Allan Grice versus Russell Ingall

Amaroo Park · 17 Dec 2004, 07:15 (Ref:1181615)

I have thought about this a bit recently and wonder who would come out on top of a one on one battle between Grice and Ingall when both where at there peaks.

Grice was the original inforcer and was as hard a race driver as you would find any where in the world. Ingall is a top notch driver who can hold his own with anyone, so who would come out on top. Peter Brock recently rated Grice as the toughest racer he competed against saying "The only time I ever worried was when I was ever on the outside of Gricey going into a corner"

In my opinion I believe it would be Grice who would come out on top, he was as tough as the come and at his peak was able to intimadate Brock, Perkins, Moffat, Johnson etc.

One thing is for sure imagin the racing if we had Gricey and Ingall racing in V8's now. The battles would be great

Morris 1100 · 17 Dec 2004, 07:56 (Ref:1181630)

How about Mark Skaife vs Bob Griffin?

DAVID PATERSON · 17 Dec 2004, 08:51 (Ref:1181663)

For 20 years everyone told Gricey he was doing it wrong, then he went to Europe and found an entire continent of people who drove just like him.

Mattracer · 17 Dec 2004, 09:57 (Ref:1181709)

And lo and behold, he comes back to Australia and together with the redoubtable Les Small, demolishes the field to win Bathurst in 1986. A tremendous drive against formidable opposition including HDT with the might of Brock/Moffat. Plus diff problems.

The beacon of hope to privateers the world over. Then backed up a few years on, crossing the floor to represent the factory.

Mattracer · 17 Dec 2004, 10:08 (Ref:1181715)

Who would come out on top?

The two are quite similar in many ways, at least that is how the were/are portrayed by the media/PR machine. Definitely the Man in the Black Hat. Each had a nickname "Oilcan Harry" (Grice) and "The Enforcer" (Ingall). Two drivers from different periods but similar images and personas. Tough, uncompromising, European-trained and battle-hardened drivers. Went to the bronx of motor racing. My two favourite drivers in Australian motor racing. The only way now would be to put then in the Utes. gricey's spiritual home and where he is enjoying himself and where Ingall would likely also enjoy the spirit of battle. My pick would be Ingall- technically very savvy and of course, with respect to Gricey, younger too. Both have similar stats too- 2 times Bathurst winners, endurance-type drivers with cunning and experience. Neither has won the Championship though Ingall has been mighty close (4 times runner up!!)

Harves · 17 Dec 2004, 11:06 (Ref:1181749)

Mattracer I think your blinded by your affection for Gricey, Russell would come out on top hands down. As for him (Grice) being a hard driver that is true for sure but fair, I think not. I have raced against Gricey in the Ute series and I went from respecting him as a driver that I grew up watching and admiring, to thinking the guy is dangerous to be around. I couldn't help thinking why he was in that series and driving like he had something to prove all the time?

Russell is bloody hard and at the same time fair, fast and if he had the backing in open wheelers could have gone all the way....Gricey on the other hand was a good touring car driver...IMO

Vote 1 for Russell Ingall

Senna05 · 17 Dec 2004, 13:11 (Ref:1181833)

Fair??

The guy arguably has a record that rivals Schumacher's in terms of Biff! Mind you, I'm not saying that it's not enjoyable to watch.....

v8race1 · 17 Dec 2004, 13:24 (Ref:1181849)

This will certainly turn out to be a "bloodied" forum, harves states, 'I think he is dangerous to be around'. So is every driver you race against!!!!!!!!!!
Stop whingeing Harves and start racing !!!!!
Gricey should be considered an unsung icon of Australian motorsport, tactics and style
will upset those "pups" learning the trade, and often not , those who thought they had.
Recent performances are not indicitive to the history of gricey and others of his era where follow the leader is now the norm!!!!

Falcadore · 17 Dec 2004, 14:08 (Ref:1181885)

Bathurst in 1986 was about a car that, finally, Grice (and his co-driver) was unable to break. Too often in the past car, co-driver or both together conspired to flaw his plans. In 1986 Les Small built a VK that could not be killed. They tested the car in Europe and knew it was sound. At the horsepower haven of Sandown, Grice stayed with the turbo Skylines for the race duration. They knew the package was there. With reliability comes confidnec and confidence comes speed. Come the early hours of the race he played tortoise and hare with the field, only the hare was the tortoise at the same time, and they could not catch him, and Graeme Bailey, to his credit, did not let his paid up lead driver down, and twice returned the ca rin good order in good position.

rdmdog · 18 Dec 2004, 01:43 (Ref:1182293)

Topic related, Bailey recently sold Chickadee to Inghams.

