A report on Fred Gibson (racing driver)

A replica of the Ford XR Falcon GT driven to victory in the 1967 Gallaher 500 by Fred Gibson and Harry Firth

Former Australian racing driver and race team owner.

- Fred Gibson (racing driver)
A replica of the Ford XR Falcon GT driven to victory in the 1967 Gallaher 500 by Fred Gibson and Harry Firth

17 related topics with Alpha

Overall

Gibson Motorsport

6 links

Australian motor racing team that competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship from 1981 until 2003, though the team had its roots in Gibson's "Road & Track" team which ran a series of Ford Falcon GTHOs in Series Production during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Australian motor racing team that competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship from 1981 until 2003, though the team had its roots in Gibson's "Road & Track" team which ran a series of Ford Falcon GTHOs in Series Production during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Nissan Skyline GT-R as raced in 1992
Holden VP Commodore of Mark Skaife at Lakeside International Raceway in April 1994

The name of the team was also the name of Fred Gibson's automotive business in Sydney.

A "race replica" of the Ford Australia entered Ford XR Falcon GT driven to victory in the 1967 Gallaher 500 by Harry Firth and Fred Gibson

Ford works team (Australia)

3 links

The unofficial name for an Australian motor racing team which was supported by the Ford Motor Company of Australia.

The unofficial name for an Australian motor racing team which was supported by the Ford Motor Company of Australia.

A "race replica" of the Ford Australia entered Ford XR Falcon GT driven to victory in the 1967 Gallaher 500 by Harry Firth and Fred Gibson
Works Ford Falcon GTHO Phase II in 1970/71
Replica of the factory entered Ford XA Falcon GT Hardtop which won the 1973 Hardie-Ferodo 1000
Colin Bond placed second in the 1980 Australian Rally Championship in this "works rally team" Ford Escort RS1800

Drivers for the works team included Allan Moffat, Fred Gibson, Harry Firth, Bob Jane, Barry Seton, Bruce McPhee, John French, Ian Geoghegan and his brother Leo Geoghegan.

George Fury

3 links

Retired Australian rally and racing car driver.

Retired Australian rally and racing car driver.

Fury joined former Ford works driver (under Marsden) Fred Gibson as drivers and proved instantly competitive despite running in the mid-car class, though he was still seen more as a rally driver and less as a circuit racer.

A Ford Falcon XL built up as a tribute to the car which was driven by Firth and Bob Jane to "First across the line" in the 1962 Armstrong 500

Harry Firth

3 links

Australian racing driver and team manager.

Australian racing driver and team manager.

A Ford Falcon XL built up as a tribute to the car which was driven by Firth and Bob Jane to "First across the line" in the 1962 Armstrong 500
A "race replica" of the Ford XR Falcon GT driven to victory in the 1967 Gallaher 500 by Harry Firth and Fred Gibson

1967 saw Firth notch up his last victory as a driver in the annual 500 mile race at Bathurst, winning the 1967 Gallaher 500 with a young Fred Gibson in a Ford XR Falcon GT, the first Australian made Ford Falcon to use a V8 engine.

Leo Geoghegan in 2011

Leo Geoghegan

2 links

Australian former racing driver.

Australian former racing driver.

Leo Geoghegan in 2011
Geoghegan finished 2nd in Class D in the 1971 Hardie-Ferodo 500 in this Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T E38
Geoghegan won the 1974 Australian Formula 2 Championship in this Birrana 274

The race was then awarded to Firth and his co-driver Fred Gibson.

Ford Falcon 500 Sedan (XR)

Ford Falcon (XR)

2 links

Full-sized car produced by Ford Australia from 1966 to 1968.

Full-sized car produced by Ford Australia from 1966 to 1968.

Ford Falcon 500 Sedan (XR)
Ford Falcon 500 Sedan (XR)
A "race replica" of the XR Falcon GT which won the 1967 Gallaher 500
Ford XR Falcon sedan
Ford XR Falcon 500 sedan (with optional Deluxe wheel covers)
Ford XR Falcon 500 wagon (with optional Deluxe wheel covers)
Ford XR Falcon 500 wagon (with optional Deluxe wheel covers)
Ford XR Fairmont sedan
Ford XR Fairmont sedan (with GT wheel covers)
Ford XR Falcon GT sedan
Ford XR Falcon GT sedan
Ford XR Falcon utility (with non-standard wheels)
Ford XR Falcon utility (with non-standard wheels)
Ford XR Falcon 500 utility (with non-standard wheels)
Ford XR Falcon panel van (with non-standard wheels)
Ford XR Falcon panel van (with non-standard wheels)

Ford Works Team manager/driver Harry Firth, and a young Fred Gibson won the 1967 Gallaher 500 at the Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst driving an XR Falcon GT.

Richards in 2011

Jim Richards (racing driver)

4 links

New Zealand racing driver who won numerous championships in his home country and in Australia.

New Zealand racing driver who won numerous championships in his home country and in Australia.

Richards in 2011
Richards drove a BMW 635 CSi in the Group C Touring Car category from 1982 to 1984
Jim Richards and Barry Oliver competing in the 2005 Targa Tasmania
Richards won the 2010 Touring Car Masters at the wheels of a 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint
Richards placed second in the 2012 Touring Car Masters with an AMC Javelin AMX

At the end of the year, Brock's team decided to race Sierras in 1989 while Richards was snapped up by Fred Gibson to race for his factory-backed Nissan team.

Bluebird 4-door hardtop (910)

Datsun Bluebird (910)

3 links

Automobile which was produced by Nissan from 1979 to 1984.

Automobile which was produced by Nissan from 1979 to 1984.

Bluebird 4-door hardtop (910)
1982 Bluebird 1.8 SSS Coupé HT (Chile)
1981–1983 Datsun Bluebird (P910) wagon
1981–1983 Datsun Bluebird (P910) wagon
1985–1986 Nissan Bluebird (P910 Series III) GXE sedan
1985–1986 Nissan Bluebird (P910 Series III) TR-X sedan
Interior

Earlier in 1983, Fury's Nissan Australia team mate Fred Gibson had driven the Bluebird to its first race victory anywhere in the world when he won two heats and Round 3 of the 1983 Better Brakes AMSCAR Series at Sydney's Amaroo Park circuit.

Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)

1966 Gallaher 500

0 links

Endurance motor race for production cars, held on 2 October 1966 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia.

Endurance motor race for production cars, held on 2 October 1966 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia.

Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)
Rauno Aaltonen and Bob Holden won the race outright driving this Morris Cooper S. The car is pictured in 2006.
George Reynolds and Barry Ferguson placed fifth in Class B driving this Isuzu Bellett. The car is pictured in 2015

It was won by the BMC entered example of Finnish rally star Rauno Aaltonen and experienced Australian Mini racer Bob Holden a lap ahead of Fred Gibson and Bill Stanley, leading home a flotilla of Cooper Ss that filled the first nine outright race positions.

Toby Lee Series

0 links

Australian motor racing series run at Oran Park Raceway in Sydney, between 1970 and 1975.

Australian motor racing series run at Oran Park Raceway in Sydney, between 1970 and 1975.

The series featured a number of leading Sydney-based drivers, such as Holden Dealer Team driver Colin Bond, emerging Ford privateer John Goss, Ford stalwart Fred Gibson and Chrysler drivers Leo Geoghegan and Doug Chivas.