Ambrose part of Group C show at Winton
The Winton Festival of Speed will excite under the sunshine this weekend, where a number of Group C beasts will be on show.
Race cars of all shapes and sizes will be celebrated at the popular Victorian Historic Racing Register event, which has attracted a record number of entries.
Kicking off on Friday and running to Sunday, fans will get plenty of chances to enjoy some of the most famous cars that have graced the country over the last 50-plus years.
A major part of Winton Festival of Speed will be a celebration of the first Australian Touring Car Championship round held 40 years ago in 1985.
But there will also be a big focus on one of the most loved categories, Group C, where the likes of Peter Brock and Allan Moffat became national stars.
But another famous Australian name will be in the Group C field this weekend in Ambrose.
The Brian Sampson Torana Tabitha Ambrose will drive at Winton.
Marcos’ daughter Tabitha will steer a unique and original four-door Holden A9X Torana.
Ambrose will steer a colourful Torana still in the same eye-catching livery that Warren Cullen and Brian Sampson raced in the 1977 Hang Ten 400 at Sandown Raceway.
It features the “number” T on the door rather than the #22 as it ran as the team’s spare for the 1977 Great Race after taking on Sandown.
The car has been rolled out of the adjacent Winton Motor Raceway Museum for the occasion.
Another stunning-looking livery will be the one driven by Graeme Stevenson.
Graeme Stevenson and Maverick Performance preparing the XD Falcon.
He will steer a blue and white 1980 XD Falcon that has been built to 1983 Group C Falcon specs with some modern components, including a 351 Cleveland, 4-speed gearbox and 9-inch rear diff.
One of the most identified liveries from the era os the gold and white Craven Mild colours of Allan Grice.
His iconic A9X Torana underdog from the late seventies will also be at Winton.
Some other muscles from the era will also be on show.
A recreation of the bright yellow Peter Finch Monaro that he ran in the Australian Sports Sedan Championship from the 1970s to the 1980s.
The bright yellow Monaro Sports Sedan driven by Peter Finch returns to Winton.
This car will run a 350 Chev, Muncie 4-speed, and 9-inch Diff, which was originally built by Develco Engineering in Adelaide during the 1978-79 summer.
The car was later sold to Western Australia, where it remained until it was sadly stolen in 2018.
However, the colours will return this weekend.
A car that will excite Holden and motorsport fans is the original HDT Group A VK Commodore raced by Peter Brock. This car made its first appearance as the UDC sponsored 05 car in New Zealand in late 1984 early 1985.
Brock first raced this car on Australian soil in Mobil-HDT colours at round 2 of the ATCC at Sandown, after missing the first round at Winton. Brock took the win, his first Group A victory.
Mark Skaife at Bathurst in the Mobil VK Commodore.
He then went on to compete in a further six ATCC rounds in the car during 1985. Later in the year the car was raced by John Harvey, Larry Perkins and David Parsons in the endurance series.
Another car that will resonate with many is the Dick Johnson Greens-Tuf XE Falcon.
Dick Johnson in the trees in Hardies Heroes. Image: Auto Action Archive
Following Dick’s massive ‘Hardies Hero’s qualifying crash into the trees at Forest Elbow, this car was purchased from another competitor and the team worked all night to score a backup car and start the 1983 Great Race.
Read the new issue of Auto Action Digital HERE
Buy the new issue of Auto Action Premium HERE
Don’t forget the print edition of Auto Action available via subscription here or you can purchase a copy of the latest issue from one of our outlets here.
