as ever and nothing would please me more than to contribute to another Championship victory for

the Silver Arrows,” he added. The 2011 Singapore Grand Prix didn’t net a strong result for Schumacher, but it did for another superb young German racer in 24 year old double World Champion, Sebastian Vettel. After observing the whole incredible first coming of Michael Schumacher to Formula One at the tail ends of the careers of legends like Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell et al, and to see him establish such outstanding records during his career, this comeback has not lived up to his proven talent. Whether it was as a favour to MercedesBenz for all the support they gave him during his junior years or whether he is filling a competitive void in his life, the longer he stays without winning, the worse it will be for how people remember him. He is the greatest racer ever to compete in the sport, the record books attest to that, and only ignorant people would argue that point, but when you retire, you retire and that is that. It is a decision that should not be forced on an elite athlete by other people, as it would seem that Schumacher’s initial decision was. I hope that he can

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SCHUMACHER’S INFLUENCE

Superfast German Red Bull Renault racer Sebastian Vettel took another incredible victory in Singapore this year, a major factor in dominating his way to a second consecutive world title while still just 24 years of age. When Schumacher retired in 2006, three of the top 10 Formula One drivers were German – more than any other nationality and more that had ever been present in Formula One history. Vettel is one of several young German drivers who believe that Schumacher’s success was pivotal to their entry to Formula One. Now he is proving to be very difficult competition for Schumacher and his Mercedes GP Petronas team. see out this comeback with some strong results to then hang up the helmet in style once again – but it won’t be easy. Schumacher’s continued popularlity amongst worldwide fans and the media has brought major global attention back to Formula One. The jury is still out

on whether both he and Mercedes GP Petronas will achieve their goals that they first trumpeted before the start of the 2010 season. The 2012 Formula One season will be Schumacher’s third since returning to the sport and it will be seriously

decisive should podiums and victories elude the star driver once again. No matter what happens, take a good look at Schumacher at the next Grand Prix you visit or watch on television. This is a living legend doing what he absolutely loves; win, lose or draw. MSL

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CROSSING THE NULLABOR

On the road to Oodnadatta. Even in 1928 product placement was essential.

THERE AND BACK AGAIN

In 1928 a little inter-company and inter-sex competition was just the thing for breaking intercity records in Australia by automobile, such as Jean Robertson and Kathleen Howell’s journey from Fremantle to Adelaide. STORY BY IVAN MCLEOD; PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY STATE LIBRARY VICTORIA

he women entered the imposing Melbourne offices of Shell Oil. Enquiring about their holidays, they needed to know the availability of fuel supplies across the Nullabor, a simple enough precaution for anyone preparing to journey across one of the world’s most inhospitable and infrequently traveled terrains; yet before they had left the building of another adventure had begun. It’s a paragraph that reads like the start of a cheap novel, yet this was how 48

Jean Robertson and Kathleen Howell came to set an inter-city record from Fremantle to Adelaide. “The Shell Company kidded us into that,” Jean would say in later years, though of course they were already on excellent speaking terms – for with Shell’s support 12 months earlier they had become the first women to cross Australia from south to north by automobile, driving their Lancia Lambda from Melbourne to Darwin, producing maps for the oil company as they went.

It was 1928. Charles KingsfordSmith had successfully flown the Pacific as radio newsreaders shared the exciting news with listeners in their best clipped British accents. Meanwhile, following an 18 month period Norman ‘Wizard’ Smith had returned to the roads of Australia, setting yet more of the inter-city records for which he had become nationally famous. Not only had Wizard set a new record of 64 hours and 33 minutes for the Nullabor journey, but he had done so with the support of Shell’s arch rivals, Plume Motor Spirit

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and Gargoyle Mobiloil. Needless to say, if two young women could beat his time Shell would be clear benefactors of the resultant radio, press and advertising coverage. Jean and Kathleen’s holiday now took on new frisson as they headed west from hometown Melbourne, scouring the countryside for useful landmarks as they went, familiarising themselves with the route and making the acquaintance of fuel suppliers, who would in some cases have to meet their servicing requirements at unearthly hours. Looking at the road conditions from the point of view of speed and night driving, of greatest concern was the 20-mile stretch of sand hills on the outskirts of the tiny settlement of Yardea, 200 kilometers west of Port Augusta near the Gawler Ranges. If they were to bog in its soft sand any record would be in serious jeopardy, and it was by far the greatest threat to their plan. They decided therefore to choreograph the attempt to enable them to cross the treacherous sands at dawn – when dew would crust its surface to improve traction. Jean with Barney, the kangaroo chasing dog. Note the stowed hessian sand mat.

