Driver Ron Hodgson and the Jag in action. Photo Gallery
One of Australia's most significant racing cars will mark its 50th birthday with a return to the track as part of a new Easter meeting at Bathurst.
The Mk1 Jaguar, nicknamed the Grey Pussy, has been taken out of the Bathurst museum and overhauled to make its comeback next weekend.
Owner Chris Haigh says the car has had a chequered career since its first owner, then Daily Telegraph motoring editor David McKay, brought the Jag out from England in 1958. The 3.4-litre engined car was one of three Jags that dominated the early days of touring car racing in Australia.
As well as winning the first two Australian Touring Car Championship titles in 1960 and 1961, the 3.4 Jags were virtually unbeatable across Australia. Their reign only ended when legends such as Bob Jane brought out larger-engined Jags and Norm Beechey and Ian Geoghegan turned to America for their V8 muscle cars.
Haigh says his car was incredibly successful when driven by McKay, Geoghegan and Ron Hodgson.
“In 58 starts it finished 52 of them in first or second place,” he says. “It won just about everything it went in.”
And it's also a remarkable survivor.
“It is the only car from that early era of Australian Touring Car racing that is still running,” Haigh says.
On arrival in Australia, the Grey Pussy quickly caused a sensation in racing circles when McKay had it painted with the red, white and blue stripes of its sponsor, Ampol.
It's nothing to get excited about today, but back then any form of sponsorship on cars was banned.
McKay went on to win key events at the old Albert Park circuit in Melbourne and at Bathurst.
He then sold the car to Sydney car dealer Hodgson, who came third in the first ATCC race at Orange in 1960, beaten only by McKay in a new Jag and Bill Pitt in a similar car. Geoghegan then bought it off Hodgson.
Geoghegan's immense driving talent steered the car to a host of state touring car titles.
He also finished in second place behind Pitt in the 1961 ATCC.
In Geoghegan's hands the car recorded 40 first or second placings from 42 starts. But by 1963, the car was outpaced and was retired.
“It then lay dormant and deteriorating in South Australia until it was rescued and partially restored in the late '70s,” Haigh says.
Jaguar Rover Australia resurrected it in the 1980s.
It was given a mix of competition and display roles, which included parading at the 1987 Australian Grand Prix. Haigh bought it in 1991 and it has since been raced, totally restored and displayed in Bathurst for three years.
Haigh is a Jag fan from way back.
He says became a lover of the famous British marque after his father bought a Jaguar from Sydney's famous Hordern family in 1957.
Now he will celebrate the car's 50th birthday by racing at Bathurst as part of the new Festival of Sporting Cars historic race meeting.
Organisers say about 550 cars will compete in more than 30 races.
Legendary drivers Mal Brewster, Leo Geoghegan, Ray Gulson, John Leffler, Spencer Martin, John Smith, Bruce Stewart, Warren Weldon and Garry Wilmington will be on hand.
The event is seen as a revival of the traditional Easter race meeting.
SNAPSHOT
FESTIVAL OF SPORTING CARS
WHAT: racing for historic cars
WHERE: Bathurst
WHEN: next weekend Easter Friday, Saturday and Sunday
HOW MUCH: Saturday adult $20, family $40, Sunday $25 $50, weekend pass $40 $80
