The latest legends inducted into Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame

The Australian Grand Prix has started in a special way by welcoming five new inductees into the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame.

The class of 2024 included Elfin founder and Australian Sports car champion Garrie Cooper, Motocross legend Craig Dack, tireless Speedway driver, promoter, administrator and active volunteer Bill Barrows, Australian motorcycle racing trailblazer Jack Ahearn and drag racing pioneer Graham Withers.

In a special ceremony the inductees were congratulated by five time ATCC champion Dick Johnson.

Garrie Cooper

Accepting the accolade was Elfin racing car ambassador, Bill Hemming. Image: Rebecca Hind/Revved Photography

The late Cooper was Australia’s most successful domestic race car constructor through Elfin in addition to winning the Australian Sports Car title in 1975.

Cooper established Elfin Sports Cars in 1959 and raced with his own badge throughout his entire 18-year racing career.

Whilst he won the Australian 1/2 Litre Championship in 1968, Sports Car title in 1975 and the 1968 Singapore Grand Prix as a driver, the widespread success of Elfin would leave a lasting legacy.

The first Elfin Streamliner was based on a Lotus 11, while the MR9 made in the seventies would be Australia’s first and only ground effects F5000. The constructor would win 29 Australian and International titles.

Cooper is the third engineer-constructor to enter the Australian Motorsport Hall of Fame alongside Phil Irving and Ron Tauranac.

Cooper based away aged just 46 in 1982 of heart disease and Elfin Racing Car ambassador Bill Hemming accepted the accolade in his honour.

Jack Ahearn

Jack’s daughter, Vicki Ahearn with Dick Johnson. Image: Rebecca Hind Revved Photography

Before there was Jack Miller, Casey Stoner, Mick Doohan and Wayne Gardner, there was Ahearn.

After Ken Kavanagh, Ahearn became the second Australian to win a 500cc Motorcycle Grand Prix.

He achieved the feat at the 1964 Finnish Motorcycle Grand Prix during his most successful season.

Riding a Norton, Ahearn took four poles on his way to finishing second in the championship behind the dominant Mike Hailwood.

After that success, he swore not to remove his winner’s medallion until an Australian won the 500cc title.

The breakthrough did not arrive for another 23 years until Wayne Gardner famously claimed the 1987 title.

Even before his 500cc success, Ahearn began flat track racing prior to WWII and after the six-year hiatus he raced everything.

In 1954 he secured a spot for the official Australian team to the Isle of Man TT and was the highest of the trio from down under in ninth.

All up he contested a remarkable 19 races at the lethal 60.1km street course with his last arriving 21 years after his debut. He also became the second Australian to achieve the coveted 100mph lap in 1963.

Ahearn passed away in 2007 aged 94 and his daughter Vicki Ahearn accepted the medal on his behalf with one of his racing leathers from the era.

Bill Barrows

Bill Barrows on stage with Dick Johnson. image: Rebecca Hind/Revved Photography

Speedway has been Bill Barrows’ life since the 1960s having been a driver, promoter, administrator and currently an active volunteer.

Barrows started racing Hot Rods in 1968 before turning to a light weight Super Modified in 1973, which became Sprintcars, which he continued racing all the way until the 1990s.

His best result was second in the Australian Sprintcar Championships, won four state sprint car titles and the 1986 President’s Cup.

But Barrows also made a massive impact off the track, being a massive part in the inception of World Series Sprintcars and was the President of the Sprintcar Control Council of Australia.

He now spends most of his time at Borderline Speedway as a volunteer, getting the track ready for each meeting.

Barrows helped build the Mount Gambier Speedway and helped make the regional track rise to the national stage when it hosted Aussie titles.

He shows no signs of slowing down at his home track and despite previously being inducted into the Australian Speedway Hall of Fame and the Order of Australia medal, Barrows admitted he was astonished to receive his latest honour.

“They blew me away when I got the phone call to be nominated,” he told AUTO ACTION.

“It was the last thing I expected in the world to happen and it means a lot.

“I have only done what I have enjoyed and had a lot of fun.

“I will stay at Borderline for as long as I enjoy or the health of myself or my family changes.

“I have no plans to stop.” 

Graham Withers 

Drag Racing pioneer Graham Withers and Dick Johnson. Image: Rebecca Hind/Revved Photography

One of the most notable pioneers of drag racing was Graham Withers. Despite making the massive jump from a 30hp Morris to a 1000hp rail dragster within eight weeks, this did not stop him from sensationally securing a maiden national title.

He overcame a number of challenges and crashes along the way to be regarded as one of the most fearless around but it was all worthwhile as he became one of the biggest names in Australia.

Withers came so close to being the first to crack the then groundbreaking 200mph (320kph barrier.

His best effort was 199.54mph, only to crash when trying to find that extra speed which was just another one thousandth of a second.

Post racing, Withers continued to have a massive impact on the sport, producing performance products that were exported to America.

“I loved the personal challenge of being the absolute best in everything I do and continued that on,” Withers said, accepting the award.

“The first event I attended was at Fishermans Bend airstrip.  We took chances and did not have the same cars, tracks and officials like today.

“There were many things that I look back on with a lot of pride.

“I was very fortunate to win the Australian National championship before moving on to Pro Race Performance and exporting parts all over the world.”

Craig Dack

Craig Dack alongside another star of the 80s and 90s Dick Johnson. Image: Rebecca Hind Revved Photography

There are few bigger names in the Australian motocross world than Craig Dack.

Dack was the face of the sport when it was televised nationally with his brandname “The Dack Attack” becoming iconic.

He arrived on the scene in 1983 and went on to secure a massive haul of five national Motocross and four Mr.MX titles.

Dack also represented Australia on seven occasions in the World Motocross of Nations with a best result of fourth in 1988 alongside Glenn Bell and Jeff Leisk.

Unfortunately injury brought Dack’s racing days to an early end in 1992 but he went on to become a successful manager and owner of Craig Dack Racing Yamaha.

“It is a very special achievement and is very appreciated. An honour to be standing up here with these other gentlemen,” he said.

“The highlight was probably my first Mr.MX because it was what everyone who grew up in that era wanted to do.

“At the time it was all over the TV and on the back of Pepsi cans and cereal boxes so it was what I aspired to do and getting that title was surreal.

“It was 30 years last year and has gone so quick

“Everything was big when I was racing but it is a fuzzy feeling running a team because you are in control of peoples careers and destinies, changing lives for better or for worse.

“I am proud to still be part of the sport.”

Supercars Australian Grand Prix schedule

Thursday, March 21

Practice 1: 1: M. Jones 2: M. Payne 3: C. Waters

Practice 2: 13.25-13.55

Qualifying R3: 15.10-15.25

Qualifying R4: 15.35-15.50

Race 3 (20 laps): 17.50-18.35

Friday, March 22

Race 4 (20 laps): 14.50-15.35

Saturday, March 23

Qualifying R5: 09.00-09.15

Qualifying R6: 09.25-09.40

Race 5 (14 laps): 17.35-18.10

Sunday, March 24

Race 6 (14 laps): 10.20-10.55

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