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1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500

Motor race in Australia


Motor race in Australia

The 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was a production car race held on 6 October 1968 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia. It was the ninth running of the Bathurst 500.

The race was won by the Wyong Motors entered Holden Monaro driven by Bruce McPhee (apart from one lap mid-race driven by Barry Mulholland) who defeated the big teams with a tactical strategy of running a buffed hard wearing street tyre rather than a racing tyre. Initially Des West and Ron Marks were classified second but were later disqualified for illegal engine modifications. Second place was then awarded to the factory supported Holden Dealer Racing Team Holden Monaro of Jim Palmer (to that point the best finish by a New Zealander) and Phil West. The AM Roberts entered Holden Monaro driven by Tony Roberts and Bob Watson finished third.

Future two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Allan Grice made his Mount Panorama debut in 1968. Driving with author Bill Tuckey in a Class D Fiat 124 Sport for Scuderia Veloce, the pair finished the race in 18th outright and 9th in class, 11 laps down on the McPhee/Mulholland Monaro.

Midge Whiteman and Christine Cole (who would later be better known as Christine Gibson, the wife of driver Fred Gibson), driving in a Morris Mini De Luxe, contested the race as an all female duo, placing fifth in their class.

Class structure

Cars competed in five classes based on the purchase price (in Australian dollars) of the vehicle.

A replica of the winning Holden Monaro GTS327

Class A

Class A was for cars which cost up to $1,850. It was contested by Datsun 1000, Ford Cortina, Hillman GT, Morris Mini De Luxe and Toyota Corolla.

Class B

The $1,851 to $2,250 class entries were dominated by the Datsun 1600, but also included Hillman Arrow, Hillman Gazelle and Morris 1100S.

Class C

The $2,251 to $3,000 class was contested by Ford Falcon, Holden Kingswood, Fiat 125 and Morris Cooper S.

Class D

The $3,001 to $4,500 class featured the outright contenders, Ford Falcon GT and Holden Monaro GTS 327, and also included single entries of Chrysler VE Valiant, Fiat 124 Sport and Studebaker Lark.

Class E

For cars over $4,500, the class was contested by Alfa Romeo 1750 GTVs and a single Citroen DS21 Pallas.

Top 10 Qualifiers

PosNoTeamDriverCarQualPole2345678910
13Wyong Motors Pty LtdAUS Bruce McPheeHolden HK Monaro GTS327**2:56.7**
14Lorack Motors (Granville) Pty LtdAUS Des WestHolden HK Monaro GTS3272:56.9
23Holden Dealer Racing TeamAUS Paul HawkinsHolden HK Monaro GTS3272:59.3
8Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAUS Ian GeogheganFord XT Falcon GT2:59.8
25Holden Dealer Racing TeamAUS Brian MuirHolden HK Monaro GTS3273:00.1
24Holden Dealer Racing TeamNew Zealand Jim PalmerHolden HK Monaro GTS3273:00.5
7Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAUS Spencer MartinFord XR Falcon GT Auto3:00.5
9Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAUS Fred GibsonFord XT Falcon GT3:00.9
15AM RobertsAUS Tony RobertsHolden HK Monaro GTS3273:02.1
3Brian Foley MotorsAUS Brian FoleyAlfa Romeo 1750 GTV3:02.4

