SPECIAL GUEST: Jim Richards’ (left) appearance at next month’s Gnoo Blas Classic car show and dinner will prove one of the event’s highlights; and Colin Bond (right) has a reputation as one of Australia’s most versatile racing drivers.
LEGENDS of the track Jim Richards and Colin Bond have signed on as special guests at this year’s Gnoo Blas Classic car show at Jack Brabham Park next month.
Orange Gnoo Blas Classic Car Club president Denis Gregory said organisers had managed to secured another impressive line-up of special guests to attend the club’s annual homage to motoring history.
Mr Richards and Mr Bond will be at both the car and bike show on February 9 and special guests at the enthusiast’s dinner that night. Mr Gregory said more than 300 cars would be on display at the show that is considered one of the biggest and best in country NSW, attracting thousands of people throughout the day.
“Jim Richards in his amazing racing career has chalked up seven Bathurst 1000 wins, three times with Peter Brock, four Australian touring car championships and enjoyed success in sports sedans, super tourers, Porsches and tarmac rally, including eight Targa Tasmania wins,” Mr Gregory said.
“With no signs of slowing up, Gentleman Jim is still winning races in the touring car masters series.”
Mr Gregory said Mr Richards was bringing two cars to Orange.
“He’s bringing his 1972 AMC Javelin and Falcon Sprint, and wants to do a few laps of the old race track, albeit at the posted speed limits.”
Mr Gregory said Mr Bond was regarded as one of Australia’s most versatile racing drivers and was best known for his touring car exploits.
“In 1969 he teamed with Tony Roberts in the Holden Dealer Team to win the Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst,” Mr Gregory said.
“He finished second in the 1977 race in the famous Ford Falcon one-two with Allan Moffat and picked up two more podiums in 1983 and 1988.”
Mr Gregory said Mr Bond had won the Australian Rally Championship three times, the 1975 Australian touring car championship and was inducted into the V8 Supercars Hall of Fame in 2002.
He expects good support for the car show despite its dates clashing with the Bathurst 12-hour race.
“The car club has held the show on the second weekend in February for years while the 12-hour, which started at Easter, has shifted its dates every year,” he said.
Mr Gregory said the Bathurst 12-hour race organisers’ decision to run their event at the same time as the Gnoo Blas show had infuriated Gnoo Blas club members who feared both events would suffer.
“Some enthusiasts would probably like to attend both events but for them to be on the same weekend just 50km apart is ridiculous,” Mr Gregory said.
