Jump to content


Photo

Pete Geoghegan


  • Please log in to reply
265 replies to this topic

#51 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 09 September 2012 - 03:02

18 stone...? In his dreams. He was almost 22 stone, which makes it even more amazing

as you said amazing ,often he would be 140ibs heavier then say Moffat,Goss or most others,thats like giving Phar lap 16 stone every time he went out.

Advertisement

#52 275 GTB-4

275 GTB-4
  • Member

  • 8,274 posts
  • Joined: February 03

Posted 09 September 2012 - 04:22

Leo Geoghegan's Valiant Charger in the Birdwood Museum (2010)

1971 Bathurst 2nd place in class, later crashed at Philip Island, body #27 (1 of 4 1971 Chrysler racers)


Ed, there are four other threads devoted to Leo....can I respectfully suggest that you move these pics to one of those threads?? This one is about Ian (Pete). Regards, Mick

#53 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 09 September 2012 - 04:39

What ended his racing career around about 1977?
money/sponors/weight as was still under 40 years old.
Please note I'm not asking about his latter life.

#54 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 09 September 2012 - 21:26

Didn't he have a run at Bathurst in 1980 or so?

I'm thinking (no mags or books here to check...) he co-drove with Paul Gulson in a Commodore.

#55 Dale Harvey

Dale Harvey
  • Member

  • 418 posts
  • Joined: January 04

Posted 09 September 2012 - 21:43

Didn't he have a run at Bathurst in 1980 or so?

I'm thinking (no mags or books here to check...) he co-drove with Paul Gulson in a Commodore.


Yes, that was 1980.

Dale.

#56 Ian G

Ian G
  • Member

  • 1,395 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 10 September 2012 - 00:25

Yeah 1980,without opening a can of worms in a tribute thread there was a fair bit of publicity about him in the Holden.

http://www.uniquecar...thurst_1980.htm

#57 Hank the Deuce

Hank the Deuce
  • Member

  • 286 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 10 September 2012 - 00:47

Didn't he have a run at Bathurst in 1980 or so?

I'm thinking (no mags or books here to check...) he co-drove with Paul Gulson in a Commodore.

Took a VB Commodore to 3rd outright IIRC... the story was that the car was up for sale, and they didn't want to plaster too much signwriting over it, they started 13th or somesuch, just circulated around, everybody fell over and they were on the podium, and missed a hit at the conditional prizemoney.

That car was sold to Bruce Smith, I think, and ran a couple more Bathursts; its last one as a VH for Bruce Smith/ Hoss Waswo - I think Kevin Heffernan owns the car now, still in 1984 trim/livery.

Pete was entered in an XD in 1981 - the Army Reserve car - with Bob Muir, but I don't know that it lasted long enough for Pete to get in, as had happened in 1978, when he was paired with Garry Rogers in the Bob Jane A9X.


Edited by Hank the Deuce, 10 September 2012 - 00:52.


#58 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 10 September 2012 - 02:53

I well remember the Bathurst runs in '78,80 and the Muir Falcon,was just wanting to know what happened after the Super Falcon and the O'neill Porsche in '76.
I was thinking,that new class for the ATCC to group C,O'neill had lost interest and that the business was no longer producing the income to race.

#59 Chris Frizell

Chris Frizell
  • Member

  • 37 posts
  • Joined: March 09

Posted 10 September 2012 - 04:12

I had the pleasure of seeing Pete and the 67 Mustang in anger at Mallala when I was a kid...I remember going into the pits which were in the centre of the track then...and generally trying to not get in the way while the various teams worked on their cars. At the time I saw the Stang it had the big fat Minilites on it and the flared guards...and a big Ford sticker on the rear quarter panel that stuck in my mind for some reason...

I remember one year when Beechey had a monumental blow up in the Blue Monaro, Sat practice?, someone on here would be able to confirm that...but they changed the motor in an old concrete hangar near the end of pit straight...it seemed to me under some veil of secrecy, but I was only a kid...I also remember Moffat's Mustang fondly, and wondered how they managed to get the front of it so low compared to anything else I had ever seen...I know now, but it made an impression on me then..

And the meet when someone in a Series production GT HO went for a blat into Mallala township with open pipes which left an impression on me, who was sitting in my brothers LC XU1 on the narrow road just before the entrance to the circuit.

