The first FIA World Championship race to be held in Australia.
The event was the final round of the World Endurance Championship for Drivers
An invitational class for “Australian Cars” was also included but the drivers were not eligible to score championship points.
Oh Oh, for the first time on here I can say, I was there and it was awesome. Just wish I was able to get to the second one as it had the best Sports Cars come to Australia, the XJR Jaguars.
Ian
[QUOTE=lisian_1275;8454]Oh Oh, for the first time on here I can say, I was there and it was awesome. Just wish I was able to get to the second one as it had the best Sports Cars come to Australia, the XJR Jaguars.]
Those booming Saubers were pretty schmicko as well Ian
Yes, this is true and they had a beautiful note.
Pity they never raced for as long as the others, and nothing has really come close for dominance as the Porsche's for long distance.
If you have sub woofers attached to your computer turn the sound right up!!
i think this is the meeting that pushed The Light Car club over the edge wiped them out financaly
Combination of this meeting , the 1988 meeting and the failure of the Vic Government getting behind the F1 track upgrade..
Ran as an Australian 'invite'
Hey that was cool Bry! Amazing to hear Dumfries wincing from the pressures put on his body from the ground effects. I'd only ever read about the extensions made to the Sandown track in order for it to qualify for this event. Didn't seem quite so mickey-mouse inside the ground-effects Porsche, but I reckon it'd be a pain in the arse in anything that didn't handle so well.
Too bad they focused so heavily on the front cars, would have been interesting to see more of the cars further down the grid, like the Monza, the JPS BMW etc. Just out of interest, what was the history of the two BMWs that raced in Aus sports sedans in the early 80s? There was the Grice Craven Mild car, then the Richards JPS car. I assume both were ex DRM? What has happened to them since?
Amazing to hear Dumfries grunting like that Steve..G forces must have been pretty intense
Found this info regarding BMWs on the National australian Sports Sedan Forum
1) Craven Mild 318i. LHD Floorpanned Turbo Built by Jim Busby to IMSA specs in the USA. Brought out here in early 1980 and made its debut in Rd3 of the Australian Sports Sedan Championship at Amaroo Park with Gricey at the wheel. Raced through 1980. Did not re appear until the 1982 Championship Rd6 with Jim Richards at the wheel under JPS colours. Car now had the boxed guards. This car then ended up being purchased by Molloy and raced by Chris Hones before being passed on to Robin Doherty and then I think on to Rob Burns. It was then sold onto the US. Car is now in Germany or England.
2) JPS 318i. RHD Space frame. Made its debut at Rd1 of the Better Brakes 3.5 series at Amaroo Park in 1981 with Gricey at the wheel under JPS colours. Raced throughout 1981 in the Championship before being sold to Bruce Lynton for 1982 season and then John Brigss for the 1983 season. It was then raced by Grant Munday and then to Richard Gartner. Richard put a rotary in it and raced it in the NSW state series with a black colour scheme. The car ended up in Thailand and apparently is now in New Zealand.
3) JPS IMSA 320i. LHD Floorpanned Jim Busby built car. Was used as show/spares car. Did not race until the WSC in 1984 with Richards at the wheel. Was a naturally aspirated 2L F2 engine. This was sold onto Molloy whith Chris Hones at the wheel before being raced by Ludwig Finnaur with a sky blue paint scheme as he got his CAMS license. It was then further raced by Chris Hones before being passed on to a Rob Shiel? The car in now in Germany or England?
How many laps did the Mercedes manage? It struggled in short sports sedan sprint races, trying to cover 1000km would have been optimistic! I assume it had the twin turbo motor fitted?Originally Posted by bry3500
"The car ended up in Thailand and apparently is now in New Zealand."
Anyone got any ideas of whereabouts?
Thompson car had problems in practice and was a DNS...drew a lot of interest from the overseas teams however!
Thanks Bry, I've copied and pasted this info in the 70s/80s modified saloons thread as well. Would be interesting to know what happened to these cars: http://www.theroaringseason.com/show...-Thread/page13
Richards and Longhurst finished in 14th place (1st in class)
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