Bruce McPhee
Encyclopedia
Bruce Alexander McPhee was a former Australia
n motor racing driver.
He is most famous for winning the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500
(now the Bathurst 1000
), defeating both the Holden and Ford factory teams. He drove a Holden Monaro
GTS327 painted yellow and black stripes with the number 13. His co-driver, who drove just one lap that day, was Barry Mulholland
. McPhee would later claim in Australian Muscle Car magazine that an attempt to sabotage his Monaro was made the night before the race. As the race cars were road registered in that era, McPhee had driven the car back to his motel in Bathurst
for the night. When he came out on race morning to fill the car with petrol, a number of tree leaves floated to the top of the filler. Luckily this was found before any damage would have put the car out of the race.
McPhee entered the 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500
originally intending to run one of the new Monaro GTS350's but when he received no help from Holden
to do so he instead drove a privately-entered XW Ford Falcon GTHO. Driving with Mulholland who again only drove one lap, the McPhee Falcon finished a close second at Bathurst to the Colin Bond
/Tony Roberts
HDT
Monaro GTS350. Many, including HDT boss Harry Firth
, believe that if not for a late stop for fuel, McPhee and Mulholland would have won in '69 and made it back to back Bathurst 500's. McPhee briefly joined the Ford works team
for the 1970 Hardie-Ferodo 500. His car running near perfect at the end of the 500 miles, McPhee finished second after following team orders not to pass lead Ford driver Allan Moffat
.
As well as the 1968 outright win in the Holden Monaro, McPhee finished on the podium at Bathurst in 1963
(3rd) in a Ford Cortina Mk.I GT (the first year the race was run at Mt. Panorama
), 1965
(2nd) in a Ford Cortina Mk.I GT500, 1966
(3rd) in a Morris Cooper S, 1969
(2nd) in a XW Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I and 1970
(2nd) in a XW Ford Falcon GTHO Phase II giving him an excellent Bathurst history.
McPhee also claimed the 1968 Bathurst pole position giving him the dual honour of being the first Bathurst race winner for Holden and the first Bathurst pole position winner for Holden.
McPhee lived the majority of his life on the NSW Central Coast
until his death on 22 September 2009 at the age of 82.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n motor racing driver.
He is most famous for winning the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500
1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500
The 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was the ninth running of the Bathurst 500 production car race. It was held on 6 October 1968 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
(now the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
), defeating both the Holden and Ford factory teams. He drove a Holden Monaro
Holden Monaro
The Holden Monaro is an automobile that was produced by GM Holden Ltd, an Australian subsidiary of General Motors, between 1968 and 1977 and between 2001 and 2005...
GTS327 painted yellow and black stripes with the number 13. His co-driver, who drove just one lap that day, was Barry Mulholland
Barry Mulholland
Barry Mulholland was an Australian racing driver.While a skilled racing driver, Mulholland was more infamously known as Bruce McPhee's 'contractual obligation' co-driver...
. McPhee would later claim in Australian Muscle Car magazine that an attempt to sabotage his Monaro was made the night before the race. As the race cars were road registered in that era, McPhee had driven the car back to his motel in Bathurst
Bathurst, New South Wales
-CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments...
for the night. When he came out on race morning to fill the car with petrol, a number of tree leaves floated to the top of the filler. Luckily this was found before any damage would have put the car out of the race.
McPhee entered the 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500
1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500
The 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was the tenth running of the Bathurst 500 production car race. It was held on 5 October 1969 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
originally intending to run one of the new Monaro GTS350's but when he received no help from Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
to do so he instead drove a privately-entered XW Ford Falcon GTHO. Driving with Mulholland who again only drove one lap, the McPhee Falcon finished a close second at Bathurst to the Colin Bond
Colin Bond
Colin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...
/Tony Roberts
Tony Roberts (racing driver)
Anthony Roberts, , was an Australian race and rally driver.Roberts won the 1968 Sandown 3 Hours with Bob Watson, giving the Holden Monaro a debut victory...
HDT
Holden Dealer Team
The Holden Dealer Team was Holden’s semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1987, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s...
Monaro GTS350. Many, including HDT boss Harry Firth
Harry Firth
Harry L. Firth is an Australian former racing driver and team manager. Firth was a leading race and rally driver during the 1950s and 1960s and continued as an influential team manager well into the 1970s...
, believe that if not for a late stop for fuel, McPhee and Mulholland would have won in '69 and made it back to back Bathurst 500's. McPhee briefly joined the Ford works team
Ford Works Team (Australia)
The Ford Works Team was a former Australian motor racing team that was supported by the Ford Motor Company of Australia. The team was formed in 1962 and was wound up when Ford withdrew from motor racing at the end of 1973...
for the 1970 Hardie-Ferodo 500. His car running near perfect at the end of the 500 miles, McPhee finished second after following team orders not to pass lead Ford driver Allan Moffat
Allan Moffat
Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000...
.
As well as the 1968 outright win in the Holden Monaro, McPhee finished on the podium at Bathurst in 1963
1963 Armstrong 500
The 1963 Armstrong 500 was the fourth running of the Armstrong 500 touring car race. It was held on 6 October 1963. After the 1962 race, the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit was too damaged to continue to stage the race, forcing it to move to a new location, the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside...
(3rd) in a Ford Cortina Mk.I GT (the first year the race was run at Mt. Panorama
Mount Panorama Circuit
Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October...
), 1965
1965 Armstrong 500
The 1965 Armstrong 500 was the sixth running of the Bathurst 500 touring car race. It was held on 3 October 1965 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
(2nd) in a Ford Cortina Mk.I GT500, 1966
1966 Gallaher 500
The 1966 Gallaher 500 was an endurance motor race for production cars, held on 2 October 1966 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales in Australia. It was the seventh running of the Bathurst 500 race and the first time that the event had been staged under the Gallaher...
(3rd) in a Morris Cooper S, 1969
1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500
The 1969 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was the tenth running of the Bathurst 500 production car race. It was held on 5 October 1969 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
(2nd) in a XW Ford Falcon GTHO Phase I and 1970
1970 Hardie-Ferodo 500
The 1970 Hardie-Ferodo 500 was the twelfth running of the Bathurst 500 touring car race. It was held on 4 October 1970 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst...
(2nd) in a XW Ford Falcon GTHO Phase II giving him an excellent Bathurst history.
McPhee also claimed the 1968 Bathurst pole position giving him the dual honour of being the first Bathurst race winner for Holden and the first Bathurst pole position winner for Holden.
McPhee lived the majority of his life on the NSW Central Coast
Central Coast, New South Wales
The Central Coast is an urban region in the Australian state of New South Wales, located on the coast north of Sydney and south of Lake Macquarie....
until his death on 22 September 2009 at the age of 82.
Further reading
- Barry Lake, Solitary Man, Bruce McPhee 1927–2009, Motor Racing Australia, Dec/Jan 2009–2010