1985 Australian Touring Car Racing - Discussion & Results

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by Accelerator

From the entry list in the programme for the '85 Sandown ATCC round I have the following,

#29 - Martin Power - Jagparts Triumph Dolomite
#34 - Ken Harrison - Ford Escort 2000
#70 - Raymond Spencer - Mazda RX7
#77 - Ian Thomson - BMW 323i

Also I can tell you that Chris Heyer's Audi would definitely have run #63.

This provides a different number for Martin Power, a number for Raymond Spencer and perhaps Ken Harrison in the results. I have the names for 21 of the supposed 22 starters at Sandown.

[KA]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Class B, 2001-3000 cc
Hulcraft Autos
Ford Capri 3.0S
Team likely based in NSW, owned by John Craft with two cars, likely of former Group C provenance. The team likely concentrated on the local AMSCAR series, but also fielded two cars for the Sandown 500, where John Craft shared with Les Grose and a second car for Pat and John Hogbin.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterau...7594492844321/

Mitsubishi Ralliart
Mitsubishi Starion Turbo
Build by Bob Riley for Group E production racing for the 1984 season, the car was converted to Group A in time for the Bathurst 1000. For the 1985 Kevin Bartlett was replaced as manager by John Grant, with Bartlett concentrating on driving. The change of leadership also meant a relocation from presumably the Bartlett Sydney, NSW base, to Adelaide, SA, near the Mitsubishi importer. A full ATCC programme was contemplated but slow homologation from Japan, the team dropped the final three rounds to test and develop for the endurance races. For these races Bartlett shared driving duties with Peter McKay, while a second new car was brought along for the Sandown 500 for Peter Fitzgerald and Brad Jones.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1462286896/

Peter Williamson Toyota
Toyota Celica Supra
Team based at Peter Williamson's Toyota dealership in Liverpool, east of Sydney, NSW. The 1985 car was based on a new shell, with the original Toyota GB car being destroyed in the 1984 Bathurst start accident. The entry was a regular during the second half of the ATCC, but never really competitive for overall honours. For the opening Amaroo endurance race he picked up Charlie O'Brien as driving partner, but as was running his own BMW 635CSi in the other AEC races, he was replaced by Tomas Mezera. Williamson was impressed by the Formula Ford'ing Czekoslovakian refugee. Results for the AEC was four DNFs from five starts, with Sandown being a true upturn, as Williamson/Mezera finished third overall and winning class B – a sort of repeat of the 1984 result, when Williamson won the Group A class, sixth overall.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1461424003/


Mark Petch Mechanical Seals
Volvo 240 Turbo
Owned by Mark Petch of New Zealand, the Australian foray was based in Sydney, NSW with fellow Kiwi Robbie Francevic the driver. This car was one of two 1984 Guy Trigaux Motorsport cars bought and tranported to New Zealand for the innaugural Wellington 500 in New Zealand. The team made their ATCC debut at round 2 at Sandown and winning in only their second attempt, at Symmons Plains. Being close to their Australian base the two isolated AMSCAR races were also taken in before the major endurance races at Sandown and Bathurst. Initially Petch was supposed to be driving partner for Sandown, but realising he was out of touch Francevic was giving a free choice of codriver. He selected Tasmanian single seater driver John Bowe, who at the time was considered a bit of a crasher. With a disapointing Bathurst the team ended their Australian tour.
It's interesting to note that the team apparently had some connections with the Volvo headquater in Sweden and their European activities. Parts were supplied from both here and 1985 team of choice Eggenberger Motorsport in Switzerland, but the gun engine for Bathurst was from the privately run Swedish Magnum Racing, which might explain why Ulf Granberg was considered for that particular race

