Is Garth Walden the new Garry Willmington?

[Seton Fanatic]

I have always been a supporter of my fellow South-West or West Sydney based racers, namely Finnigan, Willmington, Seton, Reed and Ashby, Doulman and Cotter and now Walden. I feel that Garth Walden has been the quiet achiever of the V8 series this year. He has been driving arguably the worst car ever to come out of GSR (Beehag-built, admittedly), the famed "Silver Streak", which came so close to winning at Bathurst in 2001, but struggled to get a top 10 anywhere else.

Given that Walden is operating on a Garry Willmington-style budget, and attracting local sponsors such as Willmington did for two decades, the question must be posed: Is Garth Walden, Garry Willmington's natural successor at making things happen from virtually nothing?

While I don't think that Garth has got anything of Garry's ability, I feel that he will be remembered for being the last true privateer to compete in the V8 Series, while Garry will be remembered for his ambitions; Ford's ignorance of his XD program; the Jaguar tensions with Peter Janson; that come from behind class win in '87 with Bob Holden and Bryan Bate; the fire-breathing Toyota Supra; the lime-green taxi and, what I think will be Garry's crowning achivement, finding a refuge for ignored touring cars of the recent past and the Group A era with the Touring Car Challenge. I hope it succeeds!

[GTRMagic]

Sorry SF, I cant see the comparison myself, other than most recent locality.

Mr Willmington took it upon himself on more than one occassion (XD Falcon, Jaguar XJS, Toyota Supra Turbo, EA Falcon complete with carby etc) to make his own race cars, to apply the knowledge from many years building and preparing cars for himself and other people, to take unfancied runners to, on occassion, competitive positions.

With not much to help him other than his own technical skills, and the odd paying codriver.

Its always sad for me to think the only "win" of note Mr Willmington achieved at Bathurst was the 1987 class win in Bob Holden's Sprinter... which outlasted the merry factory-car dance of the SugarPlum Corollas to take a deserved class achievement.

And that most of the old Willmington race cars have ended up in the shed at Wakefield Park, where Garry operates the circuit on behalf of the owners.

Ignoring the source of Mr Walden's car and the public intentions about main series participation, I somehow cannot see how that operation will be in motorsport for 20 years up the road....

[rdmdog]

Well I hope they are. Good luck to them!

Do the Walden's have a Website?

[racer69]

It's great to see them out there having a go. A great shame also that they are the last of the Sydney teams in the 'main' championship. (I recall on the Monday morning after the 1000 this year, i saw the #24 car on a flatbed going along Mulgoa Road through Penrith)

It's a shame that Sydney doesn't have any teams based here anymore. Having a look at the Racing Car News preview for the 1981 ATCC, it is a completley different story. Among the leading entries mentioned in the preview, the following were based in Sydney or NSW (Big names as well);

Garry Wilmington's Falcon prepared at Luddenham
Colin Bond/Steve Masterton's Masterton Homes Capri's prepared in Moorebank

Kevin Bartlett's 9 Camaro prepared in Brookevale

Peter McLoed's Mazda RX7 run from Wollongong

Peter Williamson's Celica prepared at Liverpool

Allan Grice/Frank Gardner JPS Team BMW - prepared at Amaroo (just above the Lake Corner was it not?)

John Goss' Jag XJS in Sydney (though didn't compete till Sandown 400)

Bob Muir's Army Reserve Falcon prepared at the Army Engineering base in Leichardt

Graeme Bailey's Chickadee Celica prepared in Gosford.

And that of course doesn't include the others not mentioned, plus the locals that would turn out for the AMSCAR/Under 3.5ltr races at Amaroo.

[GTRMagic]

Bye bye...

LRT, BFR/WGR, Terry Finnigan Racing, Jonespeed, Don Smith/Miedecke Motorsport, Mitsubishi Ralliart....

Other than a couple of V8Lites cars, Sydney will not have a Supercar team presence next season

[rdmdog]

I guess its lucky that NSW State Racing is so strong then!!

Anyone else heading to Oran for the Day/Night meeting, on the GP Track (!!!) next month???

[FalconEL]

We'll be there rdmdog.

Really looking forward to our first trip to Oran Park.

Although I won't be driving, we'll be there with the Falcon Sports Sedan in amongst the TransAM field. Should be a good weekend hopefully.

Are they strict with the noise meter down at OP??

Back to the topic though, how did the auction end up on eBay?? A reserve of $300K doesn't buy you much thesedays. Indeed a novel approach to seeking backers for your enterprise, let's hope for the Walden's that something happens to help them onto the grid in 2005....

You've gotta love the Aussie battler trying to cut it with the big boys in the No. 1 Series in Australia.....

[Damien White]

For the benefit of Also a Believer who really wishes i would impart my wisdom on other topics, rather than just "Gore's at it again"...

My first lap of Bathurst was as a 9 year old in the passengers seat of an F150 with G.Wilmington at the wheel. We were going to Lithgow kart track so his son John could have a drive of my kart.

Hope this pleases you AaB

Stay Cool
ICE#1

[Also a Believer]

Never happy "ICE"

Am the crankiest person alive.

[pete55]

Now if WPS were to takeover IMB or vice versa that would improve your chances 'Ice Man'

Sorry wrong thread.

[rdmdog]

I would say that, although Im sure no-one has purposely turned up with a car that exceeds the limit Oran is no worse than anywhere else for noise readings, the weather has as much effect there as anywhere else (Clouds increasing noise readings).

The NSWRRC guys and girls are good at running events such as this one, and have managed to keep the local council on side with the permit to run after dark for the last few years. This is the second one this year! So if you are asked to keep it quiet it would have as much to do with retaining the permit for further Day Night meets there, not because the organisers dont want you to enjoy the event!

Sorry for hijacking the thread

[FalconEL]

Thanks rdmdog,

I just remember turning up to Amaroo with my Escort Rotary back in 1998 and getting black-flagged on my second lap because the muffler was pointing the wrong way and I went straight to 100dB. Spent all Friday afternoon grafting a new muffler into the system (hanging it off the rear bumper and pointing it out the LH side), and got no track time......

The Falcon is a bit quieter than the Escort though so we should be sweet.

CD.

[V8madman_07]

Waldens Website is http://waldenmotorsport.netfirms.com/

[rdmdog]

Thanks heaps champ

[JteL]

rdmdog - the problem with Oran Park is similar to Amaroo - the layout of the land/track is such that noise tends to bounce back instead of simply 'floating away'.

Get a low cloud cover and the noise is amplified even more to the extent cars ordinarily well under the limit start having problems with 'excessive noise'.

The fact that this 'noise' tends to remain within the track isn't even considered.