13 replies to this topic

[Pop's-SS]

G'day All

I was just going through one of my magazines, Racing Car News April 1970 and although there is not much to see of it, there was Brock's A30 being driven by R Bond.

It was a night meeting at Oran Park and there was a gaggle of Mini Cooper S's fairly chewing at his backside.



I have enhanced the lighting of the photo and shows it up a bit better than the original pic. Those cars are going through Energol Corner which is the one before the main straight.

It goes onto mention that it was Bond's first drive in the A30.

The story never mentions Bond's first name but had the initial "R" in the race results.

I believe the Austin A30 was destroyed in a race accident but not sure how long after this meet that it was totalled.

Very interesting these old magazines

Regards ......................... Barry

[wingnut]

G'day there Barry

Been scratching around in the family archives have we ?

I agree those old Racing Car News mags and all the contempoary magazines on Aust. motor sport are a great read - I have heaps of them in boxes which I oggle at occassionally - my misses recons I should get rid of them but they are now pulling big bucks - particularly Sports Car World, Wheels , RC News and anything that covers the Aussie performance cars of the 60's , 70's & 80s. So I tell her that I'll hang on to them a bit longer and make a squillion on ebay !!! - Fat chance of that eh.

As far as Brocky's A30 at Oran Park meeting in 1970 - I think you will find the driver was probably a Sydneysider ? named Ross Bond who developed the fastest Austin Healey 3000 race car in Aust. which dominated marque sports car racing in the 70's and 80s.
I have some magazine articles on that beast in my archives - somewhere ??

Cheers

JR.

[wingnut]

Crickey Rory - You have exposed the old farts club in this thread.

Anybody who posts in this one must be at least a grandpa.
I have never been to Oran Park or the late Amaroo track but I remember plenty of great racing coverage at those tracks on the box. I recon Amaroo was great with that start line drag up the hill to the first corner - great memories of the toranas and fowlcoons rubbing door handles - yeh Gricey !! - didn't need a grader blade on the front of his A9X. And the last turn onto the straight before the finish line - lot of expensive panel surgery encountered there eh ?

As for Gossy's Oran Park prang - that must have deflated his ego for fully 5 minutes.
I remember Gossy's spoilt brat antics at Sandown Hang Ten / 500 ? in about 1975 put on a tantrum infront of the old pitlane sheds in his humming chook / super bird or whatever it was before the race - Brocky let his right foot decide the outcome a couple of hours later - I was wrapped and also for Bruce Hindhaugh and Normy Gown who put that yellow L34 together on a tight budget - nothing fancy.

Heaps of great memories of Calder in the 60s & 70s - The FXs and FJs in Appendix J and the early Brock / Moffat battles in 69 - 71 era - one of the best races I saw was Brock in that original GTR that Harry prepared ( off white colour with black bonnet )
up against Moffat's BDA Escort twin cam - about an 8 lap sprint that Brocky won by a whisker if my memory serves correctly.
I subsequently got rid of my GT Cortina and hopped into a 71 Bathurst LC - have been an XU-1 devotee ever since.

Cheers

[Pop's-SS]

Aha wingnut

Anybody who posts in this one must be at least a grandpa

I am twice over and will be again come May next year. Just came back from a day and 1/2 quality time with our adorable girls Sammi and Sophie who live in Narrandera.

Can you remember Phil Barnes, he of the purple Cooper S fame which had the quaint nick-name of "The Purple People Eater".

Back in those days I had a hotted up mini and Phil did the tuning and work on my car.

Nice bloke, probably over 6ft, lean and when he drove his mini it looked like he was sitting in the back seat

I can remember Barry Sharpe's V8 red Jag, Ron Thorpes AC Cobra (not a replica), a V8 Imp, the Geoghan Bros. MEMORIES

There was one meet which was called a "2 X 4" that involved one car race, one bike race, one car race etc.
A fella who I think from my fading memory was called Gary Crosby from NZ in about the 2nd last lap came around BP corner onto the main straight and at probably over 100mph (160Ks) put his bike up onto its back wheel for the entire straight and at the same time changing gears.

When asked why did he do it on the 2nd last lap, he said he thought it was the last lap (bloody show-off), he then went on to say he didn't think the straight was so long, but it was and it was the GP or longer track set up.

He was the only bike rider that I know that would lift his front wheel up to place it in the right spot to go around a corner. Top rider

Regards ................. Barry