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Driver
For Hire |
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During
a long and varied career, Allan raced a number of different cars for
various teams. Elsewhere on this site, some of these drives have been
documented, however, there have also been many one-off drives which
are fascinating to look back on. |
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Works
Rallycross Cortina » |
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Works
Capri RS2600 » |
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Works
BMW CSL » |
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Theodoracopulos
Capri RS3100 » |
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Bob
Morris A9X Torana » |
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HDT
Commodore » |
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Jerry
Wright IMSA RX7 » |
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Dick
Barbour Porsche 935 » |
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Lee
Mueller IMSA RX7 » |
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Works
Mazda 254 GTP » |
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Works
Rallycross Cortina: |
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During
the early 1970s Allan was extremely busy as a Ford works driver. As
well as the factory GTHO, he campaigned the Mustang and Super Falcon
in the ATCC, tested an Elfin F5000, ran a works Mk11 Cortina in Rallycross
and raced a works Mk 1 Escort in Sports Sedan races. |
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The
Cortina was a Mk 11, slightly more powerful but heavier version of
the original Lotus Cortina with which Allan began racing in the US.
Although heavier, it was a little more refined than the original Lotus
Cortina and was used in the various Ford rally programs around the
world. |
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Under
the Ford Australia Motorsports program, the works team built up two
of the cars for the 1969 Australian Rally Championship. Various works
drivers including Frank Kilfoyle, Bruce Hodgson and others rallied
these. |
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Rallycross
had become popular at circuits such as Calder and Catalina. |
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Ford
Competitions manager Al Turner decided to enter Kilfoyle in one of
the Cortinas for the Calder series. |
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As
a one-off, Allan took it over for the round, which coincided with
the 1970 Ampol Round Australia Trial. It was a great success as he
won the round, breaking a string of seconds for the car. |
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Late
in 1973, the Cologne works Ford team sent a two-car RS2600 Capri
team to the Fuji Tourist Trophy race in Japan. The drivers were
to be Jochen Mass, Dieter Glemser, Toine Hezemans and Jackie Stewart,
however Stewart had announced his retirement on 14 October and a
replacement was required. |
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Allan
was just coming off a hugely successful year, having won the ATCC
and the Hardie Ferodo 1000. He had also won the Macao Guia touring
car race in Teddy Yip’s RS2600 so he was a natural to be drafted
into the team. |
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The
Tourist Trophy was a 500-mile event for Group 2 cars and the Capris
would be up against a mix of semi-works and privateer Mazda RX3s,
Toyota Celicas and Nissan Skylines. |
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The
Mass/Glemser car took pole and the Hezemans/Moffat car was fourth
on the grid. |
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The
Japanese rules allowed the Capris to be fitted with spoilers and Ford
was trying them at Fuji for the first time. They were less than successful,
so the rear spoilers were removed and shortly before the race the
front spoilers were also taken off. |
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The
race was started in a modified Le Mans style. The co-drivers had to
run across the track and touch the car, before the car could start
the race. |
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Hezemans
did not wait for Allan to touch their car before taking off and was
black-flagged. The stop/go penalty cost him dearly and he fell well
back from the leaders. |
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By
pushing hard in the early stages Hezemans/Moffat were in third place
by lap 34. The Mass/Glemser car had a lead of two minutes over the
rest of the field. At half distance the Capris pitted and temporarily
surrendered their lead to the Japanese. Unfortunately for Allan a
wheel bearing failure put his car out of the race on lap 71 but Mass/Glemser
went on to win. |
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Works
BMW CSL: |
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In
1975 Allan was invited to drive for the BMW Competitions Department
at the upcoming Sebring 12-Hours. |
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Up
until that period, Ford’s Capris and BMW’s CSLs had been
in fierce competition in Europe. Allan was given the go ahead by Ford
to join the BMW team. BMW had two cars entered for the race with Hans
Stuck and Brian Redman as the lead drivers. Sam Posey and Allan would
be the co-drivers. |
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The
Greenwood/Thompson Corvette led the early stages of the race followed
by Stuck, Gregg and Redman. Greenwood dropped out with gearbox problems
and Gregg collided with another car, leaving the BMWs running 1-2.
When Stuck’s car lost its engine, Moffat and Redman took the
lead with a huge gap over the Porsche in second place. BMW re-assessed
their strategy putting Stuck and Posey in to share the driving duties
with Moffat and Redman. |
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The
car ran like clockwork and they won the race by three laps, the biggest
international win of Allan’s career to that time. |
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Theodoracopulos
Capri RS3100: |
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Later
in 1975 Allan was back in the US and was offered another IMSA drive,
this time in a Capri. |
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His
old rival Horst Kwech was looking after an RS3100 Capri for shipping
magnate Harry Theodoracopulos. |
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The
Capri started life as an RS2600 but given the liberal IMSA rules,
was quicker than Allan’s own Capri. |
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He
was offered a co-drive in a Camel GT Challenge race, the Riverside
Six-Hours. |
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After
testing at Riverside, Allan’s times were close to those set
earlier by Stuck in the BMW. |
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Engine
problems in practice saw Allan qualify fourth. He started the race,
passed one of the leading BMWs, but a valve seat fell out and blew
the engine after only 12 laps. |
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Bob
Morris A9X Torana: |
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In
1979, the Amaroo Park Promoters decided to run a series as an addition
to the ATCC round, which would primarily feature local Sydney drivers. |
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Bob
Morris in the Breville sponsored Ron Hodgson Torana A9X was the man
to beat on his home track and the team had two cars. Usually the car
was only brought out for Bathurst, but the ARDC persuaded the team
to start the second car with Allan as driver. |
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Naturally
this had the desired effect and created a lot of publicity. Allan
had never before raced a Holden touring car product and it reinforced
that at the end of the day he was first and foremost a professional
driver, not necessarily a Ford driver. With the Ron Hodgson cars being
dominant in the series, Morris and Moffat were able to share the heat
wins between them. |
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HDT
Commodore: |
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When
1980 rolled around, Allan was not a competitor in the ATCC. The attempted
homologation of the RX7 had fallen through and he appeared to be without
a drive for Sandown and Bathurst. |
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A
deal was put together and suddenly came the shock announcement that
for the Sandown 400, Allan would be driving the No.25 HDT Commodore.
