Peter Brock - one year on, a commemoration
September 7th 2007 22:00
Peter Brock was one of Australia’s best-known, best-loved and most successful motorsport personalities. His nickname, Peter Perfect, was something he never liked, but he was also known as the King of the Mountain and that’s where the legend really begins.
Brocky still holds the record for the most wins at the Bathurst 1000, Australian Touring Cars (V8 Supercars) most gruelling race and the one all fans and drivers look forward to. Brocky won the Bathurst 1000 nine times, the Sandown 500 nine times and the Australian Touring Car Championship three times. At the time of his death, Brocky was still a dominant force in Australian Motorsport and remains much loved by friends, family and fans alike.
Peter Brock was born in Hurstbridge, Victoria, a place he called home for most of his life. It’s where he acquired his first car, an Austin 7, bought for £5, and lacking brakes and a body (which was removed with the use of his father’s axe). Understandably, his driving skills developed very fast and he ended up using a “slide and anticipate the finishing line” method of breaking which proved successful … at times.
Peter Brock’s main achievement in his motor-racing career is his love for Mount Panorama at Bathurst where the “be all and end all” of Australian Touring Car races takes place in October each year. Brocky tamed the mountain nine times, a record almost impossible to surpass, and never to be forgotten.
His first visit to the mountainat Bathurst was in 1969 but he had to wait until 1972 for his first race win. The most memorable for race fans would have to be the 1979 win where he claimed the flag by a margin of six laps. Due to a change of race regulations in the 1990s, this winning margin record will never be beaten. And to top it off, he broke the lap record on the final lap.
Brocky raced 32 times on Mount Panorama. He started the race in pole position six times, another record for the King of the Mountain, and was also known as the Bradman of Bathurst, a title he disliked as much as he disliked being known as Peter Perfect.
Peter Brock was awesome on the mountain but he had many other career highlights, including nine race wins at the Sandown 500, including seven consecutive wins, and an amazing 37 race wins in the Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar Championship. The only driver to ever come close to this 37 race wins is Mark Skaife who equalled the record in 2006, finally managing to break the barrier and become a legend in his own right in the 2007 championship series with 38 race wins.
As one of the country’s best racing drivers, Perter Brock became a household name whose influence radiated out much further than the race track. Working in partnership with the Holden Dealer Team he assisted in the production of high-performance modifications to Commodores under CAMS regulations between 1980 and 1988. He was a strong advocate for road safety, working with Victorian Authorities to promote awareness of the dangers of drink driving. His racing car number, 05, is a reflection of the Victorian blood alcohol limit of 0.05%. All cars he raced in, including the one he was to meet his death in, carried this number.
He was also instrumental in setting up the Peter Brock Foundation, an organisation which assists the needy in the society by allocating funds to the genuinly needy. Their aim is to encourage people to help others and above all, to truly help themselves.
International racing wasn’t Peter’s thing and he wasn’t interested in seeking a full-time driving position beyond Australia. He entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times, the first in 1976 failed, the second in 1982 ended up being named as reserve only and didn’t get to race, and the third time in 1984 his race hopes were dashed when co-driver Larry Perkins crashed on lap 145. Physically and emotionally drained after this loss, Brock attempted to consolidate, giving up alcohol and cigarettes, and becoming a vegan.
Around the same time, Brock’s relationship with the Holden Dealer Team began to fall apart. He gave his support to a device called the “Energy Polarizer”, designed to improve the performance of vehicles using crystals and magnets to align the molecules. The motoring community regarded this device as pseudoscience and Holden, fearing the consequences of being associated with such a wacky device, cut ties with Brock.
Thankfully, in 1991, the rift was mended.
Brock also entered and won the Repco Round Australia trial in 1979; an endurance rally race including some dirt sections, different to his usual race track style.
After official retirement, Brock continued his love affair with motor sport, competing in the Bathurst 1000 twice more (in 2002 and 2004). 2002 also saw him return to V8 Supercars as a team owner this time, with the Team Brock entry, which he went on to sell after just two seasons. A tenth win (of sorts) at Bathurst came in 2003 when he participated in a 24 hour endurance race especially for production cars alongside Greg Murphy, Todd Kelly and Jason Bright.
