1985 James Hardie 1000

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Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986) Mount Panorama 1938-1986.png
Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)

The 1985 James Hardie 1000 was a motor race held on 6 October 1985 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, in New South Wales, Australia. It was the 26th running of the Bathurst 1000 and was the first held exclusively for cars complying with the Australian version of International Group A touring car regulations. The event, which was organised by the Australian Racing Drivers Club Ltd, was Round Four of both the 1985 Australian Endurance Championship and the 1985 Australian Manufacturers' Championship.

The 1980 Jaguar XJ-S of John Goss repainted as a replica of the 1985 James Hardie 1000 race winner, pictured in 2007 John Goss 1985 Bathurst winning Jaguar XJS (14917976168).jpg
The 1980 Jaguar XJ-S of John Goss repainted as a replica of the 1985 James Hardie 1000 race winner, pictured in 2007

The race was dominated by the Tom Walkinshaw Racing run Jaguar XJ-S's, which finished first and third. John Goss and German driver Armin Hahne claimed the victory with team owner Tom Walkinshaw and his co-driver Win Percy finishing three laps down in third. On the same lap as the winning Jaguar was the Schnitzer Motorsport prepared BMW 635CSi of Italian driver Roberto Ravaglia and Venezuela's former Motorcycle World champion (and ex-Formula One driver) Johnny Cecotto who, despite their extensive overseas experience, were Bathurst rookies and as such easily co-won the Rookie of the Year award. The Holden Dealer Team Holden VK Commodore of Peter Brock and New Zealand open-wheel racer David Oxton was in second place with three laps to go when it broke a timing chain and retired.

1985 was the first Great Race since 1968 in which four-time winner Allan Moffat was not an entrant. Left without a drive in 1985 after the withdrawal of Mazda from Australian touring car racing, Moffat was guest expert commentator with race broadcaster Channel 7.

The 1985 James Hardie 1000 was also the first Great Race since 1966, to be won by a car manufacturer other than Ford or Holden.

Class structure

The race was held for cars complying with the Australian version of International Group A touring car regulations with three engine capacity classes.

Class A – Up to 2000 cc

Six cars were entered for Class A, including four Toyotas, two of them factory supported, an Alfa Romeo Alfetta which did not start and a Volvo 360 which also failed to start.

Class B – 2001–3000 cc

With a multiplication factor of 1.4 applied to cars with turbocharged engines, a 2000cc car with a turbocharger was rated at 2800cc for the purposes of the class structure. This saw the factory supported turbocharged Mitsubishi Starions and a Volvo 240 compete against non-turbo Audi 5+5, Toyota Celica Supra and the factory-backed Alfa Romeo GTV6. It was the first time since the 1973 race that there was no Ford Capri on the grid. Also, after having 13 on the grid in 1984, there was only one solitary Mazda RX-7 at Bathurst in 1985, running the 12A rotary engine without peripheral porting.

Class C – over 3000 cc

The class featured Holden VK Commodore SS V8s, the big 5.3L V12 Jaguar XJ-S', the 4.9L V8 Ford Mustang GT's, the 3.5L V8 Rover Vitesses and the 3.5L Straight-six BMW 635 CSi.

The Holden Commodore V8's ran in two different configurations:

Due to high demand after Australia had gone wholesale Group A in 1985, there ended up being a lack of available Getrag gearboxes by the time of the James Hardie, thus some 4.9L Commodores were forced to use Holden's production 4-speed box.

Hardies Heroes

PosNoEntrantDriverCarHHQual
Pole8 JRA Ltd / Jaguar Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tom Walkinshaw Jaguar XJ-S 2:18.8222:19.78
29 JRA Ltd / Jaguar Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff Allam Jaguar XJ-S 2:19.9152:20.32
317 Palmer Tube Mills Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dick Johnson Ford Mustang GT 2:20.6462:21.79
46 Roadways Racing Services Flag of Australia (converted).svg Allan Grice Holden VK Commodore SS 2:20.6612:21.72
555 Mark Petch Motorsport Flag of New Zealand.svg Robbie Francevic Volvo 240T 2:20.8732:22.22
610 JRA Ltd / Jaguar Racing Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Goss Jaguar XJ-S 2:20.9192:19.77
71 JPS Team BMW Flag of New Zealand.svg Jim Richards BMW 635 CSi 2:21.3962:21.68
818 Palmer Tube Mills Flag of Australia (converted).svg Larry Perkins Ford Mustang GT 2:22.3402:21.99
921 Goold Motorsport Flag of Italy.svg Roberto Ravaglia BMW 635 CSi 2:22.8742:24.25
107 Mobil Holden Dealer Team Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Parsons Holden VK Commodore SS 2:22.8862:23.22
1105 Mobil Holden Dealer Team Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Brock Holden VK Commodore SS 2:23.0182:22.85

