Brock plans Goodwood return

Peter Brock will return to circuit racing in September in a Holden, in England!

The Bathurst legend will take to the track at Goodwood as part of the world famous Revival. The meeting which recalls bygone eras of racing and attracts a huge crowd bedecked in post-war period dress, also boasts some of the best historic racing on the world calendar (for more information click here).

Brock will campaign a specially-built racing version of Holden’s first car, the 48-215 (known as the FX)

Brock wowed the Goodwood Festival of Speed crowd by driving his 1984 Bathurst-winning V8 Commodore touring car up the hillclimb course at Goodwood House last July. In September’s Revival meeting he will race against a field of historic tourers including Jaguars, Chevrolets and other world marques.

Brock’s FX is being prepared by a group of Holden enthusiasts led by Kilsyth (Vic) panel beater, Phil Munday. Munday has one of Australia’s biggest collections of early Holdens, including about thirty 48-215s and FJs, ranging from near-mint condition collectibles to old wrecks used for parts.

The idea for the Goodwood project came about when Munday was working with Brock in the lead up to this year’s Targa Tasmania. After Brock mentioned how much he had enjoyed last year’s Goodwood, Munday offered him one of his historic Holdens to drive at the Revival.

The pair then proceeded to put together a consortium of Holden experts to help prepare the car. These include engine builder Ian Tate, who worked for the famous Holden Dealer Team with Harry Firth and Brock in the 1970s.

Brock said that Goodwood organisers originally wanted him to bring over his famous Holden-powered Austin A30. “But I convinced them an early model Holden would be more appropriate,” he said.

“Being light cars with six cylinder motors, the ‘humpys’ formed the backbone of Australian racing in the ‘50s and ‘60s. To re-invent an FX racer has been a substantial task as the English regulations are so comprehensive. For this exercise, Phil has resurrected a 1953 model, body number 87,336.”

The car is being prepared along the same lines as racers driven in the 1950s by some of the legends of Australian motorsport, including Firth, Pete Geoghegan, Norm Beechey and Bob Jane. The only concessions to modern technology are safety items such as a mandatory fuel tank bladder and front disc brakes.

The restored Holden is thought to be only the second 48-215 to compete outside Australasia, the first being campaigned in the Monte Carlo Rally more than five decades ago by Lex Davison and Tony Gaze.