Mark Petch Motorsport
| Manufacturer | Volvo Ford BMW Holden |
|---|---|
| Team Principal | Mark Petch |
| Race Drivers | Robbie Francevic Michel Delcourt John Bowe Thomas Lindström Leo Leonard Armin Hahne G Brancatelli Robb Gravett Brett Riley Kayne Scott Greg Murphy Ashley Stitchbury |
| Chassis | Volvo 240T Ford XR4Ti BMW M3 Ford Sierra RS500 Ford Falcon AU Holden Commodore VZ Ford Falcon BA |
| Debut | 1985 |
| Drivers' Championships | 3 |
Mark Petch Motorsport was a motor racing team that competed in Australian and New Zealand motorsport.
History
Mark Petch Motorsport was formed in 1985 by former New Zealand National Championship winner Mark Petch.[1] A Volvo 240T was imported from Belgium and debuted at the 1985 Wellington 500 with Robbie Francevic and Michel Delcourt taking victory.[2][3][4] Francevic then drove the car in the 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship recording wins at Symmons Plains and Oran Park before teaming with John Bowe at the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.[5][6][7][8]
Francevic drove the 240T to victories in the opening two rounds of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship, with the team's Australian assets then sold to the Volvo Dealer Team.[9][8] Mark Petch Motorsport purchased an ex Andy Rouse Engineering Ford XR4Ti, with Francevic driving the car at the 1986 Bathurst 1000.[10][11]
In 1987, Mark Petch Motorsport purchased the CiBiEmme BMW M3 raced by Johnny Cecotto and Gianfranco Brancatelli at the 1987 Bathurst 1000.[12] In 1988, Mark Petch purchased a Wolf Racing Ford Sierra RS500 with Armin Hahne co-driving at the Bathurst 1000 and Wellington 500.[13][14][15]
In 1989, Francevic competed in two rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship before being joined by Gianfranco Brancatelli at Bathurst and Wellington.[16][17] In 1990, the car was raced at Bathurst by Brancatelli and Robb Gravett.[18]
In 1991, the Sierra was raced at Wellington by Brett Riley and Kayne Scott[19] and in 1992 by Scott and Greg Murphy.[20] A second Sierra was purchased from Dick Johnson Racing at the end of 1991.[21]
Mark Petch Motorsport later became involved in New Zealand TraNZam racing and the New Zealand V8 Series winning the latter three times before being disbanded at the end of 2009.[1]
References
- ^ a b About Us Autoquip
- ^ Mark Petch: Setting the Record Straight Auto Action issue 376 26 July 1985 pages 20, 21, 35
- ^ Volvo 240 Turbo Group A 240 Group
- ^ Saturday Sleuthing: Francevic's Volvo title winner V8 Supercars 9 August 2014
- ^ Normoyle, Steve (1986). The Great Race 5. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
- ^ Twin Peaks NZ Classic Car
- ^ Robbie Francevic Speedcafe 2 December 2011
- ^ a b Australia's most iconic Volvo racecar Speedcafe 10 June 2013
- ^ Big program announced for Volvo Dealer Team Auto Action issue 393 21 March 1986 page 3
- ^ Petch in the race for action Canberra Times 3 October 1986 page 3
- ^ Normoyle, Steve (1987). The Great Race 6. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
- ^ Petch buys CiBiEmme car Auto Action issue 433 9 October 1987 page 3
- ^ Naismith, Barry (April 1989). Bathurst 1988. Glen Waverley: Garry Sparke & Associates. ISBN 0 908 081 677.
- ^ Normoyle, Steve (1989). The Great Race 8. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
- ^ Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1988 touringcarracing.net
- ^ Normoyle, Steve (1990). The Great Race 9. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
- ^ Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1989 touringcarracing.net
- ^ Normoyle, Steve (1991). The Great Race 10. Hornsby: Chevron Publishing. ISSN 1031-6124.
- ^ Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1991 touringcarracing.net
- ^ Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1992 touringcarracing.net
- ^ Sierra - DJR4 Dick Johnson Racing
External links
Media related to Mark Petch Motorsport at Wikimedia Commons