The Repco Bathurst 1000 will feature plenty of heritage-specific metal this weekend both on and off track.
An impressive entry of 55 is set to take on the Mountain representing the Group C, A, 3A and Super Touring eras of the Great Race.
David Holland, son of racing driver Don, is racing his father’s former Holden Torana LJ GTR XU-1 sponsored by Pacific Film Laboratories back at the start of the Group C era.
The Torana represents the early Group C era, while New Zealand Lindsay O’Donnell driving a Jim Richards raced Volvo S40 Super Tourer is at the other end of the scale.
An eclectic array of models including Holden Commodores from the Group C, A, 3A and Future Tourer specifications are represented. These encompass privateer and factory examples including from the dominant Holden Racing Team.
Holden is also represented by Torana L34s and A9Xs in addition to the previously mentioned GTR XU-1.
John Bowe will be driving an ex-Allan Grice, STP Holden Commodore VC and Greg Murphy will return 20 years on from winning his final Bathurst 1000 to drive an ex-Pro-Duct Motorsport VN.
Similarly represented is Ford through XC, XD and EF Falcon variants, while the Mustang and Sierra RS500 represents Group A, while the Blue Oval’s class success is represented by a Capri.
Nissan’s dominant ‘Godzilla’, the Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R will be represented by Tony Alford’s Winfield example from the 1992 race. The marque’s early history features through the Nissan Bluebird.
Toyota through the Celica, Supra and Corolla continue the Japanese flavour, as does the four Mazda RX-7s entered.
Rover’s Vitesse and the ex-Garry Willmington Jaguar XJ-S add to the diversity.
A large contingent of Super Tourers have ventured across from New Zealand representing a variety of European histories including the two Vic Lee Racing BMW 318is part of one of the most controversial finishes in British Touring Car Championship history. See video below.
Not to be forgotten, the National Motor Racing Museum has marked the 40th anniversary since the end of the locally-derived Group C touring car regulations by holding an exhibition.
This is highlighted by the reunion of the two HDT Holden VK Commodores, which finished 1-2 in 1984. Some controversy surrounded the identity of both, but the restored example has been re-christened #25.
Other highlights include the ‘Greens Tuf’ Dick Johnson Ford Falcon XE, a Valiant Charger E49 R/T from the 1973 event, a Triumph Dolimite, Ford Capri, ex-factory Datsun 240K and an ex-Peter Janson Holden Torana A9X among others.
If fans haven’t checked out the museum, it’s a must!