We tend to think of Tom Walkinshaw as a team boss, rather than as a driver, but he was a very good racer as well and for Australian fans in particular his pole position lap at Bathurst in 1985 is one that has long been remembered. Watch out for the moment where he goes onto two wheels as he goes through the celebrated McPhillamy Park Corner. Take note of the trees beside the road.
Lord alone knows what TW would have thought of being called an Englishman…
joeblogsf1 
I saw that lap yesterday evening – it is a magical lap of what is / was a very tough circuit. Brilliant stuff
Joe,
That was back in the days when they allowed more than two manufacturers to compete. And, they used all the straight, rather than have the section called ” The Chase” like they have now to slow them down.
However, I see his lap time was 2min 18 sec. The cars now do 2 min 7 seconds or so in qualifying.
Cracking clip.
Thanks Joe.
Anyone who can hit the top of the mountain at that sort of speed deserves maximum respect, especially on two wheels! Having driven around Mount Panaroma, at the normal public road speed limit (60km/h) I can tell you it’s a scary section of road.
On a side how much better was Aussie touring car racing, when the cars were actually production cars, and included more makes that than just Ford and Holden.
Looked a real handful. Loved him having to lift a little on the straight to avoid buzzing the engine!
I can imagine him gritting his big, broad Scottish teeth on that lap.
Ha! I thought that too as soon as I heard the ‘Englishman’ bit!
Amazing – this lap is suddenly travelling all over the world, leaving everyone in awe…
Thanks Joe, absolutely cracking.
I envy you having seen the heyday of Group A all across europe, but at least I saw the UK races at the time. A classic racing man Walkinshaw – hyper competitive, going way beyond the boundaries of rules. The Group A Jags were one of the few things i can recall that weren’t found to be illegal in period!
A great lap of a great track Joe. And one of the memorable moments of Tom in Australia. Still love his 1988 HSV VL Commodore, I used to have it hanging on my bedroom wall as a kid.
Would an F1 car be capable of negotiating Mt Panorama?
Great video… If only modern touring cars weren’t so boringly over-gripped and underpowered. Remember getting him to sign my programme at a touring car race in the eighties when I was all of 8 years old.
What an amazing way to drive such a heavy vehicle!
Simply awesome
Great lap of a proper circuit
I for one was not that familiar with the man’s racing career, great to watch!
Never mind the proximity of the trees, how about the rock face barriers 6″ off the painted track lines?
The FIA track standards committee would definitely not approve!
Thanks Joe.
I could not believe the place when I went there in 1986. I was stunned. Sadly that same weekend the track claimed the life of Mike Burgmann…
The track is still there. Site of the annual 1000km Supercar race. Still one of the best tracks in the world. Won’t ever see it in F1 for obvious reasons but it would be magnificent to see on F1 car at full noise around there. The TV does not do it justice. It is so steep both up and down. A real drivers circuit
Brilliant. I’d forgotten what little run off area and protection there was around the circuit back then. The drivers really lean on the curbing now but in those days if you put a wheel off the track you quickly became part of the scenery… as Dick Johnson discovered!
One of those TWR Jags now sits in the motorsport museum beside the circuit in Bathurst.
Joe,
I went there in 1968 for first time, 1969 for Easter Meeting, 1969 for 500 mile Race, and 1970 for Easter Race. Bikes in 1988 ( Doohan) and went back this year for the 1,000 km race.
Next planned trip is 2050.
See you there Peter G! 😉
After competing there a couple of times, I can tell you that the video misses the best bit – the run from McPhillamy to Skyline, where all you can see is the track disappearing over the crest. Nor does video convey the steepness of the climb up from the Cutting to Reid Park.
Anyone who can take pole deserves our respect, and the people who do it for 1000kms and lead the field home deserve deserve respect and awe.
If for no other reason, for this we remember TW and mark his passing.
What a Scotsman…
What a Racer!
The “Englishman” comment was made by Allan Moffet, a celibrated racing driver in Oz in the ’70s. He should have got it right though, having spent his career being referred to as an American. He’s Canadian 🙂
Thanks for that Joe. Living in North America I had no idea of Tom’s exploits as a driver! Was always pulling for him as an owner though.
I loved the fact that a 2002 Arrows was used in the 2006 season and actually beat the 107% rule!
Mike P,
Yes, I recognised the dulcet tones of my pal Allan M, but I was being polite and not mentioning him by name! Perhaps you can enlighten me: why is it that the Australian population can take a Canadian to its heart and yet not appear to give a stuff about Mark Webber as he battles for the World Championship. In Abu Dhabi there were two Aussie journos, the rest of the crowd were doing something considered more important: reporting on the V8 Supercar race at Symonds Plains in the back and beyond of Tassie. Is it me, or is that just a hint parochial?