Results

PosClassNoEntrantDriversCarLapsQual
Pos123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748DNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDNFDSQDSQDSQDSQDSQDNSDNSDNS
D13Wyong Motors Pty LtdAustralia Bruce McPhee
Australia Barry MulhollandHolden HK Monaro GTS3271301
D24Holden Dealer Racing TeamNew Zealand Jim Palmer
Australia Phil WestHolden HK Monaro GTS3271306
D15AM RobertsAustralia Tony Roberts
Australia Bob WatsonHolden HK Monaro GTS3271299
E1Alec Mildren Racing Pty LtdAustralia Kevin Bartlett
Australia Doug ChivasAlfa Romeo 1750 GTV12911
D25Holden Dealer Racing TeamAustralia Brian Muir
Australia George ReynoldsHolden HK Monaro GTS3271275
E3Brian Foley MotorsAustralia Brian Foley
Australia Laurie StewartAlfa Romeo 1750 GTV12610
D10Wright Ford MotorsAustralia Bruce McIntyre
Australia Ken StaceyFord XR Falcon GT12515
E5Canberra Speed ShopAustralia Peter Brown
Australia Ray GulsonAlfa Romeo 1750 GTV12518
D17Stanmore Auto PortAustralia Chris Brauer
Australia Murray HarrodFord XT Falcon GT12517
C30C SmithAustralia Don Holland
Australia Charlie SmithMorris Cooper S12323
C34Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAustralia Barry Arentz
New Zealand Mike ChampionFord XT Falcon 500 V812320
D8Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAustralia Ian Geoghegan
Australia Leo GeogheganFord XT Falcon GT1234
D21Needhams Motors Pty LtdAustralia Warren Weldon
Australia John HallStudebaker Lark12313
C29Marque MotorsAustralia Digby Cooke
Australia Mal BrewsterMorris Cooper S12122
B50Datsun Racing TeamAustralia John Roxburgh
Australia Doug WhitefordDatsun 160012032
C38Denis Geary Motors Pty LtdAustralia Damon Beck
Australia Gary HodgeMorris Cooper S12021
C63R MarquetAustralia Alan Cant
Australia Ray MarquetMorris Cooper S12024
D26Scuderia VeloceAustralia Allan Grice
Australia Bill TuckeyFiat 124 Sport11930
B46Peter Langwill Autos Pty LtdAustralia Bruce Stewart
Australia George GarthDatsun 160011838
C36W GracieAustralia Warren Gracie
Australia Don JamesMorris Cooper S11836
B49Datsun Racing TeamJapan Kunimitsu Takahashi
Japan Yoshikayo SunagoDatsun 160011828
B65Vern Curtin MotorsAustralia Alton Boddenberg
Australia Rusty FrenchHillman Gazelle11735
C61Varsity Auto CentreAustralia John Prisk
Australia Alan CameronMorris Cooper S11631
B42Dependable Motors Pty LtdAustralia Dennis Cooke
Australia Hans TholstrupDatsun 160011644
C33Tony Basile MotorsAustralia Tony Basile
Australia Gary LeggattFiat 12511642
B41Dependable Motors Pty LtdAustralia Bruce Darke
Australia Bill FordDatsun 160011545
C27Scuderia VeloceAustralia Mike Kable
Australia Ron KearnsFiat 12511440
C35Young & Green Pty LtdAustralia Sib Petralia
Australia Jim SullivanHolden HK Kingswood 186S11443
D22C HodginsAustralia Clyde Hodgins
Australia Stan PomroyChrysler VE Valiant Auto11334
A56AMI Racing TeamAustralia Bruce Hindhaugh
Australia Bob MorrisToyota Corolla11349
D9Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAustralia Fred Gibson
Australia Barry SetonFord XT Falcon GT1138
A55AMI Racing TeamAustralia Barry Ferguson
Australia Brian SampsonToyota Corolla11347
B45WH Motors Pty LtdAustralia Don Smith
Australia Herb TaylorDatsun 160011233
B64MG Car Club NSWAustralia Matt Daddo
Australia Peter UlbrichDatsun 160011156
C66A OlsenAustralia Arthur Olsen
Australia Ray ScanlenMorris Cooper S11046
B47Austen & Butta Motors Pty LtdAustralia Joe Butta
Australia Bob GendersHillman Arrow10953
B48Tynan MotorsAustralia Trevor Mason
Australia Neil MasonMorris 1100S10954
A52Central Auto Sales & ServicesAustralia Lionel Ayers
Australia Max VolkersFord Cortina Mk.II 22010758
B43Kenthurst MotorsAustralia Carl Kennedy
Australia Jack MullinsDatsun 160010755
A58A JohnsAustralia David Frazer
Australia Allan JohnsHillman GT10757
A54P & R WilliamsAustralia Christine Gibson
Australia Midge WhitemanMorris Mini De Luxe9860
D7Ford Motor Company of AustraliaAustralia Spencer Martin
Australia Jim McKeownFord XT Falcon GT Auto957
C32W & N HowesAustralia Martin Chenery
Australia Ernie JohnsonFiat 1258839
C28Marque MotorsAustralia Lindsay Adcock
Australia Bill StanleyMorris Cooper S8126
A57AMI Racing TeamAustralia Brian Reed
Australia Dick ThurstonToyota Corolla7450
A60North Shore Sporting Car ClubAustralia Bob Drane
Australia Jim Laing-PeachToyota Corolla7452
C31Frank Croft Motors Pty LtdAustralia Gary Cooke
Australia Bob MuirFiat 1256929
D16M SavvaAustralia Mike Savva
Australia Bob WilkinsonFord XT Falcon GT6216
C39Vern PottsAustralia Rick Radford
Australia David SeldonMorris Cooper S37
C40Vern PottsAustralia Ron Heylen
Australia John SmailesMorris Cooper S8825
D11Wright Ford MotorsAustralia Bob Beasley
Australia Ray MorrisFord XT Falcon GT8714
B44Eiffeltower MotorsAustralia "Jack Eiffeltower"
Australia David O'KeefeHillman Gazelle5427
E4Citroen Cars (Citco) Pty LtdAustralia Bill Daly
Australia Glyn ScottCitroen DS21 Pallas41
D19I HaynesAustralia Ian Haynes
Australia Max StahlHolden HK Monaro GTS32719
A62Imp Spares & RepairsAustralia Mel Mollison
Australia Roger WithersHillman GT59
D14Lorack Motors (Granville) Pty LtdAustralia Des West
Australia Ron MarksHolden HK Monaro GTS3271302
E2Alec Mildren (Qld)Australia John French
Australia Frank GardnerAlfa Romeo 1750 GTV12
D23Holden Dealer Racing TeamAustralia Paul Hawkins
Australia Bill BrownHolden HK Monaro GTS3273
A51Datsun Racing TeamAustralia Bill Evans
Australia John ColwellDatsun 100011248
A53Datsun Racing TeamAustralia Dick Sorenson
Australia Bevan GibsonDatsun 100011251
D12Jubilee Motors Pty LtdAustralia Roy Griffiths
Australia Wayne RogersonFord XT Falcon GT
A59Bryan Thompson RacingAustralia Adrian Ryan
Australia Bryan ThompsonFord Cortina 220
D20Ken Waggott Speed EquipmentAustralia N Petrilli
Australia W SlatteryHolden HK Monaro GTS327