Memories of Beechey's yellow Monaro, and watching them warm up the engine in the pits..the smell of racing fuel, oil, and wet grass comes to mind...it had some kind of cross over fuel injection on it?...black trumpets...mesmerised by the fuel vapour from the nozzles floating above the inlets...I wish I could replay all the memories and put em on a tape...

Years later at Mallala, I was walking round the pits..on the outside of the track now...and I saw this bloke looking at me, he looked official...probably thought he was gonna chuck me out of the pits as I shouldn't have been there....:)..but I wanted to go over and talk to him...it was Pete...but I was too bloody scared to say gidday, he was my hero after all..couldn't think what he was doing there then, it was maybe 10 or 15 years ago?..was he still involved in racing then?

Fast forward to the Clipsal a number of years back...Touring Car Legends or something was a support demo race...a lot of the old boys were there, it must have been the year before Pete died..the Bowden's brought his 65 Mustang down for him to drive, with a number of the other legends...Pete took it easy, had one of the Bowden's with him in the car, but it was a big thrill to see him in that famous car again after so many years...well over 30 years I reckon..

Later on, in the big marquee, there they all were..Pete, Norm, Moffatt, Leo, Alan Hamilton, Bobby Morris, Kevin Bartlett, Bondy, Jim McKeown..and more...and I just happened to have a copy of my 30 fabulous years of the ATCC book with me...they all signed the inside of the front of the book for me, except for Pete, I asked him to sign the brilliant picture of him in the Stang at Warwick Farm on page 108...flat chat sideways, front right wheel at a stupid angle...doing what he did best. To this day, still in my mind the possessor of the most amazing driving talent of anyone I have ever seen..glad I saw him in action, sorry I didn't go and talk to him at Mallala, happy he signed my book, and proud that I witnessed some of the races in the best tin top chapter of our Motor Racing History...



Advertisement

#60 Ian G

Ian G
  • Member

  • 1,395 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 10 September 2012 - 04:31

Good one Chris,similar to the memories i have but from a Sydney perspective,i was always too scared to say hello to these stars,great era in Oz. Motorsport.

#61 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 10 September 2012 - 04:41

Yep best times both drivers and cars,i was always a fan of the Mustangs,have a real soft spot for Janes ex '68 Trans/am car when painted his company orange colours.
When i was building up a '67 car for Group NC,at the same time the resto was being done on the ex Neil Allen Shelby car ,I should have bought it and raced that and scrapped the car i built and raced.

#62 redgts

redgts
  • Member

  • 34 posts
  • Joined: June 10

Posted 10 September 2012 - 12:49

I am not sure if that is the real one. Some conjecture as to wether it is a replica. The later one that Leo raced [Grace Bros]as a GpC car was wrecked here in adelaide a long time ago. And it was very sad then.
Most of those cars then ended up back on the road, worth more a a roady than anything else,,, Then!




The blue car had rolled onto it's roof and written off at Amaroo after hitting the bank at Torana corner,the Grace Bros car was originally orange and was Pete"s car and was only driven by him,he would race it and the fFalcon usually at
the same meeting.


#63 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 10 September 2012 - 23:16

Yeah 1980,without opening a can of worms in a tribute thread there was a fair bit of publicity about him in the Holden.

http://www.uniquecar...thurst_1980.htm

Those results would never happen these days. Brock a lap in front of the Captain and Larry, and 4 laps in front of Pete and Paul. The pacecars would come out every 15 laps to close it up!

#64 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 11 September 2012 - 02:09

Those results would never happen these days. Brock a lap in front of the Captain and Larry, and 4 laps in front of Pete and Paul. The pacecars would come out every 15 laps to close it up!

Yep Pete would have finished 10 seconds behind in todays world.

#65 fredeuce

fredeuce
  • Member

  • 407 posts
  • Joined: May 07

Posted 11 September 2012 - 03:16

A great shot of Pete from the SCC of SA Archives. Possibly AIR.





Posted Image

Uploaded with ImageShack.us


This is quite possibly Pete approaching the braking area for the northern hairpin at Mallala. There was a stand on the back straight in that area and alway full at the big meets. The slightly nose down attitude of the car suggests he has backed off or starting to brake. The edge of the track was like that and there were some scruffy small bushes on the infield as appears in the pic. Perhaps '70 or '71.


