Through the years

We are already imagining watching the Craven Mild HJ Monaro GTS being put through its paces by someone like Craig Lowndes…

The Ian Geoghegan Monaro would play a role in the evolution of what today is the powerhouse racing team known as Garry Rogers Motorsport. Garry Rogers bought the car in 1977, to replace his previous Sports Sedan, a Ford Escort with twin-cam BDA power. While the rapid little Escort was a step up from the early-model Holden Sports Sedans Rogers had raced on and off since the mid-‘60s, the Monaro was in another league. As a driver, it elevated Rogers to the national stage, and it helped pave the way for his move into touring car racing, with a Torana A9X.

Rogers sold it the Monaro to Phil Lucas in 1979, who teamed up with another Phil (Ward) with another John Sheppard-built Monaro (the ex-Bob Jane car). Lucas raced it only for a short time before selling it to Bob Stevens (our featured Muscle Man in AMC #119). Stevens did a lot of work in strengthening the chassis – its structural integrity had been compromised by previous owners’ attempts to strip weight out of the car. Stevens raced it with some success in NSW Sports Sedan racing before selling it at the end of 1984 to fellow Sydneysider Mike Bignall. After that it went to Western Australia where Allan McCarthy campaigned it in local Sports Sedan racing before selling it to Graham McMinn. Collector McMinn had planned to restore the car to original specs but ended up instead selling it to Kerry Turley in 2006.