Briggs Motor Sport
Encyclopedia
Briggs Motor Sport was an Australian motor racing team which has represented Queensland based businessman John Briggs in motor racing. The team has competed in Sports Sedans
, Formula Holden
and most publicly as a touring car team competing in the V8 Supercar Championship Series
. The team last competed in historic motor racing and the Australian GT Championship
but was folded at the end of the 2009 season.
in an Ford EF Falcon
for team owner John Briggs, in 1998 it campaigned a EL Falcon, a year later it expanded to a two car team with John Briggs driving an AU Falcon and executive of the team's leading sponsor, Supercheap Auto, Bob Thorn in the older EL Falcon from the year before. Part way through the 1999 season, Briggs bolstered his operation after purchasing the Perth based Precision Auto Engineering Motorsport team, absorbing the Caterpillar backed Ford of John Bowe
into the team. The team ran a single car for the next few seasons, the team sacking Bowe after Bathurst in 2001, replacing him with emerging New Zealand driver Simon Wills.
In 2002 the team expanded to three cars with Betta Electrical Fords for veteran Tony Longhurst
and Brazilian open wheel driver Max Wilson
. Both drivers were replaced in 2003 with Paul Radisich
and Dean Canto
for the 2003 season, but by August Briggs had sold the V8 Supercar operation to British outfit Triple Eight Race Engineering
, to establiish an Australian arm of the race team.
Briggs stepped back from professional racing at this point and spent several years away from the sport before investing in some historic racing cars, highlighted by the return of the 1985 VesKanda-Chevrolet sports car to race tracks in 2007. Since then Briggs has expanded his operation into the Australian GT Championship
, driving and importing Mosler
s.
After a diagnosis of prostate cancer, Briggs recently announced his retirement from competitive motorsports.
Australian Sports Sedan Championship
The Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of cars complying with Australian Sports Sedan regulations...
, Formula Holden
Formula Holden
Formula Holden was an Australian open wheel racing category.-History:Known during its development as Formula Australia, it was initially for chassis constructed from aluminium only, running a 3.8 litre Buick V6 engine as it was then utilised in the new versions of the Holden Commodore...
and most publicly as a touring car team competing in the V8 Supercar Championship Series
V8 Supercar
V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
. The team last competed in historic motor racing and the Australian GT Championship
Australian GT Championship
The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races...
but was folded at the end of the 2009 season.
V8 Supercars
Briggs Motor Sport made its debut in the 19971997 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1997 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 38th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to V8 Supercar specifications...
in an Ford EF Falcon
Ford EF Falcon
The Ford EF Falcon is a full-size car that was manufactured by the Ford Motor Company of Australia between 1994 and 1996. A total of 192,100 EF models were produced prior to replacement of the EF by the Ford EL Falcon in 1996.-Introduction and changes:...
for team owner John Briggs, in 1998 it campaigned a EL Falcon, a year later it expanded to a two car team with John Briggs driving an AU Falcon and executive of the team's leading sponsor, Supercheap Auto, Bob Thorn in the older EL Falcon from the year before. Part way through the 1999 season, Briggs bolstered his operation after purchasing the Perth based Precision Auto Engineering Motorsport team, absorbing the Caterpillar backed Ford of John Bowe
John Bowe (racing driver)
John Bowe is an Australian racing driver, presently racing a 1969 Ford Mustang in the historic series, Touring Car Masters....
into the team. The team ran a single car for the next few seasons, the team sacking Bowe after Bathurst in 2001, replacing him with emerging New Zealand driver Simon Wills.
In 2002 the team expanded to three cars with Betta Electrical Fords for veteran Tony Longhurst
Tony Longhurst
Tony Longhurst is an Australian former racing driver and Australian Champion water skier. He is most noted for his career in the Australian Touring Car Championship and V8 Supercar series....
and Brazilian open wheel driver Max Wilson
Max Wilson
Max Wilson, , is a racing driver of Brazilian parentage.He started his motor racing career in 1985 in go-karts...
. Both drivers were replaced in 2003 with Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich
Paul Radisich is a New Zealand racing driver of Croat origin. He has competed in saloon cars for many years - both European-style tourers and the V8 Supercars of Australia and New Zealand.-Early years:...
and Dean Canto
Dean Canto
Dean Justin Canto is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Best noted as a V8 Supercar driver, Canto was the inaugural winner of the second-tier V8 Supercar development series in 2000, and the first to become a multiple-champion five years later...
for the 2003 season, but by August Briggs had sold the V8 Supercar operation to British outfit Triple Eight Race Engineering
Triple 8 Race Engineering
Triple Eight Race Engineering is an auto racing team formed in 1996 to design, build and race Vauxhalls on behalf of the General Motors brand in the British Touring Car Championship . A close working alliance has developed during a decade of success and Triple Eight is now Vauxhall's technical...
, to establiish an Australian arm of the race team.
Briggs stepped back from professional racing at this point and spent several years away from the sport before investing in some historic racing cars, highlighted by the return of the 1985 VesKanda-Chevrolet sports car to race tracks in 2007. Since then Briggs has expanded his operation into the Australian GT Championship
Australian GT Championship
The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races...
, driving and importing Mosler
Mosler
Mosler Automotive is an American supercar manufacturer based in Florida. It was founded in 1985 by Warren Mosler as Consulier Industries, and manufactured the now-defunct Consulier GTP, which was later rebranded and updated as the Mosler Intruder/Raptor when the company spun off its automotive...
s.
After a diagnosis of prostate cancer, Briggs recently announced his retirement from competitive motorsports.