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Brock
and Moffat made it an all HDT front row. Brock won the start of the
race and Allan followed in second until lap 42 when, after sliding
wide, he hit a barrier and had to pit as the guard was rubbing badly
on the tyre. After rejoining the race he pitted again to a have some
lose wheel nuts tightened. He was now a lap down but worked his way
through the field to eventually finish the race third. |
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Jerry
Wright IMSA RX7: |
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As
a result of testing the Jerry Wright IMSA RX7 in April 1979 in Washington,
Allan was offered a drive with the team in the 1980 Daytona 24-Hours.
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Entered
under the JLC (Jerry’s Little Car) Racing banner, his co-drivers
were Amos Johnson and Stu Fisher. |
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The
Mazda was not up to the speed of outright cars like the Porsche 935s,
but the plan was to be still running strong at the end of the 24-Hours.
Bill Whittington’s Porsche took pole whilst the Mazda was forty
second. |
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Allan
drove the first three-hour stint, working his way up to twentieth
before handing over to Fisher. The Mazda continued to climb, and was
up to thirteenth by the time Allan got back in. |
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By
now the strain of long distance racing had taken its toll on the track,
which was littered with broken panels and greasy from oil. Just as
day was dawning Allan handed the car over to Johnson. He was in eighth
place |
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Johnson
was caught out when a spinning car hit him, causing electrical problems.
He returned to the pits but the car came to a standstill shortly after
he rejoined the race. |
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The
Whittington Bros had led most of the race, but retired after seventeen
hours and handed the race to another 935 in the hands of Stommolen/Merl/Jost. |
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Allan
managed to get another drive in the car, this time in Australia. To
assist his evaluation of the RX7, he borrowed the IMSA RX7 and contested
the 1980 Australian Sports Sedan Championship at Sandown. |
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Dick
Barbour Porsche 935: |
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American
car dealer Dick Barbour was taking a pair of 935s to Le Mans in June
1980. Allan was asked to drive in the team’s second car alongside
Bobby Rahal and Bob Garretson. Barbour, Brian Redman and John Fitzpatrick
were to share the lead car, which was a new Kremer-built 935 with
all the latest gear. |
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Rahal
qualified the car fifteenth fastest, however, Allan had set fifth
quickest time in an impressive performance when the track was damp. |
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The
935s were extremely fast but needed to pit for fuel every 55 minutes.
The French Rondeaus weren’t as quick but were able to stay out
for 85 minutes. Fitzpatrick, Rahal and Stuck all had good starts,
but early fuel stops by the Porsches dropped them down the order.
Rahal completed two stints before handing over to Allan. |
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Garretson
and Rahal did two more stints each before Allan got back in with the
car running well in fifth place behind Jacky Ickx. Both Barbour Porsches
were the leading 935s. |
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Unfortunately
during Garretson’s next stint the engine melted a piston and
the car was wheeled away. Victory was taken by the French Rondeau
of Jean Rondeau and John-Paul Jaussard, whilst second home was the
Porsche 908/80 of Ickx and Jost. |
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Lee
Mueller IMSA RX7: |
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In
1982 Allan was invited to share a GTU class RX7 with Lee Mueller and
Kathy Rude in the Daytona 24-Hours. Handling problems affected the
car during practice and prevented a good qualifying time. |
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Mueller
was the lead driver and completed a double driving stint after starting
the race. By the time he handed over to Allan it was dark. Unfortunately
a Porsche 935 ran into the Mazda causing some panel damage. Nevertheless,
the car continued to run well and the team of drivers worked their
way through the field as high as fifth outright. It was the clear
leader in the GTU category. The team brought the RX7 in for some brake
work to ensure the class win and sixth outright. |
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Works
Mazda 254 GTP: |
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Several
months after the good result at Daytona in 1982 Allan received another
offer of a drive, - this time at the Le Mans 24-Hours with the Mazda
works team in the GTX category. |
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The
car, whilst considered an RX7, was a highly modified sports-racing
vehicle designated the Mazda 254 and was Mazda’s first official
entry at Le Mans. Sharing the car were Japanese factory drivers Yojiro
Terada and Takashi Yorino. |
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The
car had qualified near the back of the grid. |
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Allan
took the wheel just before dark in the race, after Terada and Yorino
had completed their stints. By the end of his session the Mazda was
up to seventeenth place. |
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He
was back for his second drive earlier than expected and had the car
up to thirteenth by the 12-hour mark when he came in for a scheduled
stop. |
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A
pad change saw the Mazda drop back to 16th place and they lost more
time when the gearbox had to be replaced. Back out on the track they
managed to make up some places and finished fourteenth outright and
sixth in the GTX category. |
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