Quote:
Originally Posted by William Dale Jr
Castrol Clash
Oran Park South Circuit, NSW (15/2/1987)
Circuit Length: 1.96 km
Race Distance: 25 laps
Weather: Rain clearing
Oran Park was celebrating its 25th anniversary, and on the programme was the first Group A race for 1987 in Australia. A 25-lapper on the original short-circuit drew a solid local entry, with the bigger names mostly still on their way home from New Zealand's Nissan-Mobil Series. Larry Perkins entered, but didn't quite make it back in time.
Cars making their debut were Colin Bond's long-awaited Alfa Romeo 75, and two Ford Sierra RS Cosworths from the OXO team. Tony Noske planned to have his first run in his ex-Perkins VK but put it into the wall during practice, while Phil Ward had the first of many drives in his ex-AMG Mercedes-Benz 190E.
Reed mastered the greasy early conditions to run out a comfortable winner from Bond. Laurie Hazelton backed his Volvo into the pit wall late in the race, injuring a TV cameraman. Magazine sources disagree over whether the crash caused the race to be stopped, something I suspect the TV coverage would solve.
Position | Number | Entrant | Driver | Car | Class | Race Time/Laps | Retirement Cause | Fastest Time | Qualifying Time | Grid Position |
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1 | 34 | Lansvale Smash Repairs | Steve Reed | Holden Commodore VK | A | 20m19.79s | | | 0m47.18s | 2 | 2 | 75 | Network Alfa | Colin Bond | Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo | B | 20m43.88s | | | 0m46.86s | 1 | 3 | | Terry Finnigan | Terry Finnigan | Holden Commodore VK | A | 21m06.54s | | | 0m48.35s | 9 | 4 | | Formula 1 Investments | Graham Moore | Holden Commodore VK | A | 21m48.43s | | | 0m47.38s | 4 | 5 | | Lusty Engineering | Graham Lusty | Holden Commodore VK | A | 24 laps | | | 0m48.19s | 7 | 6 | | Tony Mulvihill | Tony Mulvihill | Holden Commodore VK | A | 24 laps | | | 0m48.01s | 6 | 7 | | Reithmuller-Ward | Phil Ward | Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 | B | 24 laps | | | 0m47.47s | 5 | 8 | | Paul Jones | Paul Jones | Toyota Corolla | C | 23 laps | | | 0m51.66s | 15 | 9 | | Gemspares | Daryl Hendrick | Izusu Gemini ZZ | C | 23 laps | | | 0m52.04s | 16 | 10 | | Ray Gulson | Graham Gulson | BMW 635CSi | A | 23 laps | | | 0m48.51s | 10 | 11 | | Ratcliff Transport Spares | David Ratcliff | Toyota Corolla | C | 22 laps | | | 0m51.??s | 14 | 12 | | Laurie Hazelton | Laurie Hazelton | Volvo 240T | A | 22 laps | crashed | | 0m55.22s | 17 | 13 | | Kevin Clark | Kevin Clark | Ford Mustang | A | 21 laps | | | 0m51.12s | 13 (pits) | DNF | 35 | OXO Supercube Motorsport | Craig Harris | Ford Sierra Cosworth RS | A | 6 laps? | withdrew | | 0m50.11s | 12 | DNF | 34 | OXO Supercube Motorsport | Don Smith | Ford Sierra Cosworth RS | A | 1 lap? | withdrew | | 0m48.21s | 8 | DNS | | | Peter McLeod | Holden Commodore VK | A | | lost wheel - parade lap | | 0m47.21s | 3 | DNS | 26 | Kalari Transport | Tony Noske | Holden Commodore VK | A | | practice crash | | 0m48.92s | 11 | ENT | 11 | | Larry Perkins | Holden Commodore VK | A | | | | | |
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The TV coverage does answer a few of the questions
The race almost didn't happen after a crash in the preceeding Formula Ford race dumped coolant all over the top of the dogleg, leaving that part of the track very slippery, and the rest of the track dry. Officials originally ordered all cars to race on wet tyres, however the drivers refused, for obvious reasons as 95% of the track was dry.
In the end a compromise was reached, with the organisers basically telling the drivers it was 'on their heads'. They had 3 siting laps (in which Craig Harris spun on the coolant), then the race started.
Reed's win was down to the fact he was the only driver not to run on slicks, he ran on Intermediates. Bond dominated early until it started to rain, and Reed came through to take an easy win.
The race was stopped because of the Hazelton crash, as the seriousness of the crash was noted straightaway. The race was red-flagged while Reed was already on his 25th lap.
Some car numbers to help with the above results;
Terry Finnigan - #8
Graham Moore - #22
Graham Lusty - #21
Tony Mulvihill - #19
Phil Ward - #10
Paul Jones - #16
Daryl Hendrick - #86
Graham Gulson - #27
David Ratcliff - #58
Laurie Hazelton - #50
Kevin Clark - #18
Don Smith ran as #35, while Craig Harris was #36, while on the entry list i have, Tony Noske was entered as #2
This is a great thread, 1987 provided a great and varied season of Group A racing in Australia... and the best thing was every race was covered on TV (even Sandown, to an extent)