Joe, your comments about the Australian media would be replicated by the way Aussies are treated with coverage. I’ve not lived at home for 3 years and there’s now digital coverage which is great (if you can get it), but we’d always receive delayed coverage in Oz. With the races in Asia (Japan for instance) delayed sometimes 5 hours due to race time competing with news slots.
Having said that, considering the population size is it too different to the US and its support of Nascar vs F1?
But here’s to 2011 and two drivers to support. Mark and Ricciardo.
Perhaps the Australians weren’t aware of their fellow countryman because he spent too much time away from home in Europe. They can be forgiven for not noticing that Mark was fighting for a championship. After all his fight was only possible because his team mate lost three victories to unreliability while leading the race. Mark would have never led the championship if the reliability had been equally distributed this year at Red Bull.
Back to TW’s qualifying run in Bathurst. Great stuff and iron balls to drive such a dangerous circuit on the edge. I pull my cap to Tom. RIP
Joe, I have been following motor racing for 35 plus years, and the clip sure did bring back some memories. Thanks. Re Mark Webber … us Aussies were and are with him all the way. What an up and down year we had. I think he did himself and his fans proud. Cant wait for next year. Unfortunately V8 Supercars are Australian motor racings F1 and rule the roost here. Thank god you keep us up to date with the latest in F 1 through your blog and GP+. I always enjoyed your Globetrotter column and race reports in one of the local publications from years gone by. Maybe the local journos couldnt be bothered trying to compete with old pros like yourself.
@Werner Berger or if Vettel hadn’t taken Webber out in Turkey or he’d not had a brain fade at Spa he would have won it in August.
Woulda, coulda, shoulda. Be happy (and try gracious) that he got there.
I think with the Mark Webber thing, part of the problem is that with I guess a majority of Australians prior to Webber’s F1 career only knew him as the guy who will flipped the Mercedes at Le Mans (not his fault I know).
Additionally his results at the start of his career didn’t set the world on fire, and Aussies like their sporting heros to be the best from the get go (no one wants to back the underdog, only the winner). This was further reinforced by a constant jibbing of Webber by Australian radio duo Roy and HG, labelling Webber “The DNF Man”, “DNF Specialist” etc. The result is a lot of Australian people tend to write Webber off. I think it is unfortunate. To me Webber seems like a fairly down to earth, what you see is what you get, no bullshit sort of guy. I’m a fan.
Another problem is that a lot V8 fans don’t consider any other sort of racing to be real. Some of the more extremist ones would put the Tifosi to shame I imagine, which is sad considering the Tifosi are passionate about one of the most prestigious automotive marques of all time, where as the V8 extremists are passionate about the standard family car.
Now that’s what I call commitment! Awesome car/track/driver combo.
I’m a bit embarrassed to say it, but I think most Aussies expected Mark to lose. Kind of like the way we expected Greg Norman to choke. Playing our cards close to our chests. Actually, I reckon that Australians don’t really understand the significance of winning the world championship and therefore newspapers can’t be sold around it.
They grow’em fast and smart in Scotland. Walkinshaw, Stewart, Clark…I’m American but keep my Cameron tartan in the chest with the moth balls.
Tom had an interesting shop in Valparaiso, Indiana…
“Lord alone knows what TW would have thought of being called an Englishman…”
Indeed, and it would have taken a very drunk Aussie to call him that to his face!
Out of curiosity Joe, since you’ve been around a bit…
Do native born Monegasques and Luxembergers display similar resentment on being labelled “French”?
How about a Francophone Swiss mistaken for a Frenchman: Insulted, indifferent, or flattered?
Then there’s the Flems and Walloons tricky language choice.
I have a Norwegian pal, who I insisted to his face, was Swedish.
Surprisingly, he still talks to me.
PS. Rumour is the BBC and Brundle have finally had enough of “Gillingham” Legard and “Baldie” Jordan, and I can think of no better replacements than your chum, the excellent commentator James Allen (foolishly dropped during the ITV migration), with yourself as knowledgeable expert to backup Brundle and Allen.
Would you like the job, if we each lobby for you?
Colin,
I’d love the job… but I think they have a replacement already (and it is not JA)
God, that is awesome. Thank you.
Didn’t this guy basically keep the Jaguar name alive single handedly!
In a different culture, he would have been able to do a Kerkorian on the then wretched company, and got a God Calls Me God for foreign services. That lap is him telling us why.
That took balls!
PS The sound of that Jag V12 with a manual gearbox makes you wonder why Juguar didn’t make more of the XJS as a performance car.
