Description
From Chevron, 9340601000551, Running Time, Approximately 84 Minutes, PAL
In the late seventies, after a golden period in [Australian motorsport. Ford released a new square look Falcon to combat the country's best selling car, the Holden Commodore. With no Ford factory involvement in racing, and former champion Alan Moffat campaigning as a privateer, a new era began with the emergence of a young driver, Queenslander Dick Johnson.
What followed was Australian motorsport legend. In 1980, Johnson famously put his new XD Falcon on pole at Bathurst before crashing out of the race when he hit a large rock on the track. However, out of the wreckage of that campaign came domination.
The Queenslander ruled the Australian Tour Car Championship in 1981 and clinched the title after a great battle with Peter Brock at Lakeside. He then went on to win his first Bathurst, making amends for the previous year.
Johnson successfully campaigned his Falcon for several years, twice winning the championship in V8 Falcons However, a famous era was drawing to a close with changes to touring car regulations and the increasing presence of foreign made cars. New Group A regulations dispatched the classic Ford Holden V8 rivalry that had lasted 17 years, to the history books.
Special feature: 10 minute highlight package of Dick Johnson's first Bathurst win in 1981.
Race footage used under licence from ABC Commercial and Seven Network.
Produced by Charles Stewart. Executive producer John Kiddie
A Chevron Marketing Services production in conjunction with Storyboard P/L
Running time approx 84 minutes