With an OHC 2100cc giving 48bhp, the Lancia Lambda was advanced engineering.

How the pair enjoyed their holiday in Western Australia has not been recorded, but in the early hours of Sunday morning, October 7, 1928, the intrepid pair left Fremantle – some seven hours behind the Transcontinental train which they were about to race 1750 miles across the arid Nullabor to Adelaide. Preparations had been thorough. They had devised a schedule, organised their refuelling points, carried basic spares

for the Lancia, and slept as much as their nervous energy would allow prior to facing the rigors of the next three sleepless days. By later admission the Lancia was probably not the best choice for Australia’s harsh conditions, and while that particular model had taken second place in the 1925 Monte Carlo Rally, its long wheelbase was nevertheless something of a handicap in the rock rutted tracks and sandy hills which comprised the majority of their route. However, what it lacked in adaptability to the harsh conditions was made up for by the fact that unlike many cars of that era it was capable of not just achieving, but cruising at 70 miles an hour (110kph). Carefully hidden away was their military communiqué, the ‘ticket to speed’ which would insure them from state police who could otherwise �

Stuck in sand west of Port Augusta. Memories of sand traps 12 months earlier still haunted Jean and Kathleen. MotorSportLegends

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CROSSING THE NULLABOR

North of Kingoonya. What the best dressed motorist wore in the 1920s.

issue summonses – Though it must be said that the likelihood of their encountering such difficulty was highly unlikely in the barren, arid landscape. It would be another seven years before the law finally forbade such record attempts, and by 10.45 that night they had covered the first 600 miles to Balladonia where they refuelled and enjoyed a short break before heading for breakfast at Madura. On day two of the attempt, at Mundribilla they were behind the train where, three hundred miles to the north, passengers of the Transcontinental faced a gauge and train change at Kalgoorlie. Nevertheless they enthusiastically encouraged their steaming steed to break all records, hopeful of beating the speeding women – who now set about covering the next 62 miles at better than 60mph (100kph) enroute to the recently closed telegraph station at Eucla, which, standing serenely, awaited its sandy shroud. By nightfall of day two they reached Ceduna. Now 30 minutes ahead of schedule they shortened their planned two and a half hour stop by thirty minutes, thus gaining an hour in total, before heading back into the desert for the final and most challenging part of the route – for Yardea Sands with its potential for disaster now lay before them. Their timing however was perfect, and following another night when the feeble headlights of their Lancia probed ineffectually into all encompassing darkness, they arrived at the apex of their concern just as dawn broke. Moisture 50

had indeed crusted the sandy surface. Then to their huge pleasure, without any difficulty whatsoever and in top gear all the way, the Lancia speared along the ill defined track; the crunching sand

beneath offering more than sufficient purchase. Entering Port Augusta at 10.30am on the morning of day three they were tired, dirty and disheveled, having covered 1550 miles. Adelaide was within their reach as the two tired adventurers prepared for the final push. Five hours later they pulled up in front of Adelaide’s central Post Office. They had beaten the Transcontinental by four hours 20 minutes, setting a new record of 58 hours for the journey. More importantly, they had demolished ‘Wizard’ Smith’s time set only months earlier by more than five hours. Newspapers hailed their effort as “unprecedented’”and they would hold the Nullarbor record for the next 10 years. Oh yes, Shell was very happy indeed! MSL Note: The author would be pleased to hear from anyone able to contribute further to his research on Robertson and Howell. He can be contacted at: ivanmcleod@hotmail.com

Water Trough. There and back again is a long way when you are in the middle of nowhere Australia.

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