* Tom Walkinshaw's pole time of 2:18.822 in his Group A Jaguar XJ-S was 0.138 seconds faster than he had qualified John Goss' Group C Jaguar XJS in Hardie's Heroes the previous year. It was also the first time a driver had gone from being the slowest in the runoff one year to being the fastest a year later. Showing the difference in performance between Group A and Group C at that stage, Walkinshaw's time was 4.972 seconds slower than George Fury's pole winning time of 1984. [1]
* Walkinshaw's Jaguar was recorded at 274 km/h (170 mph) on Conrod Straight during the runoff. The fastest non-Jaguar was the turbocharged Volvo 240T driven by Bathurst Rookie Robbie Francevic which recorded 260 km/h (162 mph). The once dominant V8 Holden and Fords were slower still, topping out at around 250 km/h (155 mph).
* Volvo became the 8th marque to be represented in the Top 10 runoff since its inception in 1978 when Auckland based Robbie Francevic qualified his Mark Petch Motorsport Volvo 240T in 5th place. The Volvo was also the only turbo powered car in the runoff.
* With Walkinshaw on pole and teammate Jeff Allam in second, 1985 was the first and so far only year that cars powered by V12 engines have filled the front row of the grid at Bathurst. It was also the first time since Peter Brock and Colin Bond had qualified 1-2 for the Holden Dealer Team in 1974 that one team had occupied the front row.
* The No. 18 DJR Ford Mustang GT driven by Larry Perkins was officially withdrawn from the race following Hardies Heroes. Every car on the grid that qualified behind the car was then moved up one grid position. The car had been entered as an insurance policy should something happen to keep the #17 Mustang out of the race, and to give drivers Dick Johnson and Perkins the maximum amount of practice time before the race.
* For the first time there were 11 cars and not 10 in the runoff. The ARDC had originally bumped the Larry Perkins Mustang believing (correctly) that it would not start the race despite persistent rumours that it would, and included in its place the BMW 635 CSi of Bathurst rookie and 1985 Spa 24 Hours winner Roberto Ravaglia. However, DJR protested as their car had provisionally qualified 8th. As the ARDC had no grounds to exclude it as regulations stated the top 8 qualifiers were an automatic inclusion, the runoff went ahead with both Perkins and Ravaglia taking part.
* 1985 was the only time Peter Brock was out-qualified by one of his HDT team mates in Hardie's Heroes, qualifying 0.132 behind David Parsons, who was listed only as co-driver to 1983 race winner John Harvey in the No. 7 car. Prior to this the closest a team mate had got to him in HH was when Harvey was only 1.19 seconds slower in 1980. 1985 would also be the only time that the HDT had the slowest two cars in the runoff.
* The fastest driver in official qualifying, 1974 winner John Goss, made his first and only appearance in Hardie's Heroes. Goss' Jaguar had also qualified for the shootout in 1984 but Tom Walkinshaw was at the wheel.