Stories abound of the remarkable fuel mileage of the V12 Jag at Bathurst…. I believe it was achieved by having an inflated air bladder within the tank for scrutineering, during the race the bladder was deflated & hey presto plenty of fuel to allow race completion with only 4 (I think) pitstops.
Ah Tom, always thinking.
Colin,
funny how Frenchness is really quite unusually polarizing. Try calling a Luxembourger a German (In French!) or for that matter a Marseillaise a Monagascque! (Spelling, john!)
What was the character in Hitchiker’s, who because immortal, decided to insult every being who ever lived?
He’d have an easier time around here. Do it job lot!
I heard another one, of (i think) a Russian who translated Czech to English, via a Spanish dictionary, without primary knowlege. Well, something like that happens, a pal has a copy of this glorious monstrosity.
Then there are the people who care so much for Esperanto, they bring up their kids in the language. In case you think that’s a foregone failure, apparently this happened to George Soros. There’s a joke, too, why Hungary has an unusually high number of renowned scientists. Because their language is so darned complex.
Isn’t it a wonderful world!
Sorry, i cannot answer your question, though. Ca depend.
– john
For Colin,
I hope not too off topic,
i was thinking about bringing up kids in Esperanto, and remembered this:
http://xkcd.com/573/
I think it is not so unusual.
yours,
– john
Joe,
“Colin,
I’d love the job… but I think they have a replacement already (and it is not JA)”
Seriously, do a piece, on Sunday, after last practise.
Pretty please?
– john
Last I heard it was going to be Charlie Cox, who I understand has connections at the BBC. I hope not though.
Robbie,
I’m not sure that is right.
PS I hope they don’t get rid of EJ. Such a wonderful example of how not to be.
Not JA? That’s awful news. The BBC really slipped up by listening to those “stop James” hooligans. Long before Legard took over I said he’d be rubbish, and soon pack it in.
I’m certain Brundle wants James back, and look at the support JA’s blog has.
Who are they considering using instead?
Anyway Joe, that still leaves room for you to fill “Baldies” slot.
We want considered expert opinion, not re-cycled blarney.
C’mon folks, please politely lobby the BBC to ditch Eddie Jordan, and snap up Our Joe.
And give a plug for James Allen while you’re at it.
@John:
*Chortle* The classic multi-cultural punch-line is:
John Cleese in Hungarian Tourist idiom wearing black leather overcoat and Trilby, using his guide book to ask directions of a hapless Michael Palin:
“My nipples explode with delight.”
Joe,simply breathtaking and how that V12 sang a tune eh?
Thankyou for reminding us how Tom drove, a racer.
God bless him.
Colin,
Classic mate, nice one! Genuinely laughing here!
yours,
– john
Joe
It was a while ago. I’d be glad to be wrong. But please not JA. You cant go back.
Dear all
Interestingly, that was only Tom’s second visit to the great race.
The year before, he came over to co-drive an Xj-S (in groupC configuration) with owner, John Goss (who codrove the winning 1985 car with Armin Hahne. )The group C Goss car was a mongrel dog of a thing- Gossy was renowned for showing up with ill prepared cars, due to lack of funding. No mean steerer though- only man to have won the (f5000) Australian GP, and the Bathurst 1000. (twice) Tom brought a container load of parts with him, wacked them on the GroupC Jag (this included RAISING the ride height), and, put it on 10th in qualifying, as I recall, having had his seat belt buckle let go on his hot lap!!
They recorded a DNF, with 0 laps completed- from meory, it stalled on the grid, and got rear ended.
I grew nup in Bathurst, and, my dad worked in the car game.
The first time I saw 100mph in a car was on Conrod Straight (as a passenger in my cousins Chrysler Valiant Charger).
Interestingly, the track was built in about 1932, under a depression driven Government sponsored employment project, as a “tourist road” ascending the “Bald Hills” as it was then known. For some reason, the local town planner decided it needed one road going up, another going down.
When it was completed, (with dirt surface, and essentially in the same format as you see on the vid,) it was decided to have a car race on it (Who’d of thunk it??). From memory, the 1933 Australian GP.
The great race mograted to Mt Panorama from Phillip Island in 1963, and, has been there, in varying gusies, ever since.
Sad to say, the track is just as narrow now as it was in the 1985 clip. though it has been resurfaced several times.
Unfortunately, Conrod Straight was “gelded” with a chicane between the 1986 race and the 1987 WTTC version. Now, the cars just reach top speed, slightly over 300kmh, and have to take the right hander into “the chase”. back in the day, they maintained top speed to about where the Chase (the chicane) reenters ConRod (so called, because way back, it was not uncommon for an engine to “throw a leg out of bed” (Translated- put a conrod through the cylinder block) after too many minutes at max revs.
