Wayne Gardner Racing
Encyclopedia
Wayne Gardner Racing was a short-lived Australian motor racing team that competed in Touring Car
events from 1994 to 1999.
who retired from motor cycle racing at the end of the 1992 season. After a single year racing with the Holden Racing Team
in 1993 Gardner and HRT parted company with Gardner purchasing Bob Forbes Racing and expanding to field two Holden Commodore VPs with Neil Crompton
coming as part of the deal to race the second car. The primary sponsor was that of soft-drink Coca-Cola
. Initially operating out of Bob Forbes' Mona Vale premises the team relocated to Wetherill Park in Sydney's west. Former Gibson Motorsport manager Alan Heaphy was appointed team manager.
After struggling mid-pack in its first season the team began to emerge with near-front running results. Third and fifth places at the 1995 Tooheys 1000
at Bathurst would be the teams best performance at the signature Australian endurance event. During 1996 the team scaled back to one car, although 2 cars were fielded in the endurance races. After winning the opening round of the 1997 Australian Touring Car Championship, the team closed at the end of the year.
Gardner retained one VS and with Melbourne based Paris Alcot overseeing preparation, ran at select high-profile events races in 1998 teaming with Paul Stokell for the endurance races. For 1999 Gardner purchased a Perkins Motorsport customer Commodore VT and entered select high-profile events with David Brabham co-driving at Bathurst. By 1999 Gardner was competing full-time in Japanese GT racing
driving factory-supported Toyota Supras and he only appeared in Australia as a hired driver after the 1999 Bathurst 1000.
s and Holden VS Commodore
s under the WGR Group A brand. It was to be short-lived with few cars sold.
Touring car racing
Touring car racing is a general term for a number of distinct auto racing competitions in heavily-modified street cars. It is notably popular in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Japan, Scandinavia and Britain.-Characteristics of a touring car:...
events from 1994 to 1999.
History
The team was created to further the motor sport career of 1987 World Motorcycle Champion, Wayne GardnerWayne Gardner
Wayne Michael Gardner OAM is a former Grand Prix motorcycle road racer and touring car racer. His most notable achievement was winning the 1987 500 cc Motorcycle World Championship, becoming the first Australian to win motorcycling's premier class...
who retired from motor cycle racing at the end of the 1992 season. After a single year racing with the Holden Racing Team
Holden Racing Team
The Holden Racing Team is a Melbourne based motor racing team. HRT is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team in the history of the category, having won the drivers championship six times, and the series signature race the Bathurst 1000 seven times...
in 1993 Gardner and HRT parted company with Gardner purchasing Bob Forbes Racing and expanding to field two Holden Commodore VPs with Neil Crompton
Neil Crompton
Neil Crompton is a well-known V8 Supercars presenter and commentator for Australia's Channel Seven, having previously worked in a similar role at Network Ten...
coming as part of the deal to race the second car. The primary sponsor was that of soft-drink Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
. Initially operating out of Bob Forbes' Mona Vale premises the team relocated to Wetherill Park in Sydney's west. Former Gibson Motorsport manager Alan Heaphy was appointed team manager.
After struggling mid-pack in its first season the team began to emerge with near-front running results. Third and fifth places at the 1995 Tooheys 1000
1995 Tooheys 1000
The 1995 Tooheys 1000 was the 36th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 1, 1995 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. The race was held for cars eligible under CAMS Group 3A 5.0 Litre Touring Car regulations, that later became known as V8Supercars...
at Bathurst would be the teams best performance at the signature Australian endurance event. During 1996 the team scaled back to one car, although 2 cars were fielded in the endurance races. After winning the opening round of the 1997 Australian Touring Car Championship, the team closed at the end of the year.
Gardner retained one VS and with Melbourne based Paris Alcot overseeing preparation, ran at select high-profile events races in 1998 teaming with Paul Stokell for the endurance races. For 1999 Gardner purchased a Perkins Motorsport customer Commodore VT and entered select high-profile events with David Brabham co-driving at Bathurst. By 1999 Gardner was competing full-time in Japanese GT racing
Super GT
The Super GT series, formerly known as the All-Japan Grand Touring Car Championship or JGTC , is a grand touring car race series promoted by the GT-Association...
driving factory-supported Toyota Supras and he only appeared in Australia as a hired driver after the 1999 Bathurst 1000.
Road cars
At the peak of the team's ability Gardner branched out into street car performance tuning, creating a set of bodykit and engine tune modifications for Holden VR CommodoreHolden VR Commodore
The Holden VR Commodore of July 1993 came with an updated, sleeker and more modern design, as well as safety enhancements such as anti-lock brakes . From the side, the biggest change was the use of a round rear wheelarch, instead of a squared-off shape used on the previous VN and VP model Commodores...
s and Holden VS Commodore
Holden VS Commodore
The Holden VS Commodore, released in 1995, was the ninth model of the Holden Commodore, a large car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors. The VS Commodore served as a mechanical update of the second generation architecture, destined to assist sales before the all-new VT model...
s under the WGR Group A brand. It was to be short-lived with few cars sold.