Official results

Bold donates outright and class winners

PosClassNoEntrantDriversCarLapsQual
Pos
Shootout
Pos
1C10 JRA Ltd / Jaguar Racing Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Goss
Flag of Germany.svg Armin Hahne
Jaguar XJ-S 16316
2C21 Goold Motorsport Flag of Venezuela (1930-1954).svg Johnny Cecotto
Flag of Italy.svg Roberto Ravaglia
BMW 635 CSi 163119
3C8 JRA Ltd / Jaguar Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Tom Walkinshaw
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Win Percy
Jaguar XJ-S 16021
4C1 JPS Team BMW Flag of New Zealand.svg Jim Richards
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Longhurst
BMW 635 CSi 16047
5C3H. Kent Baigent Flag of New Zealand.svg Kent Baigent
Flag of New Zealand.svg Neal Lowe
BMW 635 CSi 15912
6C20Jim Keogh Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jim Keogh
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Garry Rogers
BMW 635 CSi 15916
7C17 Palmer Tube Mills Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dick Johnson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Larry Perkins
Ford Mustang GT 15963
8B47 Network Alfa Flag of Australia (converted).svg Colin Bond
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gregg Hansford
Alfa Romeo GTV6 15821
9B42 Mitsubishi Ralliart Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kevin Bartlett
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McKay
Mitsubishi Starion 15713
10C41Barry Jones Flag of Australia (converted).svg Barry Jones
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Mulvihill
Holden VK Commodore SS 15625
11C25 Yellow Pages Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Kavich
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ralph Radburn
Holden VK Commodore SS 15634
12C40Terry Finnigan Flag of Australia (converted).svg Terry Finnigan
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Barry Lawrence
Holden VK Commodore SS 15524
13C11 Alf Barbagallo Flag of New Zealand.svg Tim Slako
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Leeds
Rover Vitesse 15218
14C12Garry Willmington Flag of Australia (converted).svg Garry Willmington
Flag of New Zealand.svg Peter Janson
Jaguar XJ-S 15029
15C19Ken Mathews Prestige Cars Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ken Mathews
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Muir
Holden VK Commodore SS 14738
16B45Ray Gulson Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ray Gulson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Porter
Alfa Romeo GTV6 14740
17A60 Toyota Team Australia Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Smith
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Drew Price
Toyota Corolla GT 14742
18C30Lester Smerdon Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lester Smerdon
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Russell
Holden VK Commodore SS 14538
19B51Greville Arnel Flag of Australia (converted).svg Andrew Harris
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greville Arnel
Mitsubishi Starion 14148
20C39Sleepyhead Beds Flag of New Zealand.svg Graeme Bowkett
Flag of New Zealand.svg Wayne Wilkinson
Holden VK Commodore SS 13520
21B53Chris Heyer's Kingswood Import Centre Flag of Australia (converted).svg Chris Heyer
Flag of New Zealand.svg Graham McGregor
Audi 5+5 13449
22C36Lusty Engineering Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Lusty
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ken Lusty
Holden VK Commodore SS 13345
23C34The Xerox Shop Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan Taylor
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kevin Kennedy
Holden VK Commodore SS 13241
DNFC05 Mobil Holden Dealer Team Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Brock
Flag of New Zealand.svg David Oxton
Holden VK Commodore SS 160911
DNFC14Auckland Coin & Bullion Exchange Flag of New Zealand.svg Denny Hulme
Flag of New Zealand.svg Ray Smith
Holden VK Commodore SS 14615
DNFC13Grellis Marketing Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bernie McClure
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ray Ellis
Holden VK Commodore SS 13636
DNFC4I.M.B. Team Wollongong Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter McLeod
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graeme Bailey
Holden VK Commodore SS 12622
DNFA57 Bob Holden Motors Manly Vale Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Holden
Flag of New Zealand.svg Glenn Clark
Toyota Sprinter AE86 12346
DNFB55 Mark Petch Motorsport Flag of New Zealand.svg Robbie Francevic
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bowe
Volvo 240T 12285
NCB54 Melbourne Clutch & Brake Service Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian Sampson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Garry Waldon
Mitsubishi Starion 11735
NCC37Brian Callaghan Flag of Australia (converted).svg Barry Graham
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian Callaghan
Holden VK Commodore SS 11426
DNFC6Super K-Mart
Roadways Racing Services
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Allan Grice
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Warren Cullen
Holden VK Commodore SS 11454
DNFC24Jagparts Racing Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gerald Kay
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Martin Power
Holden VK Commodore SS 11233
DNFA61 Toyota Team Australia Flag of New Zealand.svg John Faulkner
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ray Cutchie
Toyota Sprinter AE86 11043
DNFC22Erle McRae Motorsport Flag of Australia (converted).svg Charlie O'Brien
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John English
BMW 635 CSi 10623
NCA58David Ratcliff Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Ratcliff
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Don Smith
Toyota Sprinter AE86 9847
NCC2Masterton Homes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Steve Masterton
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bruce Stewart
Holden VK Commodore SS 9653
DNFC7 Mobil Holden Dealer Team Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Harvey
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Parsons
Holden VK Commodore SS 961010
DNFC33Mike Burgmann Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mike Burgmann
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Stevens
Holden VK Commodore SS 9330
DNFC31 JPS Team BMW Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Fury
Flag of New Zealand.svg Neville Crichton
BMW 635 CSi 6817
DNFB49John Bundy Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bundy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Norm Carr
Mazda RX-7 6751
DNFC16Flexible Hose Supplies Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Barry Robinson
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jon Jeffery
Rover Vitesse 5952
DNFC23Simon Emmerling Flag of Australia (converted).svg Simon Emmerling
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Trevor Hine
BMW 635 CSi 4231
DNFC38Barry Wraith Flag of Australia (converted).svg Barry Wraith
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wayne Park
Holden VK Commodore SS 3439
DNFB44Peter Williamson Toyota Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Williamson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tomas Mezera
Toyota Celica Supra 3227
DNFC29Ken Davison Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ken Davison
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Kramer
Ford Mustang GT 1944
DNFC28Capri Components Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lawrie Nelson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bill O'Brien
Ford Mustang GT 1837
DNFC32Anderson & O'Leary Flag of New Zealand.svg Bruce Anderson
Flag of New Zealand.svg Wayne Anderson
Ford Mustang GT 1728
DNFC9 JRA Ltd / Jaguar Racing Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Jeff Allam
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ron Dickson
Jaguar XJ-S 332
DNFB43 Mitsubishi Ralliart Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brad Jones
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Fitzgerald
Mitsubishi Starion 014
DNFC27Alf Grant Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alf Grant
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John French
Holden VK Commodore SS 019
DNSC18 Palmer Tube Mills Flag of Australia (converted).svg Larry Perkins
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dick Johnson
Ford Mustang GT 78
DNSB52Formula 1 Investments Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Moore
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Michel Delcourt
Mitsubishi Starion 50
DNSC26Super K-Mart
Roadways Racing Services
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Warren Cullen
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Allan Grice
Holden VK Commodore SS
DNSA59Phil McDonnell Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Crick
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil McDonnell
Alfa Romeo Alfetta

Statistics

References