Touring Car Legends added to SuperGP
V8 Supercars Australia Executive Chairman, Tony Cochrane, said the inclusion of the Australian Legends category at the SuperGP this week was a fitting way to celebrate the history of Australian touring car racing and Australian motorsport in general.
It was announced on Sunday that some of the greatest names in Australian motorsport and their cars would hit the track this week at Surfers Paradise following the demise of the A1GP season opener.
In just a day, some of Australia's motorsport greats and the owners of some of Australia's most prized motoring possessions have agreed to come together to mark the next phase of one of the world's most spectacular motorsport festivals.
"The Gold Coast event is a tremendous part of our series and we are ready to continue as its headline act and take the region to the world through our own enormous television audience," said Cochrane. "The Gold Coast event has enormous history of its own and to add the Australian Legends category - which involves many V8 Supercar Hall of Fame members and their cars - is really an added bonus for young and old fans alike.
"I honestly can't believe that Minister Reeves has managed to pull this together at such sort notice and ensure the program is full and varied for the fans who all want Australia's biggest party to continue for many years to come."
Some of the great names will include Dick Johnson, Kevin Bartlett, Jim Richards, Glenn Seton, Colin Bond and Bob Morris.
They will be driving a host of former championship and Bathurst-winning cars including Allan Moffat's famous Coca-Cola Mustang, Norm Beechey's Monaro, Ian "Pete" Geoghegan's Super Falcon, Bartlett's famous Channel 9 Camaro, Peter Brock's A9X Torana, Richard's JPS 635 BMW and Johnson's Tru Blue Falcon XD - all valued well in excess of $1 million each.
Johnson and Richards will be joined by their sons Steve and Steven, who will also be competing in the four 150km V8 Supercar events on the streets of the Gold Coast and fellow second generation racers James Moffat and James Brock - they will get the chance to have a drive of a couple of the cars that made their dads household names in Australia.
On top of the new Muscle Car line-up, the event will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first of Sir Jack Brabham's three Formula 1 world titles.
Brabham, his Le Mans-winning son Geoff and talented grandson Matthew, who are the number 1-2-3 ticket holders for the event, will join the group of legend drivers on a special Saturday and Sunday afternoon parade laps.
A couple of Sir Jack's open-wheel racers will cut a few laps and Matthews will be involved in a special re-enactment of his grandfathers inaugural 1959 championship victory in which he pushed his car over the line at Sebring in Florida to clinch the title.
The group of legendary touring cars and drivers will be on constant display in a free public pit area and there will be at least two autograph sessions during the weekend.
The entire group will share stories and swap tales during the gala ball at Conrad Jupiters on Friday night.
"We need to put the A1GP situation behind us, re-group and put on the best show possible for the fans and television viewers," said Minister Reeves. "In a very short period of time we have managed to secure some of the greatest names and cars in Australian motorsport history to compete on the streets of the Gold Coast next weekend.
"With some of these legendary cars and the magical V8 Supercars we have an amazing celebration of Australian motorsport. To have names like Johnson, Bartlett, Seton and Bond sitting in pit lane beside modern day heroes like Whincup, Tander, Lowndes and Ingall is going to fantastic and more than a suitable replacement for the former category.
"When you add the tribute to Sir Jack and involvement of the Brabham family you have something pretty special."
Queensland motorsport legend Dick Johnson and co-owner of V8 Supercar team Jim Beam Racing, said the "party must go on" and he could not think of a better way to add to his "home" event.
Johnson and his V8 Supercar driving son, Steve, have also been named joint grand marshals as part of the announcement.
"It is un-Australian to sit back and bitch and moan, we need to get on with it," said Johnson.
"I think the Minister and his group needs to be congratulated for acting so fast to pull this fantastic group together after A1GP left the event in a very difficult situation.
"So many fans will have only seen pictures of some of these cars. For them to be able to see them in action and get up close to them will be something special and I cannot wait to get out there and have a blast around."