Brocky was a favourite with the media, fronting advertisements, presenting motoring shows and becoming the subject of two DVD documentaries. He was also due to star in a racing film to be made in 2007, before his untimely death blew these plans out of the window.
Brocky’s love for cars was evident during his career as a motorsport personality but, not only that, he had a deep affection and respect for his many fans. A love that was reciprocated by a wide variety of people world-wide.
In an event that shocked Australia, Brock was three kilometres out from the finish of the second stage of the Targa West ’06 when he skidded off the road in his 2001 Daytona Sportscar. His car hit a tree, killing the legendary driver instantly. The date was the 8th September 2006.
Russell Ingall, driver of the #9 Caltex Ford, was shocked by the accident. "I had a lot of battles with him on the racetrack and he was fair," he said. "You could trust the bloke and that was the difference. I wish we could say it was like that now but unfortunately it's not. He was one driver when you were racing against him, you knew you could trust him.
"He was an icon in the car but it was watching him outside the car and [with] the public - just the time he used to have for everyone. I don't think he missed an autograph. If anyone wanted one he'd stay there all night to get it."
Tony Cochrane from V8 Supercars Australia said Brock’s death is a huge loss. "It's like taking a very big chunk out of our sport and I can't even imagine being at the mountain without Peter."
Peter Brock was honoured with a state funeral on 19th September 2006 at Melbourne’s St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral. Funnily enough, the well-respected Holden driver was transferred from Melbourne Airport in a Ford Hearse, although Brocky was once heard to say that he would “prefer to throw up than back a ford down a driveway”. Thankfully a Holden Statesman had been arranged to take him to his final, private cremation.
Peter Brock has been recognised beyond the boundaries of his beloved motorsport with awards including the Order of Australia Medal in 1980 for service to the sport of motor racing, the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, the Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to the community through fundraising and a National Service Medal in 2006.
Rest in peace, Peter Brock, and thanks for the memories.
Images courtesy of the ABC and Wikipedia
Ready to go!!
Brocky still holds the record for the most wins at the Bathurst 1000, Australian Touring Cars (V8 Supercars) most gruelling race and the one all fans and drivers look forward to. Brocky won the Bathurst 1000 nine times, the Sandown 500 nine times and the Australian Touring Car Championship three times. At the time of his death, Brocky was still a dominant force in Australian Motorsport and remains much loved by friends, family and fans alike.
Peter Brock was born in Hurstbridge, Victoria, a place he called home for most of his life. It’s where he acquired his first car, an Austin 7, bought for £5, and lacking brakes and a body (which was removed with the use of his father’s axe). Understandably, his driving skills developed very fast and he ended up using a “slide and anticipate the finishing line” method of breaking which proved successful … at times.
Peter Brock’s main achievement in his motor-racing career is his love for Mount Panorama at Bathurst where the “be all and end all” of Australian Touring Car races takes place in October each year. Brocky tamed the mountain nine times, a record almost impossible to surpass, and never to be forgotten.
His first visit to the mountainat Bathurst was in 1969 but he had to wait until 1972 for his first race win. The most memorable for race fans would have to be the 1979 win where he claimed the flag by a margin of six laps. Due to a change of race regulations in the 1990s, this winning margin record will never be beaten. And to top it off, he broke the lap record on the final lap.
Brocky raced 32 times on Mount Panorama. He started the race in pole position six times, another record for the King of the Mountain, and was also known as the Bradman of Bathurst, a title he disliked as much as he disliked being known as Peter Perfect.
Peter Brock was awesome on the mountain but he had many other career highlights, including nine race wins at the Sandown 500, including seven consecutive wins, and an amazing 37 race wins in the Australian Touring Car/V8 Supercar Championship. The only driver to ever come close to this 37 race wins is Mark Skaife who equalled the record in 2006, finally managing to break the barrier and become a legend in his own right in the 2007 championship series with 38 race wins.
