1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000

The 1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 21st running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 5 October 1980 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia. The race was open to cars eligible under the locally developed CAMS Group C Touring Car regulations with four engine capacity based classes.

Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)

Peter Brock and Jim Richards won their third consecutive Bathurst 1000 debuting the Holden Commodore for the Holden Dealer Team.[1] In taking a one lap win over Peter Janson and Larry Perkins, Brock won his fifth Bathurst 1000, breaking the record for most wins in the history of the race. Janson and Perkins finished second for the second successive year and finished three laps ahead of Ian Geoghegan and Paul Gulson as Commodores filled the first seven positions.

The race is most famous for the retirement of the Ford Falcon of Dick Johnson. The 1980 Australian Touring Car Championship had featured one of the smallest fields in its then twelve years as a multi-race championship. The championship was dominated by Brock, with only two or three other cars competitive, including the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 of Kevin Bartlett. The emergence of hard charging Ford privateer Johnson into a race winning threat just one month prior to Bathurst revitalised interest, more so when Johnson qualified on the front row of the grid, alongside the pole-setting Camaro of Bartlett, and ahead of Brock. Johnson ran away from the field at the start and Brock dropped a lap behind Johnson after a clash with a back-marker Holden Gemini. Johnson crashed heavily into the wall just after the Cutting on lap 17 after clipping a large rock on the track when presented with no other options as a slow-moving tow truck carrying a dead-car blocked the other side of the track. During a Channel 7 television interview with visiting pit reporter Chris Economaki, a distraught Johnson stated he had dedicated all of his finances in a final shot at the winning the race after ten years as a competent mid-fielder. Mike Raymond then interrupted the interview from the commentary booth to inform a moved Johnson that their switchboards around the country were flooded with calls from people pledging money to get Johnson and his Ford back racing. Eventually a total of AU$72,000 was raised. This was matched dollar for dollar by the then boss of Ford Australia, Edsel Ford II, who quickly saw the value of having Johnson keeping Ford at the front of touring car racing despite the company having pulled out of racing at the end of 1978. Johnson would go on to repay the faith shown in him by Edsel Ford and the Australian public, using the $144,000 he received to build a new Falcon in which he would go on to win the 1981 ATCC and the crash shortened 1981 James Hardie 1000.

The 1980 win by the HDT Commodore saw Holden become the first manufacturer since Ford in 1963, 1964 and 1965 to win three consecutive races on The Mountain.

Class structure edit

3001-6000cc edit

 
Seton/Smith Ford Capri, winner of the 2000-3000cc class (image from 2017)
 
Bartlett/Forbes Chevrolet Camaro
 
Morris/O'Brien/Moffat Ford XD Falcon
 
Muir/Hibbard Ford XD Falcon
 
Bond/Masterton Ford Capri

The class featured a battle between:

+ Holden Commodore was racing at Bathurst for the first time
+ Jaguar XJ-S was racing at Bathurst for the first time

2001-3000cc edit

The class featured a battle between:

+ Holden Commodore was racing at Bathurst for the first time

1601-2000cc edit

The class featured a battle between:

Up to 1600cc edit

The final class featured a battle between:

Hardies Heroes edit

Pos No Entrant Driver Car Time
Pole 9 Nine Network Racing Team   Kevin Bartlett Chevrolet Camaro Z28 2:20.972
2 17 Palmer Tube Mills   Dick Johnson Ford XD Falcon 2:21.117
3 05 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team   Peter Brock Holden VC Commodore 2:21.815
4 25 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team   John Harvey Holden VC Commodore 2:23.005
5 6 Craven Mild Racing   Allan Grice Holden VC Commodore 2:23.650
6 7 Channel 7 Breville Racing   Bob Morris Ford XD Falcon 2:23.850
7 10 Roadways Gown-Hindhaugh   Charlie O'Brien Holden VC Commodore 2:24.038
8 4 Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd   Larry Perkins Holden VC Commodore 2:25.505
9 1 Federation Insurance - Unipart   Allan Moffat Ford XD Falcon 2:26.596
10 16 Greater Pacific Finance Coy   Garry Rogers Holden VC Commodore 2:27.452
  • This was the first touring car race in which he competed during 1980 where Peter Brock's #05 HDT Commodore did not claim pole position. Brock had claimed pole in his previous 12 races during the year including all 8 rounds of the ATCC and the Hang Ten 400 at Sandown.
  • It was the first time that the 5.7L V8 Chevrolet Camaro, an American car, had sat on pole for the race. The Camaro was also the first non-Holden or Ford to compete in Hardie's Heroes since its inception in 1978. During qualifying Kevin Bartlett' Camaro was recorded at 170 mph (274 km/h) on Conrod Straight, a then record for a Group C touring car at Bathurst.
  • 1974 winner Kevin Bartlett, and emerging star Dick Johnson, had set equal fastest times during qualifying, though Bartlett set his time before Johnson and was credited with provisional pole. The pair would repeat this in 1981.

