1988 Australian Group A Touring Car Racing - Discussion & Results

[William Dale Jr]

Originally Posted by Amaroo Park

They were never disqualified. Walkinshaw dropped his protest against Longhursts car after it won. But Bondy had a big fight against the protest on his Turbo that went on for months. In the end the charge could not be proven and the fact it was purchased from Garrets the protest was thrown out.

I really believe now as I did then that Walkinshaws protest was to upset the race prep on the leading Sierras, I dont think he expected to find anything but by protesting suspensions and engines etc and having them taken apart before the race it did upset the teams involved. One interesting point was the only Sierra team up there that he didn't protest was the ANZ Allan Moffat team. Which were running Eggenberger Sierras and which only a year before had been found to be illegal.

Quite right, no Sierras were disqualified, but both factory HSV Commodores were outed. They were found guilty of using the VK Commodore steering rack and modifying the crossmember to suit it. The VK's was preferable to the VL's variable ratio rack, but it wasn't homologated for use. Neal Lowe - formerly with the HDT - knew this, protested, and both cars were disqualified. I've never seen this reflected in race results, though.


I agree with you about the purpose of Walkinshaw's protest, but wonder why he didn't protest either the Eggenberger car of Moffat's, Wolf car of Mark Petch, or either of the Miedecke Sierras (which had Eggenberger drivers aboard). Maybe the conspiracy theory that it was orchestrated by Eggenberger as payback for the year before wasn't far off?

[Amaroo Park]

It was strang thought that he did protest the CMS Team from Sweden of Ulf Granberg and Kiwi Inky Tulloch, didn't matter much as they only lasted a few laps, but it was the only European Sierra Protested. I often wondered that after the arse kicking that the Eurpeans got at the hands of Dick and John Bowe at Silverstone weather Eggenberger was giving Walkinshaw info on what he believes was making the cars so fast and he protested accordingly

[GTRMagic]

If payback was the motivation from the Eggenberger camp, why didnt the protest in the B&H Sierra stick, I mean Mr Gardner was the team boss there, and wasnt it JPS BMW's protest that saw the Eggenberger cars scrubbed the previous year?

[Amaroo Park]

There was a lot of pressure on about not having a second year were the winner of the race is not know till months latter, so Walkinshaw agreed to drop it on what ever Sierra won the race. I think it was just bad luck for them that it was a Gardner car that won

[William Dale Jr]

Agreed. Walkinshaw advised the organisers he was dropping the protest at 11am. At that point the Eggenberger car was in the lead with Longhurst right behind but soon to lose a lap fixing a sticking throttle.

[Amaroo Park]

The atmosphere in the HSV pit that weekend was pretty poisonous and it had nothing to do with the protest. The relationship between TWR and Perkins wasn't a good one and was made even worse when Perkins car was considerably quick than the UK Built TWR Commodore. TWR didn't take too well by being shown up. The fact that Walkinshaw then invoked a contractual right to take over Larry's car during the race and didn't drive to Larry's instructions which in Perkins mind caused the car to DNF was another issue too.

All in all that race weekend would have to go down as one of the most fascinating there has been and mainly for all the off track dramas

[Jesper OH]

To the best of my knowledge the '88 Bathurst 1000 was the last drive for Tom Walkinshaw, so a low note to end an otherwise impressive career.

Jesper

[Amaroo Park]

I think by that stage there was too much going on via his motor racing and business interests too be able to devote the time needed to be a professional race car driver

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by Jesper OH

To the best of my knowledge the '88 Bathurst 1000 was the last drive for Tom Walkinshaw, so a low note to end an otherwise impressive career.

Jesper

Yes I was racking my brain trying to think if he'd been out in anything after that race, but haven't come up with anything?

I'm sure he must've been doing some test driving at times though, he was renowned for that.

[Jesper OH]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Yes I was racking my brain trying to think if he'd been out in anything after that race, but haven't come up with anything?

I'm sure he must've been doing some test driving at times though, he was renowned for that.

The only thing I could guess at would be some sort of historic racing, like at Goodwood. 1986 must have been his last season for real, as his 1987 appearances were very one-off in nature.

Jesper

[DV_08]

Round 4 Wanneroo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PMLaxGjF4A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UROuFo5BPWk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ulNu4_E4CM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MocO5jK2Uuw

[Jesper OH]

Great footage from Wanneroo! Thank you very much, DV_08

Originally Posted by William Dale Jr

South Australia Cup
Adelaide Grand Prix Circuit, SA (12/11/1988)

Circuit Length: 3.78 km
Race Distance: 32 laps
Weather: Sunny

Most of the top runners had made the trip to New Zealand, but unlike the previous year's dramas all were back in time to prepare for the last race on Australian soil for 1988. However, the entry included no Moffat or Petch Sierras, while Pukekohe-winner Andrew Miedecke was racing at the Intertec 500 in Japan.

Sierras lead from the start, but the hot conditions soon gets to them; Longhurst blows a head gasket, while both Shell cars struggle with heat-related misfires. Into the lead surge the two HSV Commodores of Perkins and Denny Hulme, to record the General's only win of 1988. It is also the marque's first win since race 1 of the 1987 AMSCAR series, and their last until the 1990 Tooheys 1000.

Updates of results from Autosport. A look in the AMRY 1988/89 book there's a picture of one of the Peter Jackson Nissan and both Shell Sierras from Adelaide, with the #30 Skyline said to be Skaife. This is the usual George Fury number, so who raced what among the Nissans?

