1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500
The 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was a production car race held on 6 October 1968 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia. It was the ninth running of the Bathurst 500.
For the first time factory supported teams of Ford and Holden V8s raced against each other, setting a pattern that continues to this day in Australian touring car racing, currently known as V8 Supercar. It was not one of the factory cars that won however. The race was won by the Wyong Motors entered Holden Monaro driven by Bruce McPhee who upset the big teams with a tactical tyre strategy of running a buffed hard wearing street tyre rather than a racing tyre. Initially Des West and Ron Marks were classified second but were later disqualified for illegal engine modifications. Second place was then awarded to the factory supported Holden Dealer Racing Team Monaro of Jim Palmer and Phil West. The AM Roberts entered Monaro driven by Tony Roberts and Bob Watson finished third.
Future two-time Bathurst 1000 winner Allan Grice made his Mount Panorama debut in 1968. Driving with author/journalist Bill Tuckey in a Class D Fiat 124 Sport for Scuderia Veloce, the pair finished the race in 18th outright and 9th in class, 11 laps down on the McPhee/Mulholland Monaro.
Midge Whiteman and Christine Cole, racing in a Mini 850, finished the race as an all girls team, coming 5th in their class.
Class structure
Cars competed in five classes based on the purchase price of the vehicle.at the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500
Class A
Class A was for cars which cost less than $1,850. It was made up of Datsun 1000, Ford Cortina, Hillman GT, Morris Mini De Luxe and Toyota Corolla.Class B
The $1,851 to $2,250 class was dominated by the Datsun 1600, but also contained Hillman Arrow, Hillman Gazelle and Morris 1100S.Class C
The $2,251 to $3,000 class saw a mix of standard versions of the outright contenders, Ford Falcon and Holden Kingswood and Fiat 125 and Morris Cooper S.Class D
The $3,001 to $4,500 class featured the outright contenders, Ford Falcon GT and Holden Monaro GTS 327, but also contained a single Chrysler VE Valiant, Fiat 124 Sport and Studebaker Lark.Class E
For cars over $4,500, contained Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV and a single Citroen DS21 Pallas.Top 10 Qualifiers
Results
Pos | Class | No | Entrant | Drivers | Car | Laps | Qual Pos |
1 | D | 13 | Wyong Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 130 | 1 |
2 | D | 24 | Holden Dealer Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 130 | 6 |
3 | D | 15 | AM Roberts | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 129 | 9 |
4 | E | 1 | Alec Mildren Racing Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV | 129 | 11 |
5 | D | 25 | Holden Dealer Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 127 | 5 |
6 | E | 3 | Brian Foley Motors | ![]() ![]() | Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV | 126 | 10 |
7 | D | 10 | Wright Ford Motors | ![]() ![]() | Ford XR Falcon GT | 125 | 15 |
8 | E | 5 | Canberra Speed Shop | ![]() ![]() | Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV | 125 | 18 |
9 | D | 17 | Stanmore Auto Port | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT | 125 | 17 |
10 | C | 30 | C Smith | ![]() ![]() | 123 | 23 | |
11 | C | 34 | Ford Motor Company of Australia | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon 500 V8 | 123 | 20 |
12 | D | 8 | Ford Motor Company of Australia | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT | 123 | 4 |
13 | D | 21 | Needhams Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Studebaker Lark | 123 | 13 |
14 | C | 29 | Marque Motors | ![]() ![]() | 121 | 22 | |
15 | B | 50 | Datsun Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 120 | 32 |
16 | C | 38 | Denis Geary Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | 120 | 21 | |
17 | C | 63 | R Marquet | ![]() ![]() | 120 | 24 | |
18 | D | 26 | Scuderia Veloce | ![]() ![]() | Fiat 124 Sport | 119 | 30 |