#66 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 11 September 2012 - 04:33

He's definitely braking...

If there was a stand at Mallala, that would be the location I'm sure.

#67 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 11 September 2012 - 11:05

My only visit to Mallala before it closed was a ATCC round and i cannot remeber the stand and we were in the vicinity of the Northern hairpin. I do remember wall to wall FJs bouncing off of each other under brakes into it, Beecheys Monaro not running right way over the limit there too under brakes.
I must have been too busy watching the cars!!

#68 Falcadore

Falcadore
  • Member

  • 1,637 posts
  • Joined: April 99

Posted 12 September 2012 - 01:29

Those results would never happen these days. Brock a lap in front of the Captain and Larry, and 4 laps in front of Pete and Paul. The pacecars would come out every 15 laps to close it up!


That's a bit tongue in cheek isn't it when these days an entire grid (apart from visiting Canadian open-wheel drivers) can qualify inside the gap between first and second on the grid in some years past. It isn't just safety cars. But the trash talk is easy and fun :)

#69 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 12 September 2012 - 03:20

That's a bit tongue in cheek isn't it when these days an entire grid (apart from visiting Canadian open-wheel drivers) can qualify inside the gap between first and second on the grid in some years past. It isn't just safety cars. But the trash talk is easy and fun :)

Lets get real, Bathurst has about 6 0r 7 seconds over the whole half a field,, only 32 cars, maybe. While reliability is better now the fact that the pacecar comes out with less than 30min to go every year, and normally often before means that Brocks huge wins will never happen again.
The same as Nascar, coast along in the top 10, keep out of trouble and do good stops and you can win. or even like Larry 20 years ago now be a lap down on lap 2 and still win BECAUSE of the pacecars. Still a top effort ofcourse to come back,, but not impossible.
Thye Pacecar does often feature in the Top10 results

#70 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 12 September 2012 - 04:28

Originally posted by Falcadore
That's a bit tongue in cheek isn't it when these days an entire grid (apart from visiting Canadian open-wheel drivers) can qualify inside the gap between first and second on the grid in some years past. It isn't just safety cars. But the trash talk is easy and fun


Yeah, Lee likes to bag a lot of stuff...

But it's a surprise he didn't pull you up here. The gap between first and third on the grid that year was under nine tenths!

When do you want your F5000 book, by the way?

#71 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 12 September 2012 - 04:30

Originally posted by Falcadore
That's a bit tongue in cheek isn't it when these days an entire grid (apart from visiting Canadian open-wheel drivers) can qualify inside the gap between first and second on the grid in some years past. It isn't just safety cars. But the trash talk is easy and fun


Yeah, Lee likes to bag a lot of stuff...

But it's a surprise he didn't pull you up here. The gap between first and third on the grid that year was under nine tenths!

When do you want your F5000 book, by the way?

#72 racer69

racer69
  • Member

  • 225 posts
  • Joined: November 01

Posted 14 September 2012 - 12:10

I grew up worshipping Dick Johnson and his red Sierra's as a kid, but i have little doubt had i been born 20 years earlier my hero would have been Ian Geoghegan

Has a book ever been written on the brothers?

#73 Hank the Deuce

Hank the Deuce
  • Member

  • 286 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 14 September 2012 - 21:53

I grew up worshipping Dick Johnson and his red Sierra's as a kid, but i have little doubt had i been born 20 years earlier my hero would have been Ian Geoghegan

Has a book ever been written on the brothers?

The most I've ever seen written on either of them in one place was probably in a series of notable driver profiles that Bill Tuckey wrote for Wheels in the late 80's; in amongst articles on Glenn Seton and Allan Grice was a great piece on Ian. Bill was always lyrical in his admiration of Haberfield Fats, and for me, the big fella's legend and legacy was as much built on Bill's accounts of his feats as anything else.

That said, it's a rare driver that inspires that level of prose... and rarer now than then, sadly

#74 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 14 September 2012 - 22:18

Does anyone remember the day he drove the Lola sports car, the little 1220cc ex-McKay/Martin/Demuth car?