http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1422096516/

Quoted to add a few pic links

[KA]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

Class C: 3001-6000 cc

JPS Team BMW
BMW 635CSi
Based in Sydney with Amaroo Park as their test track, managed by Frank Gardner. Jim Richards was the team driver with JPS/Amatil Cigarettes Australia as sponsor in the car debuted by Denny Hulme/Leopold von Bayern at the 1984 Bathurst. Tony Longhurst joined him for the Sandown/Bathurst endurance races, keeping quite a recond. In 17 races (21 if you count the AMSCAR heat results) Richards was only beaten four times, winning the ATCC, AEC and AMSCAR series in the process!
A second car was build for and bought by Neville Crichton with sponsorship from JPS/Amatil Cigarettes New Zealand. This car saw its debut in early season New Zealand races and brought back to Australia for round 2 of the ATCC. For round 1 Crichton used the teams third, spare car, originally build for the 1982 ATCC as a Group C car and converted to Group A for 1985 and then sold to Glenn Molloy. Crichton gave the early endurance races a miss, but was back for Sandown and Bathurst with the Nissan employed George Fury. With Crichton becomming a Ford dealer the 635 was sold to the Archibalds BMW Dealership in Christchurch before Bathurst.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1417572504/

Anderson & O'Leary
Ford Mustang
Owned by brothers Bruce and Wayne Anderson and their Pinepac timber company based in Auckland, New Zealand. The car was build by Barry Seton for Don Smith, debuted at the 1984 Bathurst. Smith raced it in selected early 1985 ATCC races before, presumably, gave up on the car. The Andersons then bought it sending it back to New Zealand and prepared for Bathurst 1985.
(think this might be a 'modern' pic)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/420869755/

Capri Components
Ford Mustang
Victoria based car owned by and driven by Lawrie Nelson. The car was based on a road car imported by Nelson and first seen during the 1984 Sandown 500, but made its race debut at the 1984 Bathurst 1000. Nelson did a selection of races closest to home with another treck up north to Bathurst with Bill O'Brien codriving here as he had done at the Sandown 500.
(another 'current' pic)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/3417806040/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/3416971309/

Palmer Tube Mills
Ford Mustang
Based in Daisy Hill, Brisbane, Queensland, owned by Dick Johson, sponsored by Ross Palmer. Johnson had purchased two Zakspeed cars during 1984, giving one of them a run in practice for the 1984 Bathurst 1000 running as number 71. This car was then modified to Johnson's liking for the 1985 ATCC series, running his usual number 17, and used at the Oran Park AEC and as a second entry for Bathurst wearing number 18 on that last occation. Here Allan Moffat did a few laps during practice for the Sport7 channel, presumably telling the way around the track for tv purposes.
The second unfinished car was readied for Sandown with new driving partner and former Holden Dealer Team driver and engineer Larry Perkins finishing it. This car took over as the main number 17 car and with Johnson driving won the Adelaide GP support race.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterau...n/photostream/

Auckland-Coin & Bullion Exchange Ltd
Holden Commodore VK
Company directed by driver Ray Smith of Auckland, New Zealand, a driver with a few years of experience. He had 1967 F1 World Champion Denny Hulme joining him for this effort, based on a Mobil Holden Dealer Team build car. The finishing was running late, so Hulme and retired McLaren F1 mechanics went to the MHDT quaters in Melbourne, Victoria to complete the car. The team finally saw their debut at the Oran Park enduro in August, where an accident meant a major repair job was required for the Sandown and Bathurst races. It was then shipped off to New Zealand, to be competitive there, which seems to have been the objective all the time.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peterau...7594492844321/

Mobil Holden Dealer Team
Holden Commodore VK
The official Holden factory team, presumably with Peter Brock as team principal, with base in Melbourne, Victoria. The team had three different cars at their disposal over the season, with the first Group A prototype making its debut in the Nissan Mobil series in New Zealand, Peter Brock and Larry Perkins driving with the familiar Brock 05 number. This car was build in late 1984 by Perkins. The car was back in Australia for round 2 of the ATCC, which Brock won sensationally and used by him for the next three rounds. When the second car was ready for round 6 at Calder Park 05 was raced by John Harvey and later on by both Larry Perkins and David Parsons in other ATCC rounds. It's active racing retirement as part of the MHDT team happened with the Oran Park AEC race in the hands of Harvey, then becoming the spare car and general test mule. The car was at Bathurst, running as a T car with David Oxton doing many familiarisation laps with both the track, the team and the car.
The second chassis made its race debut close to home at Calder Park for round 6 of the ATCC, intended for John Harvey wearing number 7, but raced at that event by Brock. For round 7 it was renumbered 05 and became the Brock car for the remaining ATCC rounds and the second AEC round at Oran Park. With yet another new car arriving for Sandown, 05 became the second string 7 car for John Harvey and David Parsons both here, at Bathurst and in Surfers Paradise.
The third chassis saw its debut as 05 at the Sandown 500 with Peter Brock and David Oxton driving. Doing four races, Brock's second at the Adelaide GP support race was its only finish.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1419665945/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/2208152231/