19 | B | 46 | Peter Langwill Autos Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 118 | 38 |
20 | C | 36 | W Gracie | ![]() ![]() | 118 | 36 | |
21 | B | 49 | Datsun Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 118 | 28 |
22 | B | 65 | Vern Curtin Motors | ![]() ![]() | Hillman Gazelle | 117 | 35 |
23 | C | 61 | Varsity Auto Centre | ![]() ![]() | 116 | 31 | |
24 | B | 42 | Dependable Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 116 | 44 |
25 | C | 33 | Tony Basile Motors | ![]() ![]() | Fiat 125 | 116 | 42 |
26 | B | 41 | Dependable Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 115 | 45 |
27 | C | 27 | Scuderia Veloce | ![]() ![]() | Fiat 125 | 114 | 40 |
28 | C | 35 | Young & Green Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Kingswood 186S | 114 | 43 |
29 | D | 22 | C Hodgins | ![]() ![]() | Chrysler VE Valiant Auto | 113 | 34 |
30 | A | 56 | AMI Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Toyota Corolla | 113 | 49 |
31 | D | 9 | Ford Motor Company of Australia | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT | 113 | 8 |
32 | A | 55 | AMI Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Toyota Corolla | 113 | 47 |
33 | B | 45 | WH Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 112 | 33 |
34 | B | 64 | MG Car Club NSW | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 111 | 56 |
35 | C | 66 | A Olsen | ![]() ![]() | 110 | 46 | |
36 | B | 47 | Austen & Butta Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Hillman Arrow | 109 | 53 |
37 | B | 48 | Tynan Motors | ![]() ![]() | Morris 1100S | 109 | 54 |
38 | A | 52 | Central Auto Sales & Services | ![]() ![]() | Ford Cortina Mk.II 220 | 107 | 58 |
39 | B | 43 | Kenthurst Motors | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1600 | 107 | 55 |
40 | A | 58 | A Johns | ![]() ![]() | Hillman GT | 107 | 57 |
41 | A | 54 | P & R Williams | ![]() ![]() | Morris Mini De Luxe | 98 | 60 |
42 | D | 7 | Ford Motor Company of Australia | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT Auto | 95 | 7 |
43 | C | 32 | W & N Howes | ![]() ![]() | Fiat 125 | 88 | 39 |
44 | C | 28 | Marque Motors | ![]() ![]() | 81 | 26 | |
45 | A | 57 | AMI Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Toyota Corolla | 74 | 50 |
46 | A | 60 | North Shore Sporting Car Club | ![]() ![]() | Toyota Corolla | 74 | 52 |
47 | C | 31 | Frank Croft Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Fiat 125 | 69 | 29 |
48 | D | 16 | M Savva | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT | 62 | 16 |
DNF | C | 39 | Vern Potts | ![]() ![]() | 37 | ||
DNF | C | 40 | Vern Potts | ![]() ![]() | 88 | 25 | |
DNF | D | 11 | Wright Ford Motors | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT | 87 | 14 |
DNF | B | 44 | Eiffeltower Motors | ![]() ![]() | Hillman Gazelle | 54 | 27 |
DNF | E | 4 | Citroen Cars Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Citroen DS21 Pallas | 41 | |
DNF | D | 19 | I Haynes | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 19 | |
DNF | A | 62 | Imp Spares & Repairs | ![]() ![]() | Hillman GT | 59 | |
DSQ | D | 14 | Lorack Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 130 | 2 |
DSQ | E | 2 | Alec Mildren | ![]() ![]() | Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV | 12 | |
DSQ | D | 23 | Holden Dealer Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 | 3 | |
DSQ | A | 51 | Datsun Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1000 | 112 | 48 |
DSQ | A | 53 | Datsun Racing Team | ![]() ![]() | Datsun 1000 | 112 | 51 |
DNS | D | 12 | Jubilee Motors Pty Ltd | ![]() ![]() | Ford XT Falcon GT | ||
DNS | A | 59 | Bryan Thompson Racing | ![]() ![]() | Ford Cortina 220 Mk.I | ||
DNS | D | 20 | Ken Waggott Speed Equipment | N Petrilli W Slattery | Holden HK Monaro GTS327 |
Note : Jack Nougher competed in car 44 under the name "Jack Eiffeltower" in this race.
Statistics
- Pole Position – No.13 Bruce McPhee – 2:56.7
- Fastest Lap – No.13 Bruce McPhee – 2:58
- Average Speed – 119 km/h
- Race Time – 6:44:07