For part 1, click here.
Day 3.
We get up early and head back to DECA for 2 more tests. We go for blast around
the training roads setting what we think will be a good time, then rush into
town to fill up at a Mobil service station (Mobil being one of Peter’s long time
sponsors). People double take, not expecting Peter Brock to be using their local
service station. He obliges with a wave, and we head off.
On to Echuca and we start talking about V8 Supercar politics. I guess I
expected it, but Peter’s stories involved far more than basic bickering and
competitiveness. Greed and power, of course, play a major part, but I am more
interested in what Peter has to say about intellectual property. For Peter, who
according to his own statements to me, has quite a bit of his and a few other’s
IP tied up in the current categories, it is an important issue. He can see a
shakeup occuring in the future as different people try to control and manipulate
the industry. ‘There should be room for everyone’ he states, ‘AVESCO, Procar and
more’. We both agree on the need to have cheaper forms of motorsport for drivers
and sponsors to get involved in. His own stint with Team Brock in the V8
Supercar series was a tough one, highlighted by difficulties with the politics
rather than the competitiveness and technology. I hear stories of sponsorship
pressures, engine dramas and various double standards. In the end, Peter tells
me he had no choice but to call his teammates to say ‘Sorry guys, I just don’t
have a choice, that’s it.’. Team Brock now prepares a number of V8 Brutes and
also a Monaro to be driven by James, Peter’s son. While we are on a transport
section in the hot weather, car bouncing a little down the road, Peter calls
James to see how the brief test of the newly built Monaro went at Calder Park,
and is happy to hear that his son is confident in driving the car. “It’s a
beautiful car to drive, and I told him that when he drives it he will see that
too. He isn’t confident because he hasn’t driven the car before, but I know he
will do well in it.” Our conversation lapses for a while as we look out over the
less-arid landscape up here, fed life from the river, and think about our next
test.
Arriving at Echuca airport we both make a dash to the amenities, Peter
apologetically waving off autograph hunters until, well, we are feeling a little
more relieved! The enthusiastic public take photos of themselves by the car as I
try to get our route book out to check the next transport stages and the
motorkhana test we have to do on the airport strip. Dick and Peter park cars together near the start for an interview and
a photo and we rumble up to the start of the test. By this time of course there
may be a hundred or so locals crammed up against the fence waiting for Peter
Perfect to go. We sit patiently, and watch some other competitors. Our turn.
Peter hits the throttle, the Monaro engine sounds brutal. It seems a slippery
surface, but we get up some good speed. All goes well until we scream towards
the witches hat gate area to stop in, and just nudge the end cone. The crowd
lets out an almighty cheer. “ABS kicked in” Peter tells me expressionlessly. I
am tempted to do a ‘royal’ wave as we drive out, but hold myself back.
We drive off towards Kerang. It is reasonably flat, dry country with more of
the same landscape that we have seen previously, so we get back to chatting
about other things.
Peter is proud of his son’s achievements, and hopes that he can take over
where dad left off. Peter explains that James is very ‘hands on’, and works on
the vehicles himself. He also manages race team aspects, finances etc, and does
a pretty good job. I get the impression Peter would love to be able to shift a
lot of the spotlight and attention that he receives to James. It seems a
difficult position for a father who wants his son to do well on his own merits,
but the spotlight still continues to shine on him rather than James. On top of
this, the industry is a tough one. Sponsors, workshops, drivers, and managers
all contribute to the politics. ‘Its just bullshit what they do,’ he says about
sponsors and teams taking advantage of young drivers, the frustration evident in
his voice. He talks about younger drivers in current categories that will just
get ‘walked all over’ by sponsors and ‘the big boys’. Drivers need more than
just ability these days. They need a business head on their shoulders, good
support from their management, and they need their own voice and opinion to make
a mark for themselves in the sport. In the early days this wasn’t an issue.
Peter just hopped into his first cars and raced. But racing has become big
business.
I ask Peter how he feels about doing events like this. After all, most of the
work on this event for him is PR, not driving. “Well, its part of my job now. I
have never been as busy as I am now at this time of my life.” He doesn’t
necessarily enjoy all of it, but still loves the driving part. Competing in
events is still what keeps him interested.
After completing an average speed section, we reach the Kerang sale yards,
and blast around the bitumen, between sheep pens and around an administration
building. We are barely there long enough but get a faint whiff of sheep through
the window, and push on. The temperature is rising, and must be over 30 degrees
centigrade. No air conditioning in the Monaro. Windows down, we race off.
