Coca-Cola Racing by Erebus maybe leading the Repco Supercars Championship in 2023, but just over 25 years ago the celebrated soft drink brand was doing so with former World 500cc Grand Prix champion Wayne Gardner.
The ‘Wollongong Whiz’ began his four-wheel transition at Bathurst 1992 teaming with the experienced Graham Moore in the second Bob Forbes Racing entry, its Holden VN Commodore SS Group A.
Although the result was a little disappointing in the Strathfield Car Stereos-backed effort, the seed was planted to enter the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1993 and the Holden Racing Team provided the opportunity.
In a season marred by on-track incidents, which led to Gardner being coined ‘Captain Chaos’ a split with Holden Racing Team came after he was benched from the Sandown 500. Allegedly, Gardner was after the team’s major sponsors to form his own operation for 1994, claims denied by the world champ.
Returning to action at the Bathurst 1000 where he finished third alongside Brad Jones and winning at the Australian Grand Prix support race in Adelaide failed to change the decision to dump Gardner as he bought out Bob Forbes Racing to enter his own for 1994.
Gardner’s personal sponsor Coca-Cola came to the party to support a two-car operation spearheaded by Gardner and former Bob Forbes Racing driver Neil Crompton.
Two striking liveried VP Commodores were revealed pre-season and with returning ex-pat Alan Heaphy, who was integral to the GT-R revolution of 1991 joined by former HRT engineer Wally Storey in what appeared to be a touring car super team.
It was a rush to get the operation ready during the off-season ahead of the opening round in 1994 at Amaroo Park, but the squad made it and improved throughout the season. Crompton finished a best of fourth at Winton as Gardner was continued to live up to his ‘Captain Chaos’ nickname.
Bathurst beckoned, but for Gardner and Crompton it ended after hitting oil on lap 99. However, the second entry driven by Win Percy and Russell Ingall finished fifth.
The updated VR Commodore arrived in 1995, but Dunlop supplied competitors including Wayne Gardner Racing were disadvantaged by the Kobe earthquake in Japan.
Both drivers finished in the top 10 as Gardner took the team’s first round podium at Sandown’s opening round, but it proved a tough season outside of this result. This was only compounded when Gardner and Crompton collided at the Bathurst sprint event just after the start.
Bathurst provided a high point for the team as both entries finished inside the top five as Gardner and Crompton took third, while Percy partnered by Brad Jones finished fifth.
During this time, Wayne Gardner Racing developed its own limited edition road cars based on the VR Commodore SS and in 1996 a victory came. Gardner finally broke through in a heat race at Mallala as he finished seventh in the championship, while Crompton only raced a part-season due to budget as Coca-Cola started to reduce its support.
The dynamic duo just missed the podium at Bathurst as Jones joined by Tony Scott retired early in the race.
The 1997 season started off with a bang for Wayne Gardner Racing by winning the opening round at Calder Park, the first event of the V8 Supercars era. Gardner had made the tough, but necessary decision to drop to one entry for the year and moved to Yokohama.
It was the only success for the team during its four seasons in competition as Gardner failed to race at four three rounds in 1997 and closed up shop at the end of the year.
Gardner focused on overseas racing and big Australian events for two seasons, the last in a customer Perkins Engineering entry ending Coca-Cola’s involvement for close to 20 years.
Here are some memories below:
Wayne Gardner, Sportsworld 1994
Round 3, 1995 Australian Touring Car Championship
Wayne Gardner and Neil Crompton on Denton
Wayne Gardner, Speedweek 1995
WGR’s first win, 1996 Australian Touring Car Championship, Mallala
Round 1, 1997 Australian Touring Car Championship, Calder Park