I think it relevent to point out a few things about Tom’s efforts here-
the track rises 180 metres from pit striaght to McPhillamy Park (about 100m before where Tom was two wheeling), most of that rise and fall happens in less than half a km, Conrod and Mountain Straights having mild gradients)
That’s a fair bit more elevation change than Spa.
On TV, it looks like a mild ascent and descent- believe me, it isn’t.
As one is about to start the descent from Skyline, the surface of the road sillhouettes the mountains about 30km away- you have no idea of what is going on in the esses, and you are totally relaint upon the flaggies and a bunch of warning lights. This is a ring puckering experience, trust me.
(of course, as a responsible driver, and. law abiding citizen, I never once exceeded the 60kmh speed limit on Mt Panorama 🙂
Tom arrived there, in 1985 with three Jags, a few container loads of spares, (Jag reportedly spent $1000000 of 1985 money on the campaign), and, precious little in the way of background data- the year before, as I’ve said, he completed zero race laps. That race was a combined group C/group A race (to help the knuckle scarper element of the touring car fans adjust to the threat of international rules). The group A contingent included two or three Mobil sponsored Rover Vitesse’s- I am not certain that these were campaigned by TWR, I think they were.
Either way, Tom only had personal experience with practice laps in the Groupc Jag in 1984, and then 1985, and, he put it on pole!!!
As to the race- well, back then, approx 60 cars started, and they ranged from the big bangers in the 5-6 litre class, to the under two litre class, with things like Toyota Corollas making up the numbers.
There are numerous blind corners on the circuit, the speed differentials were massive, and, many of the drivers were weekend warriors, with varying levels of skill, and funding, and, ability to use their mirrors.
The winning Jag of Goss/Hahne lapped the place 163 times, Tom, partnered by that wondeful man, Win Percy, finished 3rd, with 160 laps under the belt,. From my own memory, the backmarkers started getting lapped by about lap 3 of the race. And, as the day went on, they were scattered all along the track.
So, he spent most of the race passing the “tiddlers”. With speed differentials of about 80kmh
If felow contributors are ever in Australia, do youreself a favour- take a drive around Mt Panorama. It is the ONLY way you can truly appreciate Tom’s pole.
Be warned, it is a public road, and, bi directional!! The last time I drove around it, I encountered two 4wds, towing caravans, climbing the esses in the opposite direction. Tourist buses also do this. As do the cops- it’s a great revenue grab. The top of the circuit is bloody dangerous, if you apply the wellington between Reid Park and McPhillamy park, you have no choice but to put the car into the uncoming lane, and, the gum trees ensure that you are unable to see the tourist buses, grey nomads and other fools who drive “wrong way”
The motor racing museum at the bottom of the circuit is also worth a look.
ON Allan Moffat (the Canadian commentator)- he won four Bathursts, ’70, ’71. ’73, ’77. In ’71, his pole, in a falcon GTHO Phase III, slashd 13 seconds off the previosu (race) lap record. He was the first man to win the race solo (the 500 miler, in ’70). One of Australia’s greatest tin top drivers.
From meory, he also won a Fuji 500 in an RS Capri, (can’t recall who he co drove with- maybe Jochen Mass, or Dieter Glemser).
His son, James, races a Falcon in the Fujitsu series, the second string category to v8 Supercars, and, is rumoured to enter the main game, with Ford, just like his dad, next year.
Joe- I find it amazing that you found two Aussie Journos at a GP. There is really only 1 Motorsport Writer in australia, who can lay claim to being a journalist, Mark Fogarty. He’s the only one who has the balls to ask the difficult questions, and, write things which may piss the powers that be off. The rest are just a bunch of Dorothy Dixes, glove puckets to the teams, and V8 supercars admin PR flacks.
The average Australian V8 fan is a knuckle scraping, parochial, xenophobic, anti intellectual moron with barely two functioning neurones.
Webber recieved financial support from “Yellow Pages”, a phone book, when he left Australia. Sum total. It is a bloody disgrace, but, typical of the insular nature of Australia. The only wayAustralians, seem to be able to relate to the rest of the planet is in the context of whether it (a) knows about us (b) can diffreentiate us from Austria.
Alan Jones, Tim Schenken, Dave Walker received even less support than Mark Webber.
If this gives you a better picture- the top of Mt Panorama has it’s very own Police Station. Admittedly, this was initiated because of riots at the Easter bike races (and, also, a body being found, buried in garbage aftger an Easter meeting). however, the Easter bike races are long gone, the Police Station remains, to deal with the drunken morons who camp on top of the Mountain every October.
Cheers
Markr
Mark Ryan
” The average Australian V8 fan is a knuckle scraping, parochial, xenophobic, anti intellectual moron with barely two functioning neurones ”
Beautifully put 🙂