Roadways Racing Services
Holden Commodore VK
Two car team thanks to the combined efforts of drivers Warren Cullen and Allan Grice and engineer Les Small of his upstart Roadways Racing Services. With a base in the Melbourne suburb of Preston, Victoria, Small build Cullen a brand new car being numbered 6 and the intended race car for Cullen and Grice at Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.
The number 26 spare car was Cullen's former Group C car converted to Group A and at Bathurst as a spare car. Only two races for this operation it seems.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1421099776/

Garry Willmington
Jaguar XJ-S HE
Build and based at the Willmington Performance shop in Sydney, NSW, owned by brothers Garry and Craig Willmington. Based on a second hand road car and very much build on local race craft, doing a part time ATCC programme, the AMSCAR sprint races and the AEC rounds. Initially with Ron Gillard, but for Sandown and Bathurst with the larger than life ”Captain” Peter Janson.

seen in the background of this shot of the AC&B Commodore:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peteraus53/1419700207/in/set-72157594492844321/

Quoted to add a few pic links

[GTRMagic]

On the grid, Bathurst 1985... and here is the Bowe/Francevic Volvo...

[Jesper OH]

A very nice picture of the Francevic Volvo, GTRMagic - from the personal file? Judging by the Jagparts team sign, it was early in the grid line-up.

And a late thank you to KA for linking to the flickr-pictures. I didn't realise it was there I found the second John Craft Capri of the Hogbins.

Jesper

[GTRMagic]

Actually, it came from a John Bowe fanpage from Facebook, placed by one of the Petch family... amazing what must be in cameras and photoalbums across the world

[Redzone]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

John White
Isuzu Gemini ZZ
No known base for this driver and team, except being Australian. Isuzu Gemini ZZ based on the Opel Kadett C-type – the last of the RWD variant, dispanded as an Opel in November 1979. 4 door sedan with 1816 cc engine. Raced at the Sandown 500 with Les Szreniawski as #88. No info about drivers and team including residence at the time.
This is likely the same entry that appeared at the Surfers Paradise round of the Endurance Championship, but this is guess work. This is also likely the ”Marlboro” car of 1987, so named by me because of it's white/red colour scheme and to differentiate this car from the red/yellow Gemspares Gemini of Daryl Hendrick during that particular season. I don't know the former life of this car, but Isuzu/Holden Geminis were regular class cars during the latter part of the Group C era, but more standard versions were used in a one make series in Australia around this time.

This is the car i have in my possession now, and am gathering info for the restoration. This car was run out of Bayswater Victoria by John White, funded by his company White Electrics, and usually co-driven by Les Unpronounceable. The car was built from a new fresh from the showroom floor (patterson cheney holden) aussie built 1985 TG gemini 1.6 sedan, to the japanese homologated Isuzu PF60E dohc 1.8L version's spec. A prototype evaluation dohc gemini was purchased from HDT (no not one of the group c cars), and the running gear transplanted into my car, my car's running gear was then installed into the HDT car and it was sold.

John White DID own the group C ex HDT dohc sedan (ex Phil Brock/Gary Scott AC Delco bathurst 81 car) at the time but didnt use many if any parts from that car on the group A one, ie things such as the roll cage and fuel cell in my car were fresh examples from brown/davis in melbourne..

I have contacted John White and am hoping to catch up with him later in the year to try and find out more info.

ps i'm pretty sure the car ran as number 88 throughout it's whole group A life!

