Photos Mark Walker July 1, 2021 (Comments off) (1362)

Random Motorsport Favourites

This Throwback Thursday we delve into the archives to present to you a Cadbury Roses gift box of assorted images, each with their unique story to tell (1,000 words, or less).

From Indycar to Supercars, to speedway to rally, the Nurburgring, NASCAR and more, there are some legends, and some nobodies thrown into the mix too.

Hit us up on the socials @theracetorque with your memories of any of the below!


The calm before the storm: Lakeside SUATCC 1989, the Shell Sierras, Dick Johnson catching some rays, John Bowe in discussion with Fred Gibson. After an extensive cleanup for the fireball under the bridge, Johnson led home a Queensland 1-2 with Tony Longhurst second and Bowe third. Jim Richards and George Fury in the Gibson run Nissans were sixth and seventh. In the background, the production cars are going through scruitineering following their race, which resulted in the wall being flattened on the exit of the Karussell.


Best looking Indycar of all time? It would have to be in the conversation. Tony Kanaan in the McDonalds Drive Thru Reynard, as owned by Gerry Forsythe in 1999. Kanaan finished sixth on the Gold Coast, taking home a purse of US$25,000.


Peak hour traffic: early morning at the 2014 Bathurst 12 Hour. The winningest car in the history of the event, the Kean Booker/Matthew Chahda/Peter O’Donnell/Allan Shephard BMW 335i, the Clearwater Ferrari 458 of Craig Baird/Matt Griffin/Hiroshi Hamaguachi/Mok Weng Sun and the Ice Break Porsche 997 GT3 Cup of David Calvert-Jones/Alex Davison/Patrick Long. The BMW and Porsche both overcame problems to finish second in their respective classes, the Ferrari was shunted on top of the Mountain after 57 circuits, before being thoroughly demolished by low-flying Nissan GT-R, as pilotted by Katsumasa Chiyo.


Richard Mork, Lakeside Konica V8 Lites Series, August 2000. The genuine privateer finished the inaugural series 12th in the standings, with a 10th and two DNFs to show for his Lakeside weekend.


The brave souls of speedway…


Actually, ice speedway riders are slightly braver…


A club racing folk hero combination – Wayne Wakefield and his Mazda 808 Wagon Club Car/Improved Production car, seem here touring back to the pits at Lakeside following a rare mechanical drama.


The epitome of cool: Jimmy Vasser, Team Rahal Lola, 2002. The former champ finished 12th of the 18 starters on the Gold Coast that year, before departing the outfit at the end of the season to join American Spirit Team Johansson.


Simon & Sue Evans, Subaru WRX, Rally Queensland 2003.


The variety of GTP: Garry Waldon’s Dodge Viper through to Suzuki Swifts, Lakeside 1998. Waldon finished third in the season standings behind the Porsches of Domenic Beninca and Peter Fitzgerald, seen here positioned behind the Ferrari F355 of John Bowe.


Your eyes do not deceive you: a V8 powered two-door Leyland P76, as pictured at the Mount Cotton Hillclimb. A wild piece of kit, and an interesting footnote in Australian motoring history. The P76 was awarded Wheels Car of the Year in 1973, with 18,007 produced before it was retired in 1975, largely considered to be a lemon. An unreleased Coupe derivative, the Force 7 was developed, although it featured a hatchback, rather than the boot arrangement as seen above.


The late great Lloyd Bax, doing Lloyd Bax things in the ex-Everlast hardtop Falcon, 2003 Queensland Raceway.


Another dearly departed showman, John Goasdoue letting it all hang out in the Subaru RS Challenge at Rally Canberra, 2004.


Families that race together, stay together. Introducing the “Rocket” family from Charlton Speedway circles.


One of the last times Marcos Ambrose wore the number 1, Gold Coast 2005. It was a tough weekend on the Gold Coast, a DNF, 26th and 11th ultimately derailed his championship charge, following on from a 14th at Sandown and the run-in with Greg Murphy at Bathurst.


A rare sight: Rodney Forbes in a Glenn Seton Racing Falcon, Lakeisde 1998, moments before he wound up in the wall on the Saturday of the event, bringing the association to a premature conclusion. The event was going to be Forbes’ second outing for the team, after a best finish of 16th at the Australian Grand Prix. Forbes would go on to concentrate on his GT-P Porsche that year, finishing fourth, before a full V8 Supecars campaign in 1999.


A legend taken too soon: Greg Moore. He would finish the Gold Coast race in 1998 in 8th position.


The Action Zone: Phillip Island 2013, and a 60:60 format restart following on from THAT coming together between Alex Premat and James Courtney, with damage evident on the rear of tail-end Charlie David Reynolds’ Falcon, who was lucky to escape the accident.


Larry Perkins VL Commodore, Lakeside 1988, where the trusty Holden finished fourth behind the Sierras of Longhurst, Johnson and Allan Moffat.


Who wouldn’t want a Nurburgring sandwich press? Per the venue’s gift shop, 2013. How did they not wilt the lettuce in the making of the toastie? A modern miracle.


Standing room only for the Group N support races, Oran Park V8 Supercars, 2003.


Bump draft: engaged. Brothers Chris and Dave Hinton, Gemini Series, Lakeside Raceway.


The true elevation changes at Sonoma Raceway, NASCAR Cup Series, 2013.


Garth Tander takes the alternate entry into the opening corners at Symmons Plains, 2014. Despite this, Tander would finish the race in sixth.

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