That was one time he didn't exceed the best performance of a previous driver, but he still drove it hard!

#75 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 15 September 2012 - 00:21

Does anyone remember the day he drove the Lola sports car, the little 1220cc ex-McKay/Martin/Demuth car?

That was one time he didn't exceed the best performance of a previous driver, but he still drove it hard!

Ray,there is a photo floating around of that ?
How good was he in the Porsche 935...........at the island.

#76 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 15 September 2012 - 13:57

I have seen photos, I think there was one in RCN in fact...

Check the Autopics site.

#77 Chris Frizell

Chris Frizell
  • Member

  • 37 posts
  • Joined: March 09

Posted 15 September 2012 - 22:55

I have often wondered what would have been the result if Pete had gotten hold of Moffat's Trans Am....if the tables of history had of been turned so to speak.

I know there was a few years more development in Moffat's car, and the Trans Am was a real weapon, but Pete was naturally gifted, while Moffat had to work on it all the time. Having said that, they both won lots of races in their respective cars, not sure of the stats but surely between the two of them they took the lions share of the races they entered.

Interesting to ponder if the drivers had been swapped around through some quirk of fate, would Moffat had have the same success in the white car?..given Pete's ability to drive around any issues..

#78 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 15 September 2012 - 23:58

I have often wondered what would have been the result if Pete had gotten hold of Moffat's Trans Am....if the tables of history had of been turned so to speak.

I know there was a few years more development in Moffat's car, and the Trans Am was a real weapon, but Pete was naturally gifted, while Moffat had to work on it all the time. Having said that, they both won lots of races in their respective cars, not sure of the stats but surely between the two of them they took the lions share of the races they entered.

Interesting to ponder if the drivers had been swapped around through some quirk of fate, would Moffat had have the same success in the white car?..given Pete's ability to drive around any issues..

I have seen a bit of footage from those days with Pete in the Falcon and Alan in the Boss. And series production stuff too.
Undoubtedly Pete would be marginally faster, and quicker in a 5 or 10 lap race. But Alan would be quicker and far more consistent over a longer race.As was often proven. Pete' s sideways driving style eats up tyres, eats up car. Leo it appears was less agressive and probably better over a distance too.
Harry Firths then contempary comments are much the same. Tortoise and hare, you have to be their at the end.

And as a matter of interest the Geoghan Bathurst XR GT was offered for Sale last week at Bennets Auctions. It was passed in at 140k. The Gallaher GT was sold at 170k. Both from the estate of Gary Watson who had owned them for a good while.

#79 GMACKIE

GMACKIE
  • Member

  • 13,042 posts
  • Joined: January 11

Posted 16 September 2012 - 00:12

Laurie O'Neill's Aston Martin Zagato was a beautiful looking car, that under-steered like a pig [assuming pigs under-steer]. Laurie drove it quite well, however when I saw 'Black Pete' drive it at Warwick Farm [watching from the pits, at The Causeway], it was jaw-dropping.

Pete soon worked out how to cope with the front 'washing out'......just get the back to 'wash out' in harmony! He went all the way around the Causeway with the tail out [to match the front end]. Even after the tyre smoke cleared, you could smell burnt rubber for some time. :up: :up:

Advertisement

#80 Ian G

Ian G
  • Member

  • 1,395 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 16 September 2012 - 00:38

Pete soon worked out how to cope with the front 'washing out'......just get the back to 'wash out' in harmony! He went all the way around the Causeway with the tail out [to match the front end]. Even after the tyre smoke cleared, you could smell burnt rubber for some time. :up: :up:


I remember reading about this from a poster that claimed to know him on one of the Oz Forums many years ago,....."he backed off the throttle in the middle of the corner causing the nose to duck in and then accelerated hard maintaining the tail out slide thru the apex"...or something like that.I just did a quick Google and couldn't find it but it was a great tribute thread.

http://www.ten-tenth...ead.php?t=92090

#81 275 GTB-4

275 GTB-4
  • Member

  • 8,274 posts
  • Joined: February 03

Posted 16 September 2012 - 00:56

I have often wondered what would have been the result if Pete had gotten hold of Moffat's Trans Am....if the tables of history had of been turned so to speak.

