Photos: The Geoff Russell Collection

[GFR]

John Tuxford kindly invited me to spend some time with his small team supporting his Bowin P4A. I can't recall which specific chassis number this was, but the car was sold in March 1977 and John retired from racing to pursue his studies. The grid photos are from Oran Park 6th February 1977, also visible is Richard Carter in the Birrana and Lyndon Arnel in the Lola. The other images were taken in March 1977 when John demonstrated and sold the car. I can't recall the buyer's name but would love to know if his car is still around.

[Howard Wood]

[QUOTE=GFR;30115]These black and white images were taken on the day that Renault brought a Le Mans car to Amaroo Park and paraded it around on the back of a little truck - I am unsure of the date but it must have been post-June 1977 as they were "celebrating" their Le Mans win.]

Maybe post June 1978 when Renault Alpines won Le Mans. All the ELF Alpines retired in ignominy with engine failure in 1977 (at about the same time and for the same reason as the year before), I doubt Renault would have been celebrating that.

[bry3500]

[QUOTE=Howard Wood;30118]

These black and white images were taken on the day that Renault brought a Le Mans car to Amaroo Park and paraded it around on the back of a little truck - I am unsure of the date but it must have been post-June 1977 as they were "celebrating" their Le Mans win.]

Maybe post June 1978 when Renault Alpines won Le Mans. All the ELF Alpines retired in ignominy with engine failure in 1977 (at about the same time and for the same reason as the year before), I doubt Renault would have been celebrating that.

1978 for sure http://www.autopics.com.au/item.mibiznez?id=10218

[GFR]

Maybe post June 1978 when Renault Alpines won Le Mans. All the ELF Alpines retired in ignominy with engine failure in 1977 (at about the same time and for the same reason as the year before), I doubt Renault would have been celebrating that.

Thanks Howard, that makes good sense. I remember thinking at the time that it would have been nice if they had actually driven the car around the circuit under its own power - and I found the photos:

[Marty]

" Check out the pit boards in the third image - classic."



Hanging out the pitboard at Amaroo was an unreal experience, especially with touring cars you had to hold it up over the roof, the further towards the start of the straight the worse it was as on a good lap they would graze the wall.

[GFR]

Another Amaroo Park photo from 1977, this time I recall it is Cam Worner in his Ford Capri leading the rest of the field into the sharp right hander with a dose of concrete wall close by to keep everyone honest.

[GFR]

Another Ford Capri, Amaroo Park 1978, this one was owned and driven by Bob McTavish.

[GFR]

Another 1978 incident at Amaroo Park, minor in nature at least, with the Gall/Bryant Mazda RX3 facing the traffic and being passed by the Morris-driven Ford Escort Mk 2.

[GFR]

A 1978 photo of Peter Williamson in his Toyota Celica at Amaroo Park. The panel damage on this car, although minor, is very noticeable.

[GFR]

Here is a neat group at the same 1978 Amaroo Park meeting, with Peter Williamson in the Celica, Alan Cant's Ford Capri, John(?) Duggan's Mazda RX3 and Barry Seton in his Ford Capri.

[Steve Holmes]

These are fantastic photos Geoff, keep them coming.

[GFR]

Another Amaroo Park Formula Ford image from April 1977, this one I had labeled as Grant Walker but I am unsure of the chassis type.

[GFR]

Following on from post #57 by Bondy, this photo confirms that car 33 is Richard Steigler who happens to be having a few issues that would lead to retirement from the race.



And it just got worse each lap...

[GFR]

A couple of touring car images from 1977, first John Goss in his Falcon...



And Murray Carter in his Falcon...

[GFR]

Here is another 1977 Amaroo Park racing incident with Ray Kaleda in his Torana dropping a load of oil and spinning in it himself, and Warren Cullen already coming unstuck on the same oil trail in the background...



In the second image, you can clearly see the trail of oil dropped from Kaleda's Torana which has come to a rest racing the traffic while Cullen is having a big spin into the corner...

[GFR]

Following on from Post #27, these are the images I captured of the Wolf F1 cars that were running at Oran Park in 1979. Geoff Lees was in car 32, and David Kennedy in car 6.



In the background, Colin Trengrove in his Lola T332 is coming into view at the end of the Oran Park main straight.

[GFR]

Continuing with the Wolf F1 cars...

[GFR]

The day I pushed a Formula 1 Wolf to my absolute limit (obviously not behind the wheel though!). Lees hit the wall right under my feet and then wanted a push back off the wall followed by a push start. Being mid-week and no-one around I jumped down and helped but that Wolf was a heck of a difficult thing to move, especially as he kept dumping the clutch trying to start it. Luckily another fellow pitched in and we got Lees going again even though we only got to walking pace on the uphill grade. My good mate Mitch Holland captured the moment and gave me this image recently. Posted with his permission (and no, not my Escort parked there).

[GFR]

Also cross-posted on the Corvette thread, a couple of images of Warwick Henderson's Corvette at Amaroo Park in the late 70s.

[Steve Holmes]

Really loving these pics Geoff, keep 'em coming. Out of interest, the Henderson Corvette pictured, is this the same car fitted with the impressive looking Greenwood style bodywork in the early '80s?