Video: How to go from last to 1st at Bathurst
We’ve seen some extraordinary drives in motorsport when punctures do their best to ruin the party. Lewis Hamilton’s win at Silverstone in 2020 with only three functioning tyres springs to mind, as does Colin McRae’s heroic drive to victory, and the WRC title, at the RAC Rally in 1995. Jim Clark’s near-unbelievable fight through the field to third after a puncture put him a lap down at Monza in 1967 is a stunner, too. Today we’re taking a moment to look back at another monstrous drive, that of Larry Perkins in the 1995 Bathurst 1,000.
Perkins, starting third on the grid in his Castrol Perkins Racing Holden VR Commodore, clashed with Craig Lowndes on the opening lap of the race, an incident which ripped the valve away from a tyre and subsequently dropped him to the back of the 32-car field. After a pitstop Perkins emerged with the bit between his teeth, and with team-mate Russell Ignall, fought through the field over the following 160 laps to take the race win. It is a ridiculous drive, as you’ll see.
What makes it all the more ludicrous is that Perkins is able to drive flat-out while being interviewed by the TV commentators. That’s right, forget the warm-up lap chats or the cool-down driver of the day radio calls, Perkins is having a full-blown discussion while carving up and down Mount Panorama. “The car’s absolutely superb, not a problem in the world, just motoring along now, we’ve just got to get everything right from now on,” Perkins says calmly, as he dives down the inside of another car mere millimetres away from a concrete wall. Utter madness.
Welcome to Goodwood Elevenses, a mid-morning helping of motoring-related amusement to help break up your day. Watch the last video: Ferocious Ferrari F40 Touge attack
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