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Back in the 1960s and 1970s open wheelers were considered the premier category, being 'true' racing cars. Touring cars were thought of as modified family hacks.
In those days very little sponsorship could be displayed on the race car and touring cars were definitely considered the support category and sometimes found seeking sponsorship difficult.
It is in this setting I want to talk about a driver who was arguably the first super star of Australian tin tops - Norm Beechey, or 'Stormin Norman' as he was known, was twice Australian Touring Car Champion.
Beechey competed in a wide variety of cars from as far back as the Albert Park meeting that was held in conjunction with the Olympic Games in 1956.
In 1965 Beechey arguably changed the landscape of Touring Car Racing in Australia. Norm imported a Ford Mustang and won the Australian Touring Car Championship that year in his new Neptune Team Ford Mustang.
The Australian Touring Car Championship win at Sandown by the Neptune Team Ford Mustang was arguably the first major win for a Mustang anywhere in the world, certainly in circuit racing.
The Mustang was followed by a Chevy II Nova, a Chevrolet Camaro, a Holden Monaro GTS 327 and a Holden Monaro GTS 350.
My recollection of Norm Beechey was of his epic battles with Ian (Pete) Geoghegan in his almost invincible Total Team Ford Mustang at circuits like Catalina Park, Bathurst and Warwick Farm. Beechey, sideways with smoke pouring off the rear tyres at just about every corner. He was a showman and real crowd pleaser.
Beechey retired from racing at the end of the 1972 season. He was inducted into the V8 Supercars Hall of Fame in 2000. A true great of Australian motorsport.
TV commentators these days go berserk if a supercar gets slightly sideways or off line. Have a look at some video of the likes of Beechey, Geoghegan, Jane, Moffat, McKeown or Manton and company at the wheel - head out the window and sideways was the norm (no pun intended). O for the days of spectacular touring racing again........
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