Five great Holden racing cars

Monday, 2 March 2020

For nearly five decades Holden won motor races with its Australian-made cars. But now that is over, thanks to GM's decision to kill off Holden altogether.

To mark the end of Holden racers we compiled a list of our pick of the best to grace the tracks of Australia and New Zealand.

Holden Commodore VE/VF

Shane Van Gisbergen celebrates winning the championship in his VF Commodore.

The last Australian-made Holden racer is the best - at least according to the numbers. Launched in 2013, coinciding with V8 Supercars 'Car of the Future' regulations, the VF went on to win 106 races and three Supercars series championships.

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Arguably Holden's most famous racing car, the Torana A9X was literally unbeatable in the hands of Peter Brock in 1979.

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Two legends were launched in 1972 - Peter Brock and the Torana GTR XU-1.

But the VF had its work cut out for it beating its predecessor, as the VE Commodore is the second most successful Holden model on the track, chalking up 103 wins during its career.

It also helped Garth Tander to the 2007 V8 Supercar crown and Whincup won back-to-back titles in his VE in 2011 and '12. The VE also notched four consecutive Bathurst 1000 wins between 2009 and '12.

Holden Torana A9X

Colin Bond on his way to winning Bathurst in 1969.

This is one the most iconic of all Holden's racers. Peter Brock and Jim Richards won the 1978 and '79 Bathurst 1000 behind the wheel of the V8-powered A9X. In fact, the second win was the most dominant performance in the race's history, with Brock crossing the line six laps ahead of the second placed car - a record that is likely to remain the biggest Bathurst winning margin ever.

Brock's '79 was unbeatable - literally. 'Peter Perfect' entered six races in the car that season, and not only did he win all six but started each of them from pole position.

Holden Torana GTR XU-1

The VK was the last Commodore to be built under Group C touring car rules.

The car that launched the legend. While Peter Brock had been a member of the Holden Dealer Team since 1969, his emergence as an Australian sporting star came in 1972.

Sick of being beaten by Ford's Falcons, Holden came up with a different idea. Instead of using the V8-powered Monaro to try and overpower Mt Panorama, it would instead use better handling and better brakes to try and tame it - and the Torana GTR XU-1 was born.

Brock drove the LJ Torana GTR XU-1, which had a 200hp six-cylinder engine packed into its compact body, to out-duel Ford and take the first of nine Bathurst wins.

Holden Monaro HT GTS 350

Norm Beechey's HT Monaro is one of the most beloved by Australian race fans. Stormin' Norman was Holden's hero before Brock and after winning his first race in the HK Monaro in 1969 he upgraded for the next season.

The HT GTS 350 helped Beechey win the 1970 ATCC crown, ending not only a six year winning streak from Ford and its Mustang, but becoming the first Australian-made car to win the local touring car title.

But that wasn't all for the HT Monaro as Colin Bond and Tony Roberts drove their Holden Dealer Team example to the win the 1969 Hardie Ferodo 500.

Holden Commodore VK

Affectionately known as the last of the 'Big Bangers', it was the final Commodore built to the more open Group C touring car rules.

That's why it sported a wild-looking bodykit, complete with huge flared wheel arches and a big rear spoiler. It was a car built with a single purpose - win the 1984 Bathurst 1000.

But it did even better than that. The Brock/Perkins VK Commodore also won the 1984 Sandown 500, giving it a perfect winning record, with the 05 car followed across the line by the #25 VK driven by John Harvey and David Parsons, giving the Commodore a one-two finish in the biggest race of the year.