Australian Muscle Car – July 01, 2019

carsnotnishingandwhatever,soit wasa

strugglebutwemanagedto geta reasonably

decentresultoutof it.”

“DrivingforGlennin thosetworaces–

SandownandBathurst– I actuallyfeltlikeI was

prettycompetitiveandI feltprettymuchat home.

I reallyenjoyedit.”

1997:BMW318iwithDavidBrabham– 1st

GeoffandDavidBrabhamweredeclaredwinners

of the 1997 SuperTouringBathurst 1000 some

hoursafterthey’dnishedsecondontheroad,

afterthesisterBMWteamcarof PaulMorris/

CraigBairdwasdisqualiedbecauseBaird’sstint

wastoolong.

Still,therecordbookssayheis a Bathurst

1000 winner.“Yeah,it wasgood,”hereects.“I

mean,thewayit happenedwasn’tsogood,but

at theendof thedayI’vegotthetrophysitting

thereandournamesarein therecordbooks.”

1998:FalconELwithTonyLonghurst– 8th

“Tonyjustcontactedmeandwantedto know

if I’ddoit withhim.Tonywasonthefrontrow,

butweweren’tquiteasstrongin racetrimaswe

werein qualifyingtrim.Again,therewasnothing

thatreallystoodoutabouttherace,it wasjust

a matterthatweweren’tquitefastenoughto

contendforthepodium,butI thinkwedida pretty

goodjobwithwhatwehad.”

It’sinterestingto notethatin Longhurst’slast

raceever, 20 yearslaterin theBathurst 12 Hour,

heco-drovewithMattBrabham(andAaron

Seton)andtheywontheirclass.“Thatwascool,

andkindof funny,”Geofflaughs.

1999:FalconAUwithNeilBates– 10th

“IntheIpswichrace(Queensland500)I

probablyfeltthebestin a touringcarthatI’d

everfelt.I feltverycompetitiveandwasreally

lookingforwardto Bathurst,butwewerequite

slowdownthestraightandit wasquitea difficult

raceforusbecausewejustcouldn’tpass

anybody.Again,I wasreallyhappywithhowI

wasgoingbecauseI wasrightwithGlenn.

“Wehada goodcarandit washandling

reallygood,butat Bathurst,unlessyou’re

strongdownthestraightit’sreallydifficult.”

2000:CommodoreVTwithCamMcConville

• DNF
  “Weweren’tthatstrongandit wasjusta
  matterof thrashingaroundanddoingthebest
  wecould.I thinkwebrokeanengine,whichput
  usout.”

2001:FalconAUwithStevenEllery– 7th

“Itwasa sadsortof dayformebecauseI’d

donesomuchandbeenthroughsomuchandit

justdawnedonmethatI wasn’tenjoyingit andI

wouldbebetteroffdoingsomethingelse.”

It washislastprofessionaldrive, 28 years

afterhisrstcarrace.

1993

1997 1998

1999

2000

2001

Paul Cross

Paul Cross