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    3 October 2017

    Holden's memorable Mountain moments: The Red Lion's first win

    By Mitchell TulkMitchell Tulk

    Paving the way for the classic Ford versus Holden rivalry, this is when V8 power began to dominate Bathurst.

    In 1967, Ford changed the game, showing Aussies if you wanted to win the big race you needed a V8 and not a small nimble Mini Cooper.

    The XR Falcon GT of Harry Firth and Fred Gibson won the 500 despite a mix up which saw the Geoghegan brothers take the chequered flag first.

    Holden was ready to strike back with the company's 'new' HK Monaro GTS327 which would be competing for outright honours against Ford’s XT Falcon GT.

    Three Monaros filled the top three starting positions, with Bruce McPhee/Barry Mulholland on pole, the Geohegan's Falcon qualified fourth.

    Holden was off to a promising start in 1968. (image credit: Super100MPH) Holden was off to a promising start in 1968. (image credit: Super100MPH)

    When the flag dropped Des West jumped to the lead and stayed there until the halfway mark of the race when he made a pit stop, allowing the Falcon of Fred Gibson/Barry Seton to take the lead.

    Yet the hope of back-to-back victories for the blue oval was shattered when the Geohegan's Falcon's brakes burnt out and Seton brought his car to the pits with a blown head gasket.

    Back when it took 16 minutes to change the brake pads. (image credit: Super100MPH) Back when it took 16 minutes to change the brake pads. (image credit: Super100MPH)

    The lead was shortly handed back to Des West before he took his last pitstop, allowing Bruce McPhee to takeover.

    McPhee went on to set a new lap record (2:56.8), a new top speed of 128mph (206km/h) down Conrod Straight and a new race record of six hours, 44 minutes and 7.9 seconds, 11 minutes quicker than the previous year.

    Ford’s competition was crushed with the poduim locked out by all Holden Monaro drivers, the highest finishing Ford was in seventh position which was the previous generation XR Falcon GT and not an XT.

    The first and only time Bruce McPhee won a Bathurst 500/1000. (image credit: Super100MPH) The first and only time Bruce McPhee won a Bathurst 500/1000. (image credit: Super100MPH)

    This was just the beginning, as Holden went on to claim 31 Bathurst victories and will continue to add to this tally but with import products.

    The brand has created a long lasting association with Mount Panorama and a legacy that couldn't be matched by any other Australian manufacturer.

    What's your favourite Holden moment from Bathurst? Let us know in the comments.

    Read our other Holden memorable Mountain moments:

    Brock's six lap win

    Murphy's five-minute sin bin

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