Amaroo Park · 18 Dec 2004, 02:10 (Ref:1182302)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morris 1100

How about Mark Skaife vs Bob Griffin?

No contest Griffin wins hands down

Dipper · 18 Dec 2004, 03:37 (Ref:1182324)

Falcadore
i think Bailey only did 1 driving stint in the race. Im not sure as im going from memory but i think he only did 26 laps. I could be wrong.

Harves · 18 Dec 2004, 06:41 (Ref:1182355)

Spud, personal attacks are way to easy. Grice showed the "young pups" as you put it, nothing, I actually don't think he's had a round win but that's not the topic, it's about who you think is better Ingall or Grice! If I offended you with how I related my opinion, bad luck as the say. I do agree that a lot of the drivers are dangerous but again that's not the topic.

Still voting for Ingall after a personal attack.

v8race1 · 18 Dec 2004, 07:16 (Ref:1182369)

no personel attack intended harves, just tryin to back gricey up, as not many will !!!

say g,day to kiwi for us will ya!!!!

Harves · 18 Dec 2004, 07:45 (Ref:1182377)

Hmmm jury is still out on that not being personal, who is kiwi and what does he look like cause I will find him and say g'day for you.

Cheers

Henry · 18 Dec 2004, 11:07 (Ref:1182451)

Through the 70's, Gricey had a reputation for "brain fade", deservedly or otherwise. Pretty quick though...

Ingall comes across as a meathead, but he doesn't seem to make too many du,b mistakes...

who's harder? who knows? Does the Shriek at the Creek rate with Grice turning in on Harves' dad on green tyres at the Cutting following his last stop in 1986?

Amaroo Park · 18 Dec 2004, 12:27 (Ref:1182492)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Henry

who's harder? who knows? Does the Shriek at the Creek rate with Grice turning in on Harves' dad on green tyres at the Cutting following his last stop in 1986?

What about Grice turning Bond around on the openeing lap at the top of Bitupave Hill at Amaroo back in 1975

marcus · 18 Dec 2004, 12:30 (Ref:1182495)

Ok Guys lets not make this personal please , we all have our views and we are entitled to them , lets not let this get out of hand

Henry · 18 Dec 2004, 22:07 (Ref:1182824)

Obviously a topic which firmly divides opinion!

Harves · 18 Dec 2004, 22:49 (Ref:1182850)

That's for sure guys and Henry, I was not game to mention that one.

Amaroo Park · 18 Dec 2004, 23:37 (Ref:1182868)

Sorry about that, I though it would have been a good disscusion point

MHDT · 19 Dec 2004, 00:15 (Ref:1182889)

Flash back to 1986; there was talk of PB taking over the Harvey/Lowe #3 Commodore once AM had tempoarily disabled the 05 car.

That would have made for some interesting racing.

Amaroo Park · 19 Dec 2004, 00:43 (Ref:1182914)

Honestly at the time I dont think that Brock would have made any differance to it. The 3 car was being driven brillantly anyway. He probably didnt get 3 cause it may not have had a polorizer

racer69 · 19 Dec 2004, 05:00 (Ref:1182963)

Grice got his 'hard man' reputation due to his hard driving and straight forward aproach throughout his career.

Ingall got his 'Enforcer' reputation due to some run-ins and slanging matches during 1997. You don't see much 'enforcing' these days really do you?

Grice rarely punted cars off the road or turned them around (Oran Park 1975 with Bond, Winton 1989 with Longhurst being two exceptions), he'd race hard but while the other car may have been disadvantaged, rarely were they left pointing the other way.

His battle's with Moffat were great, especially their on-going arguments when Moffat was in the Mazda and Grice the STP-Roadways Commodore in 1983. They had great tussle's at Symmons Plains, Sandown and Adelaide that year, as well as at that years Castrol 400 at Sandown.

Wasn't car #3 already a lap down when Moffat broke #05 on the speed humps? Either that or he thought Polariser power would help bridge the 6 minute loss of time

Harves · 20 Dec 2004, 08:26 (Ref:1183658)

The 3 car was not a lap down, and when Harves Snr passed Grice at the cutting it was for the lead, although he had to stop again.

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