We reach Swan Hill late again,
and I leave Peter at the car to sign more autographs whilst I grab a quick bite
to eat and savour anonymity. We leave last, and make our way to Robinvale
airport for another test. One of the organisers request that I hurry Peter along
to make sure we don’t drag the chain. It is difficult to pull him away while
there are still people wanting his time. And Peter hates to leave when people
haven’t been able to get what they came for.
We complete the Robinvale test in good time and bump into offroad rally
personality ‘Tangles’ as we are leaving. It is hot, dusty, and I am answering
questions about the car to a couple of farming kids through the passenger side
window. Peter taps my shoulder, saying ‘Tangles here can fix broken cars with
bits of fencing wire’. Tangles looks like a wiry sort of outback bloke, and I
bet he really could fix things with fencing wire. “Ask anyone involved in
offroad racing if they know Tangles, and they will!” Peter remarks.
We then make our way on to Mildura to the Mildura Driver Training Centre. A
slippery and tight motorkhana awaits, then a blast around their training roads.
We do well.
Then it’s time for a driver parade down the main street of Mildura and onto
parkland by the Murray river. There must be 500 or more people waiting for Dick
and Peter, and we both make an exclamation as we drive in. Peter starts signing
T-shirts, glove box lids and people’s limbs as I go to get us a cold drink. A
live radio interview with Dick and Peter takes place, and I drive the car down
to the crowd so Peter can hop into it and we can make a getaway in time for
dinner. I drive him back to the hotel, a little chuffed that I am driving the
Monaro again!
Day 4
In the morning we start off towards the Barossa Valley, meandering along the
river after completing the Mildura tests one more time. We stop in Renmark for a
closed street section test, (followed by an interview with a paper, WIN TV, and
more autographs). Funnily enough, a stubby holder is shoved I through the window
towards me after Peter had signed it. I look at the young lady. She says “Can
you please sign it too!?”
“But I am no one!” I exclaim.
She insists, I sign the thing, and laugh. Somewhere out there, keeping a beer
cold, is a cooler with ‘Peter Brock’ scribbled on one side and ‘Nathan Huppatz’
on the other. I chuckle for hours!
Into Morgan, a quaint little town by the river. Two pubs landmark the town,
one with a blue Ford banner all over it, the other with red Holden banners. We
complete the motorkhana test in front of the pub (circle around 3 witches hats –
designed for some donut action, me thinks).
We stay there for over an hour, Peter and Dick signing autographs. We are
told to ignore the next average speed section, and make our way to the next
stage as quickly as possible as we are running late again.
During the day I conduct an interview for AutoSpeed.com, and when finished I
am prompted to ask Peter about the Peter Brock Foundation. “Why did you start
it, and what is it about?”. Peter’s answer was simple. “Motorsport is all about
taking, not giving”. The Foundation is designed to help people in need. They
could need blankets, accommodation, some bills paid, or any number of things.
“It is mostly through word of mouth. Or people call us, and we evaluate their
needs. It works quite well”. “So, what gives you more of a buzz? Winning
Bathurst, or performing charity?”
A pause. “Winning Bathurst is satisfying” he says “but charity is
fulfilling”.
We arrive at Chateau Tanunda in the Barossa Valley, home of Australian wine.
It is a beautiful place and a great spot to park the cars and have a cold
drink.
I look back over the past four days, most of my time spent in the car with a
10 time Bathurst champion and all round nice guy Peter Brock. He is a dedicated
and committed professional. These traits come across in everything he does. He
also shows a great deal of compassion, and patience, not only with the Peter
Brock Foundation but with his fans across the country all clamouring to get his
autograph. The past few days seem to be a blur of driving, talking non stop
about cars and life, and driving in blasts around orange witches hats. We saw
some beautiful parts of Victoria, met some great people and had a lot of fun on
an event which will be bigger and better next year.
I realise there are a few certainties when competing like this with
Peter.
Firstly, you will see him sign a ton of autographs. Secondly, this will make
you late to each stage and lastly, it is a great experience to sit next to
Australia’s best all-time touring car driver.
We win the event after all that, and I must admit that it was nice to have
Peter congratulate me publicly on a good job as co-driver at the awards dinner.
We both get handed the microphone. I remark that I was more ballast than
co-driver, we collect our trophy, and leave early to make our way into Adelaide
for the Clipsal 500.
Wow. What a week!
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