1976 Hardie-Ferodo 1000

The 1976 Hardie-Ferodo 1000 was the 17th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on 3 October 1976 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia. The race was open to cars eligible to the locally developed CAMS Group C touring car regulations.

The race was dramatically won by the Ron Hodgson Motors entered Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 of Bob Morris and British driver John Fitzpatrick. The car slowed in the final laps trailing smoke but made to the finish. Television commentators and motoring journalists reported at the time that the Torana had broken an axle plus was having engine problems which accounted for the smoke. It was only later did the teams chief mechanic Bruce Richardson discover that there was no broken axle or engine trouble. What was actually slowing the car was a blown gearbox oil seal. The oil was leaking out onto the clutch causing it to slip badly. Second on the same lap was Holden Dealer Team Torana L34 of Colin Bond and John Harvey. Peter Janson and Kevin Bartlett completed a second consecutive podium clean sweep for the Torana L34. In fact, Torana L34's filled the top seven finishers.

The competitors in the over three litre class included ex-Formula 1 drivers Jack Brabham and Stirling Moss, in a Torana L34 entered by Esmonds Motors of Queanbeyan. Brabham was driving competitively for the first time since 1971, and Moss had not competed in a circuit race since his Goodwood crash in 1962. The two former Grand Prix stars attracted much publicity and ultimately qualified tenth. However, their race effectively ended when Brabham lined up to take the start; the Torana’s gears became jammed on the grid and a Triumph Dolomite Sprint rammed it hard from behind (in his attempt to find a gear, Jack had failed to put his arm out the window to warn other drivers). Although the Torana was hastily repaired, and reappeared several hours later simply for appearances, it eventually blew its motor with Moss at the wheel. Unfortunately Moss attracted criticism from other drivers after the Torana's engine blew as he continued to drive the car on the racing line for ¾ of a lap, with smoke billowing from the exhaust and dropping oil on the track.

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