Note : Jack Nougher competed in car 44 under the name "Jack Eiffeltower" in this race.

Statistics

  • Pole Position – No.13 Bruce McPhee – 2:56.7
  • Fastest Lap – No.13 Bruce McPhee – 2:58 (lap record)
  • Average Speed – 119 km/h
  • Race time of winning car – 6:44:07

References

  • Bill Tuckey, Australia's Greatest Motor Race, 1981, pages 130–137

  • Racing Car News, November 1968, pages 24–32

References

  1. How they finished last year..., Official Programme, 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500, Mount Panorama, Sunday, October 5, page 27
  2. Class D (entry list), Official Programme, 1968 Hardie Ferodo 500, Mount Panorama, Sunday, October 6, page 35
  3. Adrian Ryan, Alfa's uncontested win, Racing Car News, November 1968, pages 30 to 32
  4. George Stefanoff, All conquering Corollas, Racing Car News, November 1968, pages 24 to 25
  5. Class A (entry list), Official Programme, 1968 Hardie Ferodo 500, Mount Panorama, Sunday, October 6, page 13
  6. Mk.IImages of the No 59 Ford Cortina in the "1968 Bathurst" section of the autopics.com.au DVD "The Great Race – 1960 to 1996 – 30,000 images" shows the car to be a Mark 1 rather than a Mark II
  7. Australian Muscle Car, Issue 17, January /February 2005, page 38
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