I know there was a few years more development in Moffat's car, and the Trans Am was a real weapon, but Pete was naturally gifted, while Moffat had to work on it all the time. Having said that, they both won lots of races in their respective cars, not sure of the stats but surely between the two of them they took the lions share of the races they entered.

Interesting to ponder if the drivers had been swapped around through some quirk of fate, would Moffat had have the same success in the white car?..given Pete's ability to drive around any issues..


I have a vague memory (incredibly vague actually!!) of a day at Oran Park where Pete and Moff swapped cars for a few demonstration laps...did that happen??


#82 Wilyman

Wilyman
  • Member

  • 266 posts
  • Joined: March 06

Posted 16 September 2012 - 01:39

I remember reading about this from a poster that claimed to know him on one of the Oz Forums many years ago,....."he backed off the throttle in the middle of the corner causing the nose to duck in and then accelerated hard maintaining the tail out slide thru the apex"...or something like that.I just did a quick Google and couldn't find it but it was a great tribute thread.

http://www.ten-tenth...ead.php?t=92090



A "Scandinavian Flick?". Also the method adopted by speedway [midget] drivers before the cars now are just driven through the corners. :cry:

I recall the O'Neill Aston Zagato when I lived in Kalgoorlie. It was on either the back of a truck or a railway flatbed, memory?
Obviously it must have been making its way east to begin its race career. Yes it was a beautiful brutish looking car. Laurie O'Neill, did he own Australian Blue Metal back then?

Years later I was able to put in place a member of the AMOC who claimed that there were never any Zagato Astons in Australia.

#83 Lola5000

Lola5000
  • Member

  • 1,664 posts
  • Joined: August 08

Posted 16 September 2012 - 02:43

A "Scandinavian Flick?". Also the method adopted by speedway [midget] drivers before the cars now are just driven through the corners. :cry:

I recall the O'Neill Aston Zagato when I lived in Kalgoorlie. It was on either the back of a truck or a railway flatbed, memory?
Obviously it must have been making its way east to begin its race career. Yes it was a beautiful brutish looking car. Laurie O'Neill, did he own Australian Blue Metal back then?

Years later I was able to put in place a member of the AMOC who claimed that there were never any Zagato Astons in Australia.

Yes the O'neill's owned AMB,they were also the OZ importers of Peterbuilt trucks,both brothers had FAB car collections,including RR/Bentley cars both new and pre-war.

#84 GeoffR

GeoffR
  • Member

  • 694 posts
  • Joined: January 04

Posted 16 September 2012 - 06:41

"he backed off the throttle in the middle of the corner causing the nose to duck in and then accelerated hard maintaining the tail out slide thru the apex"

A "Scandinavian Flick?"

Not quite, more 'lift off oversteer'. A 'Scandinavian Flick' is where the car is briefly steered in the opposite direction to the corner to unbalance the rear end, so that when the car is steered into the corner the rear end is already sliding. More used in rally driving than circuit racing.

#85 Ian G

Ian G
  • Member

  • 1,395 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 16 September 2012 - 06:47

A 'Scandinavian Flick' is where the car is briefly steered in the opposite direction to the corner to unbalance the rear end, so that when the car is steered into the corner the rear end is already sliding. More used in rally driving than circuit racing.


Yeah,'Scandinavian Flick" involves a deliberate turn of the steering wheel,we also used to watch from the Pit Fence at the Causeway and Pete,whilst working hard with the steering wheel,used a lot of finesse to set the car for the corner.

#86 lyntonh

lyntonh
  • Member

  • 1,650 posts
  • Joined: April 10

Posted 16 September 2012 - 09:59

OK....so we're talking about Pete's car control.

These photos are pretty ordinary, some blurry with hypo stains & crud all over them, but for the purpose of the exercise, they're all here.

One of my greatest memories in Motor Racing was the night meeting at Oran Park on the 3rd January 1970.

We were there for practice, & watched as the sessions went by.....waiting for the Improved Touring Cars to begin.

Pete Geoghegan did a warm up lap, drove three fast laps, each faster than the one before, & then did a slow down lap & went in.

Warm up lap....
Posted Image

Fast laps...
Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Slow down lap...
Posted Image

His car control was immaculate.

