A wild idea to bring a Formula 1 star to Bathurst led to two of its biggest legends teaming up in a memorable appearance for all the wrong reasons 50 years ago.
The idea came after a conversation between Chequered Flag magazine editor Gabriel Szatmary and advertising manager Jim Hunter, with both discussing the finer points of getting an entry into the Bathurst 1000.
Hunter was a touring car privateer, but had teamed up with John Harvey in 1974 and Allan Grice the following year though success was not forthcoming.
Chequered Flag’s Formula 1 journalist Alan Henry became involved and asked Niki Lauda about the opportunity. The Austrian was interested, but the Canadian Grand Prix clashed with Bathurst ruling him out.
Although Lauda and his Formula 1 counterparts were out, a retired driver in the form of Stirling Moss was interested.
Moss had retired 13-years earlier after a massive crash at Goodwood led to many serious injuries including two breaks in his left leg, snapped right arm, crushed eye socket and cheekbone, plus his brain had detached from the right side of his skull leaving him in a coma for a month.
It was a slow recovery, but Moss returned behind the wheel 12 months after the crash only to retire after losing his driving instincts.
Moss believed he had returned to soon, but was keen to take up the offer to race at Bathurst with one caveat; Jack Brabham was his co-driver. Brabham himself was six-years into retirement.
Garnering plenty of attention not achieved by any entries before it, the Moss and Brabham program was announced just seven weeks before the race.
Sponsorship came from Sydney radio station 2SM, jeans brand Blues Union, Repco, Ampol and many others.
Team managed by Canberra Holden dealer Max Aubert and acquiring a Torana L34 previously owned by Victorian privateer Bernie McClure, preparations were frustrating due to the lack of help from Holden.
When Brabham tested the Torana at Oran Park, he was right on the pace and hopes of a string result at Bathurst were growing.
Qualifying 10th was another step in the right direction despite Brabham out-braking himself at the end of Conrod Straight.
Sunday’s race came, but Brabham famously failed to get off the line due to the M21 gearbox being stuck between reverse and first gear leading to a class contending Triumph Dolomite hitting the rear end of the Blues Union Torana.
Despite heavy rear-end damage, the Torana made a return to the race several laps down to ensure Moss got laps before an over-rev led to a spectacular engine detonation ending the day for good.
It wasn’t the end of Brabham and the Blues Union Torana as he competed in the Rothmans 300 at Surfers Paradise International Raceway four weeks later recording an impressive fourth and getting the bug back.
‘Black Jack’ competed in a further two Bathurst 1000s with Ford star John Goss to finish ninth in 1977 and fellow ex-pat star Brian Muir for 1978 to score his best result of sixth.
Moss went on to race in the British Saloon Car Championship in 1980 for a factory-supported Audi assault run by Tom Walkinshaw and future Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle as teammate, The program was ill-fated and never lived up to the promise.