Australia's Robyn 'Charlie' Hamilton
#1
Posted 02 September 2009 - 11:41
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#2
Posted 02 September 2009 - 11:52
You really missed something ;)
#3
Posted 02 September 2009 - 12:10
#4
Posted 02 September 2009 - 14:05
That's about all I can remember about her....
I think she started in the Gemini One-make series at Calder. Then "uncle' Bob Jane took her under his wing and she had a few guest drives in various machiney. With the Charlie Cosmetics sponsorship (that's when everything turned pink) she did the national Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series where, I think she ran about fifth, maybe even got on the podium
at a round. So she was not a bad pilote, but I think she started to be believe everything her PR machine was churning out and upset a few people in the process.
The mention of the Peter Wherett Alfetta rings a bell, too. She may have been an instructor at his driving school or maybe top pupil one year.....Ray!
#5
Posted 03 September 2009 - 00:00
#6
Posted 03 September 2009 - 01:24
#7
Posted 03 September 2009 - 07:27
She was light, that helped, but her driving tactics didn't win any acclaim from the other drivers. Ask Wally Storey about his ride into the fence halfway up the front straight at Sandown, for instance.
#8
Posted 03 September 2009 - 13:55
#10
Posted 04 September 2009 - 15:06
Robyn raced in the Renault Newstar series from November 1976 - April 1978.
I think the Gemini Series followed that, not sure about anything else she may have driven.
Ray is the man to help here as it was during his RCN days.
#11
Posted 04 September 2009 - 16:04
I never saw her in Geminis, but I very rarely went to Calder. In the Renaults she occasionally showed glimpses of what was ahead for Wally.
#12
Posted 05 September 2009 - 13:36
Vaguely remembering from an old Australian magazine that she was involved with Willem Toet at one stage in the late 70's. Toet as I understand went on to a top job at BMW Sauber, correct?
Willem prepared and set up Robyn's Formula Ford and he later worked for F1 teams including Ferrari and BAR-Honda. Yes, Robyn had a weight advantage; yes, she was unbelievably aggressive and fearless behind the wheel; yes, Frank Gardner taught her a lot; yes, she looked great in her driving suit... but it is interesting to note that Robyn's pace in the FF evaporated and her career went down the gurgler after she and Willem parted company. She - and probably a lot of others - hadn't yet realised that Willem was a real race-engineering talent.
#14
Posted 05 September 2009 - 14:26
Mind you...
Edited by David McKinney, 05 September 2009 - 14:27.
#16
Posted 05 September 2009 - 15:40
Originally posted by David McKinney
I didn't specifically keep the picture, Ray. It's among the magazines I have, and relates to when she raced an Escort Sport in NZ
Mind you...
I guess that's why you knew exactly where to find it?
#17
Posted 05 September 2009 - 18:26
#18
Posted 06 September 2009 - 03:52
Assuming she was in her mid 20s then, she's in her mid 50s now. How time flies.
#19
Posted 10 October 2009 - 10:44
After a bit of digging about I found a few more pics, plus the date, which gave me occasion: the 1980 Pepsi Cola 300 km race at Wanneroo Park, 26 October 1980. The programme shows Car 75, Gordon Stephenson, "Charlie", Alfa Romeo GT, white/black, 1962 cc. I don't know how they finished; the results of that race are missing from the Club archives, and therefore not on my website. Dick Ward won in a solo drive in his amazing Fiat Abarth.
Assuming she was in her mid 20s then, she's in her mid 50s now. How time flies.
Robbie ( Charlie ), last I saw her was operating her own business as a beauty consultant in Parramatta. That was many years ago about 1995 in fact.
we raced formula ford together in late seventees early eighties. She shared a place in Carlingford Sydney with my family at the time. the house I later purchased as my first home. She had a 620b and I had the BN3 Ex Nordern Car. It s true Robbie was tutored by the late Frank Gardner, in fact we were at Amaroo when Frank was explaining that it was sometimes necessary to " hang " the outside rear wheel ever so lightly on the fence entering the main straight to gain confidence in the car. Confidence was something Robbie id not lack.
Willem was indeed very talented, he was instrumental in the Gemini wins she achieved and had designed his own camshaft for that car, ooh gee am I allowed to say that!. Willem moved on to overseas and robbie went it alone with the formula ford under the guidance of Frank.
The Charlie thing came about after she approached Revlon for a package for the following season to promote the new range of Charlie products, Revlon however knocked it back. Unpeturbed Robbie set about promoting herself as " Charlie " anyway hoping that the company would come to the party. This in fact what happened . Not sure where she is today although I heard she bought a boat and was living on it.
Cheers
Matt
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#20
Posted 30 November 2009 - 09:25
#21
Posted 23 March 2012 - 04:10
No,but do have a look at youtube,Robyn Hamilton Calder 1977 an 8 lap Gemini race where she and John Harvey have a ding-dong scrap for first place,then are interviewed by the excited TV presenter. They both won--watch the youtube clip to see why !Does anyone have any photo's of Robyns 1st gemini? It was badly crashed at Oran Pk in 1978 sold and later rebuilt as a 2litre sport sedan.
#22
Posted 23 March 2012 - 04:52
Not sure where she is today although I heard she bought a boat and was living on it.
Cheers
Matt
Robyn is now working for Sydney Catamaran Cruises:
http://www.sydneycat...cruises.com.au/
#23
Posted 23 March 2012 - 06:53