Larry Vs Tom

[Forda]

Originally Posted by racer69

Regarding the secretly TWR-built Commodore coming out here for Bathurst, I'd forgotten one part that makes me doubt this story even more, the fact that talk of entering a third car for the team had been rumoured throughout the 1988 season. John Harvey was originally suggested as a driver for it before deciding to drive with the Bob Forbes team, with the likes of Grice & Percy linked to the car as well (particularly after their Nissan team entry decided against competing)

This quote from John Harvey in the book "Bathurst 1988"

"Then he (Tom Walkinshaw) offered me a drive in the third car!" The ex-HDT man guffawed at that "I was No.2 for 12 years, There's no way I was going to be No.3!"

If TWR weren't going to bring their own car, how could a third car have been offered up if Perkins only had two?

That's very interesting.
If the 3rd car option was true, then Harvey should have (surely would have?) taken it.
Not many offers came after that, so was his last real race before retirement.

Originally Posted by racer69

The protest was withdrawn before the race started

From the "Bathurst 1988" book

"The protest hanging over the car for the day was withdrawn automatically when Mezera took the flag. Before the start, Tom Walkinshaw had in an unconventional move asked the stewards to withdraw the protest if one of the five cars he protested was first across the line"

Tuckey's book seems to say differently:

At 4.15pm on the Sunday, just after Larry's car was retired, the press received a message on HSV letterhead which read "Tom Walkinshaw has advised that he requested permission of race officials that protests could be withdrawn against any of the five Ford Sierras protested on Friday that may win the Tooheys 1000 today. This applies to the winning vehicle only. This has been done in the best interests of motorsport and so that a race winner can be announced today. This was advised at 11am this morning."

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Forda

That's very interesting.
If the 3rd car option was true, then Harvey should have (surely would have?) taken it.
Not many offers came after that, so was his last real race before retirement.

From memory there was an offer there, but after many years as #2 to Mr Brock, he didn't want to come to Bathurst as a #6!

Mr Forbes' option was probably about as good at the time..

[Forda]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

From memory there was an offer there, but after many years as #2 to Mr Brock, he didn't want to come to Bathurst as a #6!

Mr Forbes' option was probably about as good at the time..

Does this imply Neal offered Harvey a seat in the 3rd Sierra?