It’s been 40 years since the might of Tom Walkinshaw’s team took to the Mountain and conquered it.
The 1985 James Hardie 1000 marked the first for the international Group A formula following its introduction to Australia at the start of the season.
Walkinshaw had already established his team as one of Europe’s leading squads and was in the midst of a relationship with Austin Rover under the British Leyland conglomerate of manufacturers.
Walkinshaw himself had won the 1984 European Touring Car Championship title using Jaguar’s mighty V12 XJS and a plan was soon plotted to take on Australia’s Mountain.
Development of the XJS began in 1982 where Walkinshaw alongside co-driver Chuck Nicholson was third in the ETCC title after winning four of the 11 rounds.
A runner up position in 1983 was backed by championship victory the next season as Walkinshaw ventured down to Bathurst for the first time.
Joining John Goss, who dusted off his Group C specification XJS featuring a few TWR go-fast bits installed.
It proved a short race behind the wheel after Walkinshaw failed to leave the start line due to clutch failure in the Goss XJS
Walkinshaw’s team also ran at Bathurst in the Group A category in a pair of Mobil-backed Rover Vitesses of which Jeff Allam and Armin Hahne took the win.
A return was always on the cards.
Just as Le Mans came onto the radar for TWR and Jaguar, Mount Panorama was still on the team’s radar.
Backed by local importer Jaguar Rover Australia, three XJSs run by TWR were a surprise announcement early in 1985 to take on the locals still learning the Group A formula.
JPS BMW’s Jim Richards had dominated the Australian Touring Car Championship to become the first New Zealander to win the crown.
Peter Brock just missed out on re-homologating the Commodore and was also restructuring after the departure of team manager Larry Perkins mid-season.
Dick Johnson had pounced and recruited Perkins to co-drive his Ford Mustang at Bathurst.
Allan Grice linked up with privateer Warren Cullen, plus Robbie Francevic had debutant John Bowe in his rapid Volvo 240 Turbo as the Nissan team missed the entire season due to homologation delays.
The three JRA entries were shared by Walkinshaw/Win Percy, Hahne/Goss and Allam/Ron Dickson.
ETCC rivals Roberto Ravaglia and Johnny Cecotto were also there in a Bob Jane T-Marts-backed Schnitzer Motorsport BMW 635csi.
It was a dream weekend for TWR as Walkinshaw was fastest all the way through practice and took out Hardie’s Heroes after a scorching lap around the Mountain.
Walkinshaw shot off into the lead, but the Allam/Dickson XJS retired after three laps due to terminal engine damage.
But it wasn’t the Walkinshaw/Percy Jag taking the flag after a stone puncture caused an oil leak led to multiple pit stops to finish laps down in third.
This left the third XJS of Goss/Hahne to take the win ahead of the fast closing BMW of Ravaglia/Cecotto.
It was Jaguar’s sole victory in The Great Race and despite an attempt to bring the TWR crew back for 1986 this time in Rover Vitesses alongside a couple of XJSs, but it failed to come off due to Jaguar River Australia not coming to the party to fund the defence.