Roadways Racing
| Manufacturer | Holden |
|---|---|
| Team Principal |
Ian Harrington Les Small |
| Race Drivers |
Garth Wigston Steve Harrington Allan Grice Colin Bond Warren Cullen Graeme Bailey Michel Delcourt Graeme Crosby Win Percy Garry Rogers John Andretti Peter Janson |
| Chassis |
Commodore VH Commodore VK Commodore VL |
Roadways Racing[1] was an Australian motor racing team that competed in Australian Touring Car racing in the 1980s. It also competed in the 1986 European Touring Car Championship.
Roadways Racing
Roadways Racing’s origins can be traced back to 1976 when Tasmanian bituminous surfacing company Roadways became the title sponsor of the Gown-Hindhaugh team that raced Holden Toranas and Commodores in Australian Touring Car racing. In 1981 Roadways’ proprietor Ian Harrington bought the team. With the end of Group C in 1984 and son Steve moving to Europe to compete in Formula 3, Harrington closed the team.
Roadways Racing Services
In 1985 former Roadways Racing team manager Les Small formed Roadways Racing Services. The team prepared cars for other drivers before making its race debut at the 1985 Sandown 500. In 1986 Roadways entered the European Touring Car Championship with Allan Grice sharing the driving with Graeme Bailey and Michel Delcourt. Although funding was tight, Grice lead a number of races and usually out qualified the Holden Dealer Team. Roadways also prepared a customer car for Bailey in which he contested a few rounds of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship and teamed with Grice to win the 1986 Bathurst 1000.
After a plan to contest the 1987 World Touring Car Championship with a Nissan Skyline DR30 fell through, Roadways returned to compete in the 1987 Australian Touring Car Championship with a Holden Commodore VL.[2] With Grice driving a Nissan Skyline HR31 in the European Touring Car Championship in 1988, the team sat out most of the season, only competing at the Bathurst 1000 and Adelaide with two TWR Commodore VLs that had been built for Garry Rogers.[3][4]
In 1989 Roadways completed a limited campaign with Grice driving at Winton, Bathurst and Adelaide.[5][6] By this stage Roadways had diversified into preparing AUSCARs and NASCARs. It built a Ford Falcon EB in 1993 for the new V8 series, but it never appeared on track.
The business has since been rebranded Advanced Vehicle Design and continues to manufacture components for racing cars in various categories including the V8 Ute Racing Series.
Bathurst 1000 Win
| Year | Class | No | Drivers | Chassis | Laps | Grid | Qualifying / Hardies Heroes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | |||||||
| 1986 | C | 2 |  Allan Grice Graeme Bailey |
Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | 163 | 2 | 2:16.16 (Provisional Pole) 2:17.246 (HH) |
| Holden 304 4.9 L V8 |
References
- ↑ ICL Racing Pty Ltd formerly Re-Car Racing Pty Ltd Australian Securities & Investments Commission extract
- ↑ Naismith, Barry (December 1987). Bathurst. Glen Waverley: Garry Sparke & Associates. ISBN 0 908 081 359.
- ↑ 1988 Bathurst 1000 Touringcar.net
- ↑ 1988 Australian GP Support Race Touringcar.net
- ↑ 1989 Bathurst 1000 Touringcar.net
- ↑ 1989 Australian GP Support Race Touringcar.net