Falcon GT Nationals

20 May 2011 

We had a no shortage of car events we could have attended on over the Easter weekend in Qld, but our main focus was the GT Nationals event. Bowden?s Own was a proud Gold sponsor and we did our best to do as much as possible for all those who made the effort to come along with their Falcon GT?s for this weekend.

Perhaps the most signifcant image from the weekend.

We missed the big concours car show, but we heard there was no shortage of cars at this day! Some amazing cars were there, for me it would be too hard to pick just one winner. 

  

It was all a bit too much for John, in blue on the right. He had to break into a version of the Chicken Dance

On the Sunday we were not going to miss taking some of our best GTHO?s to the organised event at Lakeside Raceway, especially with the Legends Bo Seton, John French, Murray Carter and Fred Gibson all on hand to do a few laps in our cars.

 

  

The best bum in any GTHO.

We had our race GTHO convoy all leave from Buderim that morning and what an impressive sight. The Bathurst winning Phase 2 of Allan Moffat, John French?s 1971 Bathurst Phase 3 the immortal Phase 4 and on the back of the ex Moffat F-350 we had #9, Moffat?s 1973 championship winning Phase 3. To say we turned a few heads and got a few thumbs up on the way there was an understatement. Such a rare sight to see just one GT on the road and these 4 all in their racing livery created a few classic rubber neck moments!  I drove down in the Phase IV as a passenger with David at the wheel. Some great improvements in his health meant he had his first drive of his old girl in a long, long time.  Was really fantastic sharing the time with him as he told me a few more stories of his time owning the car when new. We recently gave it a full overhaul and it has never been running better, in fact Dad said it is the closest it has ever been to how it was when new. Very cool.

 

  

David, looking happy back in his old Phase IV.

Arriving at Lakeside is always pretty special, but with such a historic grouping of cars it really stirs something down deep inside. We were given a great area at the exit to pit lane and the Bowden?s Own team were already set-up, telling everyone about our car care range and why they should be using it over all the imported products that proliferate the market! If anyone ever needed a reason, we gave it to them this day by showing these four iconic beasts both in the pit display and later on the track. Events like this don?t pay for themselves and our car care range sales go a long way towards the cost of attending an event and running the cars at them.  So for the sake of using and supporting the best car care on the planet the offshoot is seeing some of the best cars as well. A good thing we think!

 

  

Casey and Pete with the finest car care in the world.

At lunch time the legend drivers made their way into the GTHO?s with Frenchy in his old Bathurst Phase 3, Gibson for his first time