[formerf1champ]

So, there are threads on the '85 and '88 ATCC here? That's good! Can't contribute much but look forward to reading opinions of people in the know and, hopefully, there will be threads on later seasons where I can express my opinons.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by formerf1champ

So, there are threads on the '85 and '88 ATCC here? That's good! Can't contribute much but look forward to reading opinions of people in the know and, hopefully, there will be threads on later seasons where I can express my opinons.

There's threads on here for every ATCC from 1985 - 1992, they should be on the first few pages somewhere

[Camaroz]

Originally Posted by racer69

Pacific Waste Management was also the sponsor of the Percy/Bowkett/Baigent TWR VL in the '88 Nissan-Mobil Series

Did Bowkett run a VK or a VL? None of the Group A Bathurst winning Commodore's got turned into AUSCAR's, the '87 Grice VL did though (and was ultimatly written off at the Dome)

The only Bathurst winner to be converted to AUSCAR was the 1980 MHDT VC Commodore. After Keogh purchased it in 1983 and ran Group C through to Bathurst 1984, it was sold to Mike Burgman as a "donor car" for his Bob Stevens built VK Group A. Greg East then bought the car and started to convert it to VK Group A but sold it before completion to Richard Blackney in Victoria who had Ray Robbins convert it to AUSCAR. It then went to Henry Jones who ran it as a Sportsman in the mid 90's, had a big crash, re-shelled it then ran it a few more times before retiring.

[Jesper OH]

That's a beautifull car you have there, Carl. Thank you for the story line of the your car and it's sister ..and for some lovely period pictures, I've never seen before.

Those Mk. III Capris looks mean in their group A dress, although they were hopelessly outdated by the mid-1980s.

Jesper

[Redzone]

Here's a few pics of sandown 1985 featuring my car and a few others

Pics are courtesy John White.

[Capri Carl]

Great Pics Redzone, with my Capri in the background!

Will you be racing your Gem in Historic Group A & C ?

Cheers, Carl

[Redzone]

Thought it might have been yours Carl! Yes I will be racing it when it's done, will be starting a rotisserie resto on it soon, after I get the approval in principle done.

I have about 30 more pics of this car in the 86 season, mainly sandown & calder that show a lot more of your car in netcom colours that I will post some of in the 86 thread soon..

[Capri Carl]

Thanks Redzone, they will be great to see

Look forward to seeing you in the Group A & C races, we need more smaller cars!
There is going to be an under 2L and invited (Capri's and six cyl Torana's) race at Muscle Car Masters in Sept. Should be fun!

Cheers, Carl

[DV_08]

I just completed uploading the 85 atcc rounds to youtube
Round 1 - Not available
Round 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWWTY-QBNWI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RNPUm4GDLg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TxFFDZ9--tI
Round 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwBMDXs8qG8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bdMUPnyIdE
Round 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1XFQ1IB1Zk
Round 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82-kbWwBZ4w
Round 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z299Py8aRYw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJTQIBfh79w
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGuj_b3az68
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4yIzrcKXHI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDTzUOJY3mM
Round 7
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El7LY4Z6V8U
Round 8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Td_ZGxS_jU
Round 9
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZiHl8qIhJ8
Round 10
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlThf6dov-Y

[one five five]

Originally Posted by DV_08

I just completed uploading the 85 atcc rounds to youtube
Round 1 - Not available

Channel 7 did have camera's at this round, footage from this round features on the 1985 ATCC intro that C7 used, and in their wrap up of the season (like Wilmington having a massive lose in the Jag)

You would hope in time that this footage, which i'm told aired during the following Sandown ATCC telecast, will come out one day

I wonder why 7 didn't show the round live, as per every other round that year?

[Jesper OH]

Great to have most of the 1985 ATCC "live"! Unfortunately I won't have a chance to see any of it in the nearest future.

Jesper

[racer69]

Originally Posted by one five five

I wonder why 7 didn't show the round live, as per every other round that year?

It might have depended when the contract was signed to show the series?