The front wheels were moving in & out from the effort on the steering wheel,
but the car simply went around the corner on rails, following the rubber marks on the road in a perfect arc,
without the tail hanging out, or any obvious understeer.

Each lap, the shape of the cornering was unchanged, but the throttle & steering wheel activity increased as the laps got faster.

The efficiency with which he dropped his time was so impressive.

And the way he put it away once he'd seen the time he wanted on the pit board was simply arrogant.

And, his time was seriously fast, & near or below the lap record.

In my time watching motorsport, this display was probably the best example I ever saw of someone
completely in tune with his car.

Oh, and he won every race he was in for the meeting, with close to lap record pace all night.





#87 brucemoxon

brucemoxon
  • Member

  • 1,007 posts
  • Joined: December 04

Posted 16 September 2012 - 11:19

Scananavian Flick 101.

For a left-hand corner....

Braking hard in as straight a line as possible, you start from about one and a half car-widths from the right side of the road. Turn the car right and hold the turn until the car starts to actually turn.

As the car gets settled into the turn, come off the brakes and turn back to the left. The tail of the car will swing around very quickly, so you need to be ready - get the steering back the other way and get back on the throttle. You should be able to hold the slide as long as needed. If the corner tightens up again, you're already sideways, so lifting off tht throttle again will tuck the car back in towards the inside.

You really only need do this in a car that understeers. Which would be any rally car!



Bruce Moxon

Edited by brucemoxon, 16 September 2012 - 11:20.


#88 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 16 September 2012 - 19:31

Originally posted by lyntonh
OK....so we're talking about Pete's car control.....

Posted Image

.....His car control was immaculate.....

And, his time was seriously fast, & near or below the lap record.

In my time watching motorsport, this display was probably the best example I ever saw of someone
completely in tune with his car.


For those of us familiar with Oran Park, this is the picture that tells the story...

Coming off the Dogleg, the car is light, the precision required in the short run to BP is great, the risks at near-record speeds is great. But he's come off there straight, close to the line, undoubtedly very rapid and is in perfect shape to have a good shot at the entry to BP.

In getting this right, he's ensured he's at maximum pace for a full half of the way around the circuit.

.....Pete Geoghegan did a warm up lap, drove three fast laps, each faster than the one before, & then did a slow down lap & went in.

And the way he put it away once he'd seen the time he wanted on the pit board was simply arrogant.


There's that warm-up and slow-down procedure I mentioned before, undoubtedly slow laps without any indication that he was about to send the echoes of real speed into the entire neighborhood.

But would you say it was arrogance, or simply supreme confidence?

#89 Hank the Deuce

Hank the Deuce
  • Member

  • 286 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 16 September 2012 - 20:27

But would you say it was arrogance, or simply supreme confidence?

Just about everything I've read about the big fella has attributed a sense of joyous abandon, most likely intentionally; whether it was Tuckey's wordscape of a Warwick farm slide, racked to the stop on opposite lock, the tyre smoke as visible through the rain and spray as the driver's grin, or Peter McKay's eulogising a driver who toyed with his car as a kitten would play with a ball of string.... thoughts of Pete often lead to thoughts of Ronnie Peterson's "I yust love to drive fast" explanation

#90 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 16 September 2012 - 21:02

Actually, that's what I'd say about KB...

But in both cases, possibly more so with Pete, there was obvious self-control as well. For as much as it's been said above that Moffat was better over a long distance, I don't agree with that, I'd reckon that a part of that impression is from events where they were in separate cars but on the same team... say, the South Pacific Series for instance.

I think that Pete was set to be the hare and Moffat the one to bring it home. But I think that we saw plenty of instances where Moffat didn't have the self-control to keep it in one piece but slipped into a 'win at all costs' mode.

Don't forget that Pete and Leo were thought by many to have won at Bathurst in 1967, they actually got the chequered board at the end of the race, the car was intact and going strong and Pete had played his part in that.

#91 Hank the Deuce

Hank the Deuce
  • Member

  • 286 posts
  • Joined: April 04

Posted 16 September 2012 - 22:56

I recall reading some of Leo's reminiscences about sharing the cars with Ian at Bathurst, recorded in the early 80's... he said at the time he used to cop some stick, as he'd get the second stint, and Ian would bring the car in smoking with no brakes, and then the comments would start "geez, Leo's hard on the gear, and off the pace too!"

