Roadways Racing

Roadways Racing
ManufacturerHolden
OwnerIan Harrington
Les Small
Race DriversGarth Wigston
Steve Harrington
Allan Grice
Colin Bond
Warren Cullen
Graeme Bailey
Michel Delcourt
Graeme Crosby
Win Percy
Garry Rogers
John Andretti
Peter Janson
ChassisCommodore VH
Commodore VK
Commodore VL

Roadways Racing 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.

History

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. After considering closing the team at the end of 1984, Harrington elected to continue into the Group A era.

Roadways competed in the 1986 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. 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, Wellington 500, Pukekohe 500 and Adelaide with two TWR Commodore VLs that had been built for Garry Rogers.

In 1989 Les Small purchased the team from Harrington. It completed a limited campaign that year with Grice driving at Winton, Bathurst and Adelaide. 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.[citation needed]

References

  1. ↑ Ian Harrington Automobile Museum of Tasmania
  2. ↑ Roadways to continue Auto Action issue 367 22 March 1985 page 3
  3. ↑ Grice gets three race Euro deal together Auto Action issue 392 7 March 1986 page 3
  4. ↑ Grice's Bathurst after 16 years Canberra Times 6 October 1986 page 18
  5. ↑ Bathurst: When Allan Grice and the chicken farmer triumphed as privateers Sydney Morning Herald 7 October 2016
  6. ↑ Naismith, Barry (December 1987). Bathurst. Glen Waverley: Garry Sparke & Associates. ISBN 0 908 081 359.
  7. ↑ Normoyle, Steve (1988). The Great Race 7. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
  8. ↑ 1988 Bathurst 1000 Touringcar.net
  9. ↑ 1988 Australian GP Support Race Touringcar.net
  10. ↑ Normoyle, Steve (1989). The Great Race 8. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
  11. ↑ Small takes over Auto Action issue 472 21 April 1989 page 3
  12. ↑ 1989 Bathurst 1000 Touringcar.net
  13. ↑ 1989 Australian GP Support Race Touringcar.net
  14. ↑ Normoyle, Steve (1990). The Great Race 9. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
  15. ↑ Normoyle, Steve (1991). The Great Race 10. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
  16. ↑ Normoyle, Steve (1994). The Great Race 13. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.