Cat. No. DVDS 1154: COMMODORE - THE EARLY BATHURST YEARS: 1980-1983. CHEVRON 104961-9.

COLOUR                RUNNING TIME: 105 MINS.

REVIEW: The early 1980s was truly a golden era for Holden as it introduced its new model Commodore to Australian racing tracks with the Holden Dealer Team and privateers using the model to perfection for Bathurst domination.

After sealing the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1980 in Commodore’s debut at Mount Panorama, Peter Brock was forced to overcome an early touch with a slower car. He mounted a brilliant fight back from nearly a lap down to clinch his fifth Bathurst crown and third in a row in partnership with Jim Richards.

Aiming for a record fourth win in a row and with victory in the traditional Sandown warm-up event under their belt, Brock and Richards were stopped the following year by a mechanical problem. However, a major accident involving several cars on top of the Mountain prompted organisers to stop the race and award it to perennial Ford fighter Dick Johnson.

That only moved to spur on Holden, which bounced back with crushing efficiency in 1982. The V8 Falcons and Camaro, as well as the rotary Mazdas and turbocharged Nissans were no match for the Holden Commodore VC as it clean-swept the podium led by Brock and new partner Larry Perkins.

An upgrade to the VH model for 1983 gave Commodore runners an updated weapon to take to the Mountain and again the Aussie five-litre V8 overcame all challengers, despite Brock’s #05 car retiring in the race’s early stages. He and Perkins joined John Harvey to clinch victory in the HDT’s second card by a full lap, making history as the first three-driver crew to win the Bathurst 1000 and proving that winning Bathurst isn’t just a Holden thing – it’s a Commodore thing.

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