1985 ATCC R8 Lakeside JIM RICHARDS BMW 635

/ super100mph
Triple Bathurst winner Jim Richards won his first Australian Touring Car Championship driving a BMW 635 CSi entered by JPS Team BMW. Defending series champion Dick Johnson finished 2nd in his Ford Mustang, with Peter Brock finishing third in his near standard Holden Commodore. All Credit Channel 7 Sport
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1985_Aus...
The first round of the series also created history when for the first time since the ATCC was first held in 1960, no Holden of any sort was on the grid. The race also saw the first ever ATCC race win by a BMW with Richards winning by a lap from his JPS team mate Neville Crichton. Volvo also joined the winners list when Kiwi Robbie Francevic won Round 3 at Symmons Plains in Tasmania in his Volvo 240T. Still a resident of Auckland, Francevic's win also saw him become the first non-Australian resident to win an ATCC race.

[@charleyfarley9366]

Love the way these early group A cars slide in and out of nearly every corner. The variety of makes and models during the group A and C periods was great. Still miss it.

[@b577960]

Jim Richards, such a lovely bloke. I met him once such a gentleman. The BMW is gorgeous.

[@dj17q]

Probably the closest the Dickie Johnson Group A Stang ever get to win a round of ATCC. That black bimmer, despite not as powerful as the little green Ford, just goes like a real race car. Unbelievable. Not to mention Gentleman Jum is a bloody good driver... he sure knew how to drive a BMW!!! Great video. Cheers.

[@zildog]

STAGGERING. Dick was cracking jokes while chasing tail in the middle of the race... holy SHIT that is amazing...

[@markhobson5769]

This was first year of Channel 7's coverage of the ATCC in 1985 after the ATCC had spent a quarter of a century on the ABC from 1960-1984.

[@chow729]

good to see different makes of cars racing, makes interesting comparison how they ride into and out of corners.

[@vgrande666]

amazing race and driving

[@slambo70]

Such a smooth driver in such a beautiful car.

[@davidm5867]

What an awesome race, this was the best era in Australian Motorsport

[@Holden308]

Even 31 years later I still can't figure out how Jim Keogh was classed as a rookie when he had been racing touring cars since the 70's.

[@southerndiy1]

3:04 silky smooth pass

[@Holden308]

This was the race that was pretty much the last straw for Larry Perkins at the HDT. Perkins' contract with the team as race team manager and chief engineer said that he had final say as to what actually went onto the race cars. After this race he opened the bonnet of the #7 Commodore and found something he really didn't like.....an Energy Polarizer. Apparently Perkins blew his stack over it and had a big barney with Brock over it and it was only a week or two after this race that Larry left the HDT.

[@davidm5867]

An interesting story Holden308, LP has a great channel on here with his son, I’m sure you already knew that, he is a brilliant engineer and he was a great asset to the GMH family over the years

[@geraldlohrisch2656]

The biggest BMW 635 engine was a 3.5L straight six.
The v8 mustang got its butt kicked by a real race car and a better driver.