Results edit

Pos Class No Entrant Drivers Car Laps Time/Retired Qualifying Pos
1 3001-6000cc 05 Holden Dealer Team   Peter Brock
  Jim Richards
Holden VC Commodore 163 3
2 3001-6000cc 4 Cadbury Schweppes Pty Ltd   Peter Janson
  Larry Perkins
Holden VC Commodore 162 +1 lap 8
3 3001-6000cc 21 Stockton Coin & Bullion Exchange Pty Ltd   Ian Geoghegan
  Paul Gulson
Holden VB Commodore 159 +4 laps 13
4 3001-6000cc 15 Re-Car Consolidated Industries   Alan Browne
  Brian Sampson
Holden VC Commodore 158 +5 laps 15
5 3001-6000cc 10 Roadways Racing   Charlie O'Brien
  Garth Wigston
Holden VC Commodore 157 +6 laps 7
6 3001-6000cc 16 Greater Pacific Finance Coy   Garry Rogers
  Fred Giessler
Holden VC Commodore 157 +6 laps 10
7 3001-6000cc 6 Craven Mild Racing   Allan Grice
  John Smith
Holden VC Commodore 156 +7 laps 5
8 2001-3000cc 35 Don Smith   Barry Seton
  Don Smith
Ford Capri Mk.III 156 +7 laps 22
9 3001-6000cc 26 Re-Car Consolidated Industries   Ron Wanless
  Greg Wright
Holden VC Commodore 154 +9 laps 26
10 3001-6000cc 14 Wayne Negus   Wayne Negus
  Trevor Hine
Holden VC Commodore 153 +10 laps 19
11 3001-6000cc 9 Nine Network Racing Team   Kevin Bartlett
  Bob Forbes
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 152 +11 laps 1
12 1601-2000cc 51 Chickadee Chicken   Graeme Bailey
  Doug Clark
Toyota Celica 148 +15 laps 30
13 2001-3000cc 32 Masterton Homes   Steve Masterton
  Colin Bond
Ford Capri Mk.II 147 +16 laps 16
14 1601-2000cc 45 Graham Mein   Graham Mein
  Geoff Russell
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.II 142 +21 laps 41
15 Up to 1600cc 54 Terry Finnigan Racing Team   Terry Finnigan
  Peter Dane
Isuzu Gemini ZZ/L sedan 140 +23 laps 46
16 Up to 1600cc 57 Scottune   Ian Burrell
  Rob Shute
Mitsubishi Lancer 139 +24 laps 45
17 2001-3000cc 37 Trend Windows P/L   Terry Daly
  Peter Hopwood
Ford Capri Mk.II 138 +25 laps 24
18 3001-6000cc 2 Ron Dickson   Ron Dickson
  Bob Stevens
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 138 +25 laps 12
19 1601-2000cc 40 Rex Monaghan   Ray Cutchie
  Ray Farrar
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.II 135 +28 laps 32
20 Up to 1600cc 65 Formula Ford Australia   Bob Holden
  David Earle
Ford Escort Ghia 1.6 135 +28 laps 51
21 1601-2000cc 42 Warwick Henderson   Warwick Henderson
  Graham Harrison
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2000 135 +28 laps 44
22 3001-6000cc 19 Tom Heard   Neville Bridges
  Sue Ransom
Holden VB Commodore 134 +29 laps 40
23 Up to 1600cc 64 Ray Gulson   Ray Gulson
  Paul Jones
Alfa Romeo Alfasud Ti 134 +29 laps 51
24 1601-2000cc 52 B&G Meyers Leyland   Terry Wade
  Brian Reed
Triumph Dolomite Sprint 131 +32 laps 37
25 Up to 1600cc 58 Bernie McLure   Bernie McClure
  David Langman
Holden Gemini TE sedan 130 +33 laps 53
26 1601-2000cc 43 Allbrells Auto Care Centres   John Faulkner
  Gary Dumbrell
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.II 129 +34 laps 36
27 2001-3000cc 34 Scotty Taylor Holden   Alan Taylor
  Kevin Kennedy
Holden VB Commodore 128 +35 laps 48
28 1601-2000cc 62 Alexandra Surplice   Alexandra Surplice
  John Gates
Toyota Corolla Levin 127 +36 laps 57
29 Up to 1600cc 61 Ken Harrison   Ken Harrison
  Ian Wells
Ford Escort 1.6 Mk.II 126 +37 laps 55
30 2001-3000cc 29 Capri Components   Lawrie Nelson
  Tony Farrell
Ford Capri Mk.III 121 +42 laps 29
31 1601-2000cc 53 Bathurst Light Car Club   Tony Mulvihill
