Allan Moffat had been slaving away since 1969 in his attempts to win the Australian Touring Car Championship, but failed.
Moffat and his Coca-Cola sponsored Mustang Trans Am was a dream story after receiving it for $1 after talking Ford American into supporting his Australian career.
Although it was an iconic partnership, it failed to bring him Australian Touring Car Championship after being defeated by Ian ‘Pete’ Geoghegan, Norm Beechey and Bob Jane to the title.
In response to the ‘Supercars Scare’, CAMS decided to combine the Series Production and Improved Production regulations. Bathurst was up to this point contested by Series Production cars, while the ATCC used the Improved Production regulations.
The Mustang was out as not enough were produced to fit the regulations, with Jane also out although he did attempt to contest a round in his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and was later disqualified due to the model not meeting the minimum production requirements.
Moffat transitioned to one of Ford’s XY Falcon Phase III GT-HOs for his attack, but there is a story in this as well. The ‘Supercars Scare’ resulted in Ford and Holden cancelling future models, but Chrysler elected to end its motorsport program.
Ford had already built up three XA Falcon GT-HO Phase IVs, but these were soon sold after the event and the factory returned back to the XY.
The 1973 season was the first true Moffat vs Brock battle and it fell to the Canadian.
A hot start for Moffat delivered four wins in a row to start the season at Symmons Plains, Calder Park, Sandown and Wanneroo.
However, Brock fought back to win the next two including at Adelaide when Moffat’s race Falcon was stolen and later found in the Adelaide Hills with a note attached.
After borrowing privateer Murray Carter’s Falcon and finishing second, Moffat’s title was assured.
Moffat added a win at Oran Park before retiring at the Warwick Farm finale.
Brock’s title chances ended after being disqualified at Oran Park, but he did win at Warwick Farm to seal second ahead of the class competitor Graham Ritter.
The dream run didn’t stop there for Moffat after he won Bathurst in the XA Falcon Hardtop’s debut alongside touring car rival turned co-driver Geoghegan.