Jesper

[Amaroo Park]

From what i remeber of that race it was extremly hot and the Sierras couldnt cope with the extreme heat

[bent65]

Originally Posted by Amaroo Park

They started using Motec in 1989 which was a horror season for them.

The motec was used throughout 88. Richard bendell has told me it was one of the earliest uses in a racecar And an exciting time for his company .
Motec Proudly advertised their 88 results (3rd ATCC, Amscar champs and 3rd & 5th Bathurst)
in auto action. The original motec is still in the car today.

[sonarbell]

Not sure if anyone is interested but just posted this:-)

http://www.youtube.com/user/sonarbel.../4/YX9Pd9S7hYg

[Amaroo Park]

Originally Posted by bent65

The motec was used throughout 88. Richard bendell has told me it was one of the earliest uses in a racecar And an exciting time for his company .
Motec Proudly advertised their 88 results (3rd ATCC, Amscar champs and 3rd & 5th Bathurst)
in auto action. The original motec is still in the car today.

Ok thanks for that wasnt aware they were using them so soon. Wasn't Perkins using Motec from the inception of the Injected Group A Commodore?

[KA]

Originally Posted by Amaroo Park

It was strang thought that he did protest the CMS Team from Sweden of Ulf Granberg and Kiwi Inky Tulloch, didn't matter much as they only lasted a few laps, but it was the only European Sierra Protested. I often wondered that after the arse kicking that the Eurpeans got at the hands of Dick and John Bowe at Silverstone weather Eggenberger was giving Walkinshaw info on what he believes was making the cars so fast and he protested accordingly

A really random thought- I certainly don't think I've ever seen anything in print to suggest it's the truth.
The Swedish CMS Sierra (supplied as a kit of parts from Andy Rouse IIRC) had also been at Silverstone- I think it was the race debut for the car. Could there have been some potential issue with the Swedish car that Walkinshaw was already aware of from Silverstone which led to it being included in the protest, while the other two European-sourced (Moffatt/Eggenberger and Petch/Wolf) Sierras weren't?

[Holden308]

I know its been over two years since anyone posted in this thread......but I will bump anyway.

Didn't Bondy's team actually find that the protest lodged by Walkinshaw was illegal and should never of been allowed to proceed? Under the rules only an entrant in the race could lodge a formal protest. The fact was that Walkinshaw lodged his protest under his TWR licence, but the entire HSV team (including car #20) were actually entered by Perkins. The stewards of the meeting (both the ARDC and FISA) completely stuffed up by acting on the protest. Of course it could have been easily rectified by Perkins protesting, which I've no doubt he would have if it was needed.

I find it ironic that the Sierra's were eventually cleared (even if the Longhurst car had its protest withdrawn) while the 3 HSV team cars were found to be illegal. All through the ATCC Perkins had been telling anyone who'd listen that the Sierra's weren't legal (in his opinion), yet in the end 2 of the 3 HSV cars that had illegal mods to their steering racks were built by.....Perkins.

Perkins recently came out in "Australian Muscle Car" magazine saying that the 1988 Tooheys 1000 was one that got away and that he believed Walkinshaw was death riding his #10 car by not sticking to its Perkins enforced rev limit. Typical Larry on that one ignoring the fact that he'd been caught cheating. If truth be told the cars DNF saved Holden and HSV the embarrassment of a post race DQ so Tom did them a favour, even if he didn't know it at the time. If car #10 had not retired there is a good chance it could have "won" the race as for the last 25 laps while Mezera was at the wheel of Longhurst's car it was suffering a break problem and was in no position to be pushed hard in a late race scrap for the lead (much like Moff's Falcon in 1977, but we all know how that ended). Holden and HSV were already somewhat in the public and media doghouse for the HSV VL Commodore being released so late (IIRC Holden had already launched the VN by the time the VL SV hit the race track), this would have been a PR disaster.

[chavez]

Holden308,

I pointed this out to the editors of Australian Muscle Magazine in a letter published in issue 68.

It would not have been good for the sport to have the winners of the Great Race disqualified two years in a row.

[Holden308]

Originally Posted by chavez

Holden308,

I pointed this out to the editors of Australian Muscle Magazine in a letter published in issue 68.

It would not have been good for the sport to have the winners of the Great Race disqualified two years in a row.

That was your letter saying the HSV team cars were as legal as a $3 note?

[chavez]

Originally Posted by Holden308

That was your letter saying the HSV team cars were as legal as a $3 note?

yes.

[Holden308]

I still believe that the protest against the Aussie Sierra's (or at least, those with no English/European connection, not counting the Swedish Sierra) was not done to find any illegalities, it was simply done to disrupt race preparations. Why else would the protest have been lodged as soon as final qualifying finished and not earlier in the week? Although I think they did plan it that way, they were also shocked that the fastest Commodore (Perkins) was over 4.5 seconds slower than Dick Johnson's pole winning car.

Had to laugh at Walkinshaw's reason for only protesting the Australian built Sierra's....."they were the fastest ones". No credibility there since he protested the 12th placed Shell car, yet left alone the Moffat (Eggenberger) car and the Rouse kit Miedecke / Bagnall cars which were 4th, 5th and 6th fastest. Mad Andy and Bags also had Steve Soper and Pierre Dieudonné as co-drivers....

[chavez]

Originally Posted by William Dale Jr

Terry Finnigan's Commodore punctured a tyre, depositing the carcass on Conrod. An unsighted Brock slammed into it, smashing the oil cooler and delaying the #56 car.

Interestingly with the full race released on DVD last year including what was happening during the ad breaks, Channel 7 was on-board with Brock during an ad break when he hit the tyre, yet it was never replayed.