  Brian Nightingale
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.II 120 +43 laps 56
32 2001-3000cc 31 Masterton Homes   Bruce Stewart
  Cam Worner
Ford Capri Mk.II 120 +43 laps 28
33 Up to 1600cc 55 CARS Gemini Racing Team   Ken Price
  Steve Jonas
Isuzu Gemini ZZ/L sedan 116 +47 laps 50
34 Up to 1600cc 56 CARS Gemini Racing Team   Allan Gough
  Colin Spencer
Isuzu Gemini ZZ/L sedan 111 +53 laps 43
DNF 3001-6000cc 11 Citizens Watches (Aust) Pty Ltd   Gary Cooke
  Warwick Brown
Holden VB Commodore 155 11
DNF 1601-2000cc 44 Peter Williamson Pty Ltd   Peter Williamson
  Mike Quinn
Toyota Celica 129 Alternator 27
DNF 1601-2000cc 49 Jagparts Racing Team   Gerald Kay
  Martin Power
Triumph Dolomite Sprint 116 39
DNF 1601-2000cc 41 Roger Cartwright   Roger Cartwright
  Rod Stevens
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.II 112 31
DNF Up to 1600cc 60 Country Dealer Team   Jim Faneco
  Peter Boston
Isuzu Gemini ZZ/L sedan 111 Rollover 52
NC 3001-6000cc 18 Murray Carter   Murray Carter
  Graeme Lawrence
Ford XD Falcon 106 14
NC 2001-3000cc 39 Darrell Lea Chocolate Shops Lty Ltd   Barry Jones
  Geoff Leeds
Mazda RX-7 105 25
DNF 3001-6000cc 12 Ron Dickson   Dick Barbour
  Sam Posey
Chevrolet Camaro Z28 91 18
DNF 3001-6000cc 7 Ron Hodgson Motors   Bill O'Brien
  Bob Morris
  Allan Moffat
Ford XD Falcon 88 Engine 6
DNF 3001-6000cc 25 Holden Dealer Team   John Harvey
  Ron Harrop
Holden VC Commodore 78 Engine 4
DNF 2001-3000cc 30 McLeod Mazda   Peter McLeod
  Mal Brewster
Mazda RX-7 65 33
DNF Up to 1600cc 63 Lennox Motors   Chris Heyer
  Peter Lander
Volkswagen Golf GTi 63 Fire 42
DNF 3001-6000cc 20 Gibson Motorsport   Joe Moore
  Fred Gibson
Ford XD Falcon 51 20
DNF 1601-2000cc 46 Formula Ford Australia   Stephen Brook
  Wally Storey
Ford Escort RS2000 Mk.II 45 34
DNF 3001-6000cc 22 Jim Keogh   Jim Keogh
  Ross Mathiesen
Ford XD Falcon 42 21
DNF 3001-6000cc 8 Garry Willmington   Garry Willmington
  Rod Donovan
Ford XD Falcon 24 23
DNF 3001-6000cc 23 Phil Lyon   Phil Lyon
  Bill Stanley
Holden VB Commodore 23 11
DNF 2001-3000cc 28 Precinct Performance Pty Ltd   Allan Bryant
  Terry Shiel
Mazda RX-7 19 38
DNF 1601-2000cc 50 Cinzano Team   Garry Leggatt
  David Seldon
Isuzu Gemini ZZ/L coupe 18 60
DNF 3001-6000cc 17 Dick Johnson Racing   Dick Johnson
  John French
Ford XD Falcon 17 Crash 2
DNF 1601-2000cc 48 Brian Foley Pty Ltd   Phil McDonnell
  Derek Bell
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV 2000 16 35
DNF 3001-6000cc 3 John Goss Racing   John Goss
  Ron Gillard
Jaguar XJ-S 14 58
DNF Up to 1600cc 59 Country Dealer Team   Gary Rowe
  Geoff Wade
Isuzu Gemini ZZ/L sedan 12 Crash 49
DNF 3001-6000cc 24 Robert Muir Motors Pty Ltd   Bob Muir
  Kingsley Hibbard
Ford XD Falcon 7 17
DNF 3001-6000cc 1 Allan Moffat Racing   Allan Moffat
  John Fitzpatrick
Ford XD Falcon 3 Engine 9
DNF 1601-2000cc 47 Wally Scott   Walter Scott
  Peter Walton
Toyota Celica 3 47

Statistics edit

  • Provisional Pole Position - #9 Kevin Bartlett
  • Pole Position - #9 Kevin Bartlett - 2:20.972
  • Fastest Lap - #17 Dick Johnson - 2:22.2
  • Average Speed - 148 km/h
  • Race Time - 6:47:52.7

Further reading edit

  • Australia's Greatest Motor Race, 1960–1989, page 310

References edit

  1. ^ "Hardie-Ferodo 1000 1980 standings | Driver Database". www.driverdb.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2014. Retrieved 27 February 2023.

External links edit