As one of the country’s best racing drivers, Perter Brock became a household name whose influence radiated out much further than the race track. Working in partnership with the Holden Dealer Team he assisted in the production of high-performance modifications to Commodores under CAMS regulations between 1980 and 1988. He was a strong advocate for road safety, working with Victorian Authorities to promote awareness of the dangers of drink driving. His racing car number, 05, is a reflection of the Victorian blood alcohol limit of 0.05%. All cars he raced in, including the one he was to meet his death in, carried this number.
He was also instrumental in setting up the Peter Brock Foundation, an organisation which assists the needy in the society by allocating funds to the genuinly needy. Their aim is to encourage people to help others and above all, to truly help themselves.
International racing wasn’t Peter’s thing and he wasn’t interested in seeking a full-time driving position beyond Australia. He entered the 24 Hours of Le Mans three times, the first in 1976 failed, the second in 1982 ended up being named as reserve only and didn’t get to race, and the third time in 1984 his race hopes were dashed when co-driver Larry Perkins crashed on lap 145. Physically and emotionally drained after this loss, Brock attempted to consolidate, giving up alcohol and cigarettes, and becoming a vegan.
Around the same time, Brock’s relationship with the Holden Dealer Team began to fall apart. He gave his support to a device called the “Energy Polarizer”, designed to improve the performance of vehicles using crystals and magnets to align the molecules. The motoring community regarded this device as pseudoscience and Holden, fearing the consequences of being associated with such a wacky device, cut ties with Brock.
Thankfully, in 1991, the rift was mended.
Brock also entered and won the Repco Round Australia trial in 1979; an endurance rally race including some dirt sections, different to his usual race track style.
After official retirement, Brock continued his love affair with motor sport, competing in the Bathurst 1000 twice more (in 2002 and 2004). 2002 also saw him return to V8 Supercars as a team owner this time, with the Team Brock entry, which he went on to sell after just two seasons. A tenth win (of sorts) at Bathurst came in 2003 when he participated in a 24 hour endurance race especially for production cars alongside Greg Murphy, Todd Kelly and Jason Bright.
Peter Brock DVD cover
Brocky was a favourite with the media, fronting advertisements, presenting motoring shows and becoming the subject of two DVD documentaries. He was also due to star in a racing film to be made in 2007, before his untimely death blew these plans out of the window.
Brocky’s love for cars was evident during his career as a motorsport personality but, not only that, he had a deep affection and respect for his many fans. A love that was reciprocated by a wide variety of people world-wide.
In an event that shocked Australia, Brock was three kilometres out from the finish of the second stage of the Targa West ’06 when he skidded off the road in his 2001 Daytona Sportscar. His car hit a tree, killing the legendary driver instantly. The date was the 8th September 2006.
Peter's Datona Sportscar the day before his death
Russell Ingall, driver of the #9 Caltex Ford, was shocked by the accident. "I had a lot of battles with him on the racetrack and he was fair," he said. "You could trust the bloke and that was the difference. I wish we could say it was like that now but unfortunately it's not. He was one driver when you were racing against him, you knew you could trust him.
"He was an icon in the car but it was watching him outside the car and [with] the public - just the time he used to have for everyone. I don't think he missed an autograph. If anyone wanted one he'd stay there all night to get it."
Tony Cochrane from V8 Supercars Australia said Brock’s death is a huge loss. "It's like taking a very big chunk out of our sport and I can't even imagine being at the mountain without Peter."
Peter Brock was honoured with a state funeral on 19th September 2006 at Melbourne’s St Paul’s Anglican Cathedral. Funnily enough, the well-respected Holden driver was transferred from Melbourne Airport in a Ford Hearse, although Brocky was once heard to say that he would “prefer to throw up than back a ford down a driveway”. Thankfully a Holden Statesman had been arranged to take him to his final, private cremation.
Peter Brock has been recognised beyond the boundaries of his beloved motorsport with awards including the Order of Australia Medal in 1980 for service to the sport of motor racing, the Australian Sports Medal in 2000, the Centenary Medal in 2001 for service to the community through fundraising and a National Service Medal in 2006.
Rest in peace, Peter Brock, and thanks for the memories.
Images courtesy of the ABC and Wikipedia
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