Australian Muscle Car – July 01, 2019

G

eoffBrabhammaynothavemadeit to

Formula One, but he still ranks as one of

the most successful Australian drivers to

ever grace international motorsport.

The eldest son of three-time world

champion Sir Jack Brabham won his  rst

national title – the Australian Formula 2

Championship – in only his second full season

of racing before heading to the UK determined

to make it to the top. Though something of a

ovelty, being arguably the  rst

igh-pro le second-generation

acer, he didn’t attract the

necessary backing.

Brabham saw an

opportunity to further his

careerin America,where

acingdynastiesdidthrive,

ndstayedtherefor 17 years,

carvingoutanenviablename

orhimself.Hetookouta

Can-AmChampionship,raced

a factoryFordMustang,won

foursuccessiveIMSAsportscartitles,twice

 nishedtopvein theIndianapolis500,won

two races– bothonovals– in theprestigious

IROC series,andcontestedtheinaugural

Brickyard 400 NASCARrace.

Somehowhealsottedin a famoushome

victory forPeugeotin theLeMans 24 Hour

race beforesemi-retiringin Australia,wherehe

won theSandown 500 forGlennSeton’sPeter

JacksonFalconteam,wastwicerunner-upin

the Australian Super Touring Championship for

BMW, won the contentious  rst 2.0-litre Bathurst

1000, then contested  ve Bathurst 1000s in V8

Supercars.

After almost three decades of top-level

racing, Geoff characteristically walked away

fromthesportquietlyandturnedhisattention

to developingthethirdgenerationof Brabham

racers– hisson,Matthew,whoseabilitytook

himto anIndy 500 start.

“I stoodthetestof time,”hesaysof his28-

yearcareer.“I hungin therefora longtime,so

I’mproudof that.”

Geoff,now67,splitshistimebetweenhomes

ontheGoldCoastandIndianapolis,and

hasrecentlybeenluredbackintothecockpit

of a littleBrabhamBT35historiccarin the

US.It’stherstBrabhamhehaseverraced,

interestingly.Heis also‘crewchief’forhiswife,

Roseina,a formerUSJetskichampionwho

lastyearmadea successfulreturnto thesport

racingagainstthemen,andkeepsa closeeye

onMatt’scareer.

Makinghisown way

J

ackBrabhamhadthreeyoungsonswhen

heretiredfromF1in 1970,soldhisinterest

in theBrabhamteamandpackedupthe

familyfora quieterlifebackin Sydney.And,

havingseensomanydriverskilledduringhis

owncareer,hedidn’twanthissonsfollowing

in hislegendarywheeltracks.

But18-year-oldGeoffhaddifferentideas.He’d

beenawayat boardingschoolwhiletheywere

in theUK,largelyseparatedfromhisfather’s

racinglife,buthadattendednumerousrace

weekendsandsuddenly– perhapsat thesight

of theBrabhamFord-sponsoredFormulaFord

in hisdad’sdealership– wantedto havea crack.

ButJackneededto seehereallywantedit, and

waspreparedto workhard.

Afterconsiderablenagging,Jacklethisson

havea test,andGeoffdidwellenoughto be

allowedto buyanEln 620forthe 1973 season.

Hewas 21 andcaughttheeyeof thetopGrace

Brothersteam,whoputhimin JohnLeffler’s

well-sortedtitle-winningBowinP6Fforthe

1974 FormulaFordDriverto EuropeSeries.He

nishedthirdbehindTerryPerkinsandAndrew

Miedecke,butthinksheshouldhavewon.

“Lousystartscostmethechampionship,”

hesays.“I’dbeonthepoleandI justcouldnot

getofftheline.Actuallythatwasmydad’sfault,

becausehegotmeterriedof spinningthe

wheelsofftheline.It wasn’tuntiltheendof the

yearI’dguredoutto forgetthatandjustgo;

thenI startedto makegoodstarts.”

GraceBrothersputhimin a Birrana 274

F2carthefollowingseasonandhewonthe

AustralianF2Championshipin dominant

fashion.ThatwasthespringboardGeoffneeded

to taketheplungeandmoveto Englandto race

fora living.Hisdadorganiseda RaltRT1F3

carfromhisoldpartner,RonTauranac,10,000

poundssponsorshipfromEsso,a littlehouse

oppositeJackBrabhamMotorsandgarage

spaceat thedealership.

Afterhelpingto assemblethecar,Geoffwent

to OultonParkbutcrashedin testing,sohisrst

racein theUKwasthebigBritishGPsupport

raceat BrandsHatch.And,if thatwasn’tenough

pressure,thetimekeepersmadea mistakeand

puthimonthefrontrow!Needlessto say,the

establishedacesmauledhimin therace.

Forthenextcoupleof yearsGeoffbattledto

continuein BritishF3,butstillscoredoccasional

winsandpodiumsagainsttheworksteamsand

highly-fundedBrazilians.

Geoff’scareerstartedwitha tripintotowntotheracing

departmentofGraceBros,wherehetriedona new

open-wheeler...Okay,notquite.TheGraceBros-

backedFFordwashis 1974 ride.Hethengraduatedto

GB’sF2Birranafor’75andthenintoRonTauranac’s

RaltRT1intheOldDartwithEssosponsorship.

David Hassall