Bathurst 1000 - The Superstar '70s

The 1970s was a pivotal decade for 'Bathurst' -- dominated by two giants of touring car racing. Between them, Allan Moffat and Peter Brock won eight of 10 Bathurst 500/1000s between 1970-79. Even if they had never gone on to greater achievements, they will always be remembered for making The Mountain their playground.

SUPERSTAR 70s
At the end of the 1960s it was clear that only a V8-powered car could win Bathurst outright and while the class structure would remain in place 1994, most eyes were fixed on which car would greet the chequered flag first. And in the 1970s that meant a big banger.

The ante had been upped by Ford in 1967 with its XR Falcon GT, then by Holden with its Monaro GTS350, but in 1970 no one had an answer for the 351ci Falcon XW GTHO Phase II and Allan Moffat. And the tenacious Ford driver did the race solo, eschewing a co-driver in the interests of consistency, confirming him in the process as Ford’s star.

Bruce McPhee (also racing solo) made it a Ford one-two in the other works GTHO.

Holden changed tack for 1970 pinning its hopes on a smaller car with a big engine – the six-cylinder Torana GTR XU-1 – believing its better fuel economy and lighter weight would be match for the powerful but heavy Phase IIs. Don Holland finished third in his Torana, while the more fancied Holden Dealer Team cars of Brock/Bob Morris and Colin Bond  struggled with engine problems. Chrysler also entered the fray with its sleek new Charger coupe. It was a sign of things to come but not in 1970. Or in 1971.

Moffat scored his second solo Bathurst 500 win in 1971 in the devastating XY GTHO Phase III, more than a lap ahead of the privateer Phase IIIs of Phil Barnes/Bob Skelton and David McKay. Crucially, though, HDT was back with Bond fourth in an LC Torana GTR XU-1. Peter Brock was eighth -- like Bond, a lap adrift.

After media scaremongering killed off the XA Phase IV GTHO, Ford stayed with its Phase IIIs for ’72. But this would finally be the year of the Torana and Brock. With a little help from the weather gods…

The ’72 race was the first to be largely run in the rain and that played right into Brock’s hands -- his agile LJ Torana GTR XU-1 able to use all its power. There ensued an enthralling battle with Moffat, who spun in the wet and lost two minutes for refueling infringements. Brock went on to win and Moffat finished ninth…

For 1973, the race became the Hardie-Ferodo 1000 and new Groups C regs allowed more mechanical modifications. Moffat was back in anger, winning his third Bathurst with Ian Geoghegan in a Ford XA Falcon GT Hardtop. But LJ Torana XU-1s filled the next four positions with Brock/Doug Chivas in second and Bond/Leo Geoghegan third.

Moffat had some luck this time. Brock should have won his second 1000 but his Torana ran out of fuel and co-driver Chivas had to push it up pit lane to the HDT pits. It was agonising to watch and caused heartbreak for HDT. A bloke called Dick Johnson, sharing with Bob Forbes, was fifth in an XU-1.

Rain again marred the race in 1974 and it took almost eight hours to complete the 1000 kilometres! Emerging victorious from the gloom was the Falcon XA GT of John Goss/Kevin Bartlett, with the only other car on the lead lap, the Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 of Forbes/Wayne Negus, second.

A Kiwi called Jim Richards in another SL/R 5000 (with compatriot Rod Coppins) was third, five laps behind. Brock and Moffat both DNF’d.

Brock left HDT at the end of ’74 and, proving he didn’t need the factory team, won his second 1000 (with Brian Sampson) in 1975 in a privately-entered LH Torana SL/R 5000. It was a Torana whitewash that year with Holdens filling the top four positions and a Mazda RX-3 fifth!

In a disaster for Ford, all its big name drivers in XB Falcon Hardtops failed to finish. Ford had withdrawn factory support in ’74.

The 1976 race produced yet another dramatic finish when the ailing LH Torana SL/R 5000 of Bob Morris and Englishman John Fitzpatrick began to smoke and slow in the closing laps. Its engine lasted long enough to beat the rapidly-closing HDT Torana of Bond/John Harvey, with Brock and brother Phil third in a Team Brock Torana, three laps back.

For 1977, Moffat enlisted international star power in the form of diminutive Belgian F1 and sportscar ace, Jackie Ickx. Brock scored pole in his LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback, but at the flad could only convert that to fourth -- a lap behind Moffat who won his fourth 1000 in his thundering XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop.

In a form finish that remained controversial for years – as Moffat’s car was ailing at the end – the sister Moffat Ford Dealers Falcon of Bond/Alan Hamilton was second. Peter ‘The Captain’ Janson and another name to remember, Larry Perkins, were third in a Torana.

Brock kissed and made up with the Dealer Team for 1978 and won his third 1000 by a lap in an A9X Hatchback, this time paired with Jim Richards. The pair would become one of Bathurst’s most successful combinations.

Brock also scored pole in the newly-introduced top-10 shootout. Another future winner, Allan Grice was second (with John Leffler) in an A9X, while eternal privateer Murray Carter/Graeme Lawrence took third, the best result for Ford. Moffat/Ickx lasted only 81 laps but Dick Johnson was fifth.

Arguably, the greatest great race took place in 1979, with Brock/Richards thrashing the field by six laps in their LX Torana SS A9X. Brock won the shootout and led from the start and the 05 Torana was never headed.

Toranas filled the first eight places and in another dismal showing for Ford, the best-placed Falcon was 14th. Moffat, Goss, Bond, Johnson and Carter all failed to finish.

The ‘80s would be better for one Ford driver but there was more Brock-induced pain to come.

Read more about Bathurst 50 years - The Sixties

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