22 replies to this topic

[Terry Walker]

I discovered these two pics while working on my latest book, dating from the late 70s. I didn't know who the girl was, assumed she was a pit popsie or maybe a model on a promotion, but I'm advised she is in fact the very competitive Aussie lady racer Robyn Hamilton, whom I'd never heard of. In the b+w pic, she's leaning on Gordon Stephenson's Alfetta GTV; in the colour pic, with Gordon, who had made a comeback in Peter Wherrett's Alfetta GTV. Both pics taken at Wanneroo Park. Whatever became of Robyn?

[David McKinney]

You mean her fame reached NZ but not WA?

You really missed something ;)

[Terry Walker]

NZ's closer to Sydney and Melbourne than Perth!

[Team Result]

Colour me PINK!
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!

[Hank the Deuce]

Somewhere along the line, Bill Tuckey wrote that she had been given tuition by Frank Gardner early in the piece... didn't she share a Torana drive with Peter Janson at one stage?

[Ian G]

As already mentioned she was involved in Formula Ford late 70's and also did Bathurst 78(79?) and got a lot of publicity as her Torana had a fast Q time. Well known Driver of the era wasn't happy with them competing at Bathurst and caused a stir when he called the Lady Drivers "Drivettes",or something like that,they cleaned it up for publication.

[Ray Bell]

She made a huge stir in FF...

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.

[Dingo]

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?

[David McKinney]

Sorry I don't have a better print, but I did like those overalls

[tania34]

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.

[Ray Bell]

The FF was an Elfin 620b, IIRC...

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.

[Barry Lake]

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.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by David McKinney
Sorry I don't have a better print, but I did like those overalls

I'm just interested to know how come you've kept this pic all these years?

Or is that self-evident?

[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...

Edited by David McKinney, 05 September 2009 - 14:27.

[Terry Walker]

Definitely cute from any angle.

[Ray Bell]

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?

[David McKinney]

It did take a bit of a search - I couldn't remember exactly what year she was in NZ

[Terry Walker]

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.

[Ruggles]

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

[gemini62]

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.

[johnny yuma]

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.

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 !

[Graham Clayton]

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/

[ellrosso]

Be interesting to get Harv's feedback on that Gemini race and series..... she copped a lot of flak over driving tactics back then.