1972 Benson & Hedges 500

[Grant Sprague]

Yep the victor broke a wheel they use to flex bad [I am sure it was a wheel ] , a few years later i bought one of those 3.3 victors I could not keep the hub caps on it & that was driving on the back roads of south/c lol yes they had a great result at B&H as well in the 125T good drivers good team

[Milan Fistonic]

There's a photo of the Victor in Motorman magazine and it doesn't look like there's any part of the wheel left on the axle or even a brake drum.

[seaqnmac27]

There is also pics in another thread on here Milan

[seaqnmac27]

http://www.theroaringseason.com/showthread.php?610-The-Garry-Simkin-Collection-Part-2/page2&highlight=sprague

[Oldfart]

Looks way more like a broken axle to my old eyes?

[John McKechnie]

Leo also had a problem with the Victor wheel at 1st Golden 100 Baypark, .It needed replacing during the race which Grady T won in his Monaro.

[Grant Sprague]

I remember seeing the cracked rims very well from different races Dad had small mild steel discs welded to the inside of some rims ....this could have been after the roll over not sure , but remember when Dad got this car [mine was a E93a pop or 105e ] about that time any way Dad said Son pop down to the creek hotel & get a flagon please I will let the bottle shop man know yr on the way , Weelllll I hoped in this thing & away I went . screwing this car pretty quick .... down the road [in town] I headed , never forgot there were about 3 or 4 cats in the middle of the road or there abouts having a talk or sex , boooooooom ..I knew not to swerve shit happened got the lot but never told Dad not that he would have cared as the car came home ok with the flagon

[Allan]

Does anyone have an entry list for this race?

[Spgeti]

The programe is on page 1 Allan.

[Grant Sprague]

This is the same car Rod Ernie &Leo drove

[Grant Sprague]

Start of an other 500 mile race ........... Ernie & Leo

[John McKechnie]

#30-Nice Rebels and R10 in the background.
At Motor Specs we sold Borg and Back clutchs at this time.

[Steve Holmes]

I'm confused about the Fiat 125T's. If there weren't enough built, how did they get to contest the race?

[Spgeti]

Considering that production started in 1972 perhaps the entry was accepted on them meeting the 200 Units over the 12 months that followed.
They were certainly not standard Fiat 125 and as Allan stated based on the South African 125 Scorpian.
Certainly confusion Steve but how many other NZ Specials met the 200 units....Datsun 1200 SSS....Avenger TC....

[John McKechnie]

Steve- they were allowed to contest so long as enough were built.
Being a local build, time was allowed
This didnt happen within the time frame- Bruce has more info.
At Pukehohe the decision was made to not allow them to continue, and they were pulled from the grid of the race.

[Spgeti]

They were allowed to race in the 72 B&H but for 73 they were pulled as the 12 month production did not meet the required 200. They continued production in to 73 but by that stage Fiat Italy stopped any further production as in their word it was an unauthorised racing programe.
I am pleased to say that I learnt this morning that my 72 T that I owned is being restored and the 73 T I know is still alive and well.

[John McKechnie]

My knowledge from that time was that this 125T done in NZ was actually superior to the Scorpion.
And of course it didnt look good for the l NZ one to be better.
Any body got a similar recollection?

[Roger Dowding]

I'm confused about the Fiat 125T's. If there weren't enough built, how did they get to contest the race?

Steve, same issue in recent times well early 2000's when Holden ran the 427 V8 engined Monaro's, on the basis they would build them..
and has happened over time in many classes of racing and rallying. The intention was taken as the word..

[John McKechnie]

And of course LJ Torana XU1s would be factory with V8 308s if Evan Green hadnt opened his big mouth.

[Steve Holmes]

Thanks for the info everyone, all makes sense now. These were once fairly regular sights at classic racing events, though I've not seen one now for many years.