Also 1985 was the first time, from what i'm told in a motorsport sense, that ATN7 in Sydney had handled a full series of races outside of their NSW base.

Prior to then they only really did the meetings in NSW (like AMSCAR at Amaroo or Bathurst), meetings that 7 televised at Calder for example, were done by HSV7 in Melbourne... their coverage usually had different graphics, some different commentators (some common too) & generally little use of Racecam.

There were only 15 starters and Jim Richards won by a lap... perhaps it was better that the race wasn't shown in live TV anyway given it was the first race of a new rule structure..

[Michael C]

Originally Posted by racer69

It might have depended when the contract was signed to show the series?

Also 1985 was the first time, from what i'm told in a motorsport sense, that ATN7 in Sydney had handled a full series of races outside of their NSW base.

Prior to then they only really did the meetings in NSW (like AMSCAR at Amaroo or Bathurst), meetings that 7 televised at Calder for example, were done by HSV7 in Melbourne... their coverage usually had different graphics, some different commentators (some common too) & generally little use of Racecam.

There were only 15 starters and Jim Richards won by a lap... perhaps it was better that the race wasn't shown in live TV anyway given it was the first race of a new rule structure..

Hi guys, I'm new.

I can tell you all why ch 7 did not show it on TV. Tennis! As 7 year old I spent a very frustrating Sunday afternoon waiting to see the telecast of the first Group A championship race in Australia but a tennis match (probably Davis Cup) ran a long way overtime and the motor racing got bumped.

I'm still bitter to this day as you can tell.

Oh well, at least I get to see some Group A (among other classic touring car classes) at Eastern Creek, sorry Sydney Motorsport Park, tomorrow at the Muscle Car Masters.

Cheers, Michael C

[formerf1champ]

That's a cracking first post.

[racer69]

Originally Posted by Michael C

Hi guys, I'm new.

I can tell you all why ch 7 did not show it on TV. Tennis! As 7 year old I spent a very frustrating Sunday afternoon waiting to see the telecast of the first Group A championship race in Australia but a tennis match (probably Davis Cup) ran a long way overtime and the motor racing got bumped.

I'm still bitter to this day as you can tell.

Oh well, at least I get to see some Group A (among other classic touring car classes) at Eastern Creek, sorry Sydney Motorsport Park, tomorrow at the Muscle Car Masters.

Cheers, Michael C

Thanks for the info Michael, and welcome to the forum

That explains why highlights of it were shown during the telecast of the Sandown round..... and makes it even more imperitive to find someone with a copy of the full Sandown ATCC telecast, not just the main race

[Graham Clayton]

Garry Willmington
Jaguar XJ-S HE
Build and based at the Willmington Performance shop in Sydney, NSW, owned by brothers Garry and Craig Willmington. Based on a second hand road car and very much build on local race craft, doing a part time ATCC programme, the AMSCAR sprint races and the AEC rounds. Initially with Ron Gillard, but for Sandown and Bathurst with the larger than life ”Captain” Peter Janson.

Willmington Performance was located at Luddenham, on the south-western outskirts of Sydney. Here is a nice photo of the XJS taken during the early part of the 1985 season judging by the lack of sponsorship:

[DAVID PATERSON]

Originally Posted by Graham Clayton

Willmington Performance was located at Luddenham, on the south-western outskirts of Sydney. Here is a nice photo of the XJS taken during the early part of the 1985 season judging by the lack of sponsorship:

I'll be sharing a garage with that very car at this weekend's Eastern Creek Muscle Car Masters.

[Graham Clayton]

Garry Willmington could have played safe and chosen a VK Holden Commodore or a BMW 635 as his 1985 car, but he went out on a limb with the Jaguar XJS. His presence in the bright red #12 certainly added variety and spice to the ATCC championship and the AMSCAR Series. Despite not having any results of note in the ATCC, the red Jaguar became a "cult car" with fans, as the Sydney privateer took on the "factory" teams. Apparently one photographer sold more photos of the Willmington Jaguar than other car that competed in the 1985 ATCC.