But it was Pete's stint that won he and Moffat the 1973 Hardie-Ferodo, by all accounts. Moffat was capable of great feats of mechanical sympathy and tactical driving, but it would be ill-advised to write Pinto Pete off as a one-trick, tyre-smoking, tail-sliding pony...

And yes, KB too - every bit as entertaining and exubrant.

#92 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 17 September 2012 - 03:16

I recall reading some of Leo's reminiscences about sharing the cars with Ian at Bathurst, recorded in the early 80's... he said at the time he used to cop some stick, as he'd get the second stint, and Ian would bring the car in smoking with no brakes, and then the comments would start "geez, Leo's hard on the gear, and off the pace too!"

But it was Pete's stint that won he and Moffat the 1973 Hardie-Ferodo, by all accounts. Moffat was capable of great feats of mechanical sympathy and tactical driving, but it would be ill-advised to write Pinto Pete off as a one-trick, tyre-smoking, tail-sliding pony...

And yes, KB too - every bit as entertaining and exubrant.

Leo was more an open wheel racer, that style of driving seldom makes rewards speed wise. Wheras in a tintop it can be very fast, at least for a while.And there is no doubt he was very fast.

#93 Chris Frizell

Chris Frizell
  • Member

  • 37 posts
  • Joined: March 09

Posted 17 September 2012 - 21:48

After a bit of searching I found the photos of Pete at the Clipsal that I related in my earlier post..sorry about the quality but they were old prints, just took a photo of them with my digital camera for speed..

the first one is the drivers meeting before I managed to get the autographs...Pete is on the left in the check shirt, Norm next to him, looking exactly the same as he always did...Jim McKeown in the braces and red hat, Colin Bond is also in the frame...

Posted Image

The next one is of the Mustang..Pete at the helm, still in check shirt, with I think David Bowden in the passenger seat...leaving the grass pits for a run at the Clipsal...

Posted Image

the last one is of the run itself..slow, but hugely nostalgic..

Posted Image

cheers, Chris



#94 ron simmonds

ron simmonds
  • Member

  • 56 posts
  • Joined: October 09

Posted 17 September 2012 - 23:36

The photo of the drivers meeting also shows Norm ("Stormin") Beechey in the blue overalls, great photo. Cheers Simmo.

#95 Ian G

Ian G
  • Member

  • 1,395 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 17 September 2012 - 23:57

Yeah,Nostalgic photo,Beechey & Bondy look the same/similar as they did 30+ years ago,Pete & Jim McKeown look a lot different to how i remembered them.

#96 275 GTB-4

275 GTB-4
  • Member

  • 8,274 posts
  • Joined: February 03

Posted 11 November 2012 - 23:28

Geoghegan's XR opportunity in Blakehurst NSW....apologies for crap pics, but every picture tells a story :)

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

Posted Image

#97 cavvy

cavvy
  • Member

  • 171 posts
  • Joined: December 04

Posted 12 November 2012 - 10:53

XR 500?

#98 Ray Bell

Ray Bell
  • Member

  • 80,052 posts
  • Joined: December 99

Posted 12 November 2012 - 14:29

To get around the insurance companies' dislike of 'GT' designations in those times?

That's why other designations started to show up in numbers.

#99 Lee Nicolle

Lee Nicolle
  • Member

  • 11,038 posts
  • Joined: July 08

Posted 12 November 2012 - 20:53

Is that another mock up? The Geoghan car was passed in at far more money than that recently at auction here in SA where the car had lived for some time. Though there was doubt about that one too.
The Gallaher one made 170k plus auction fees.

Advertisement

#100 Ian G

Ian G
  • Member

  • 1,395 posts
  • Joined: July 09

Posted 12 November 2012 - 22:26

Is that another mock up?


I don't know with this car and stating the obvious but probity has to be carefully checked before parting with the $,i bought & sold cars for several years and got caught a few of times with GT Falcon's & Lotus Cortina's.The number of cars for sale that are claimed to had have some relationship with a racing driver or had competed at Bathurst reached epidemic(in Sydney at least) proportions in the 1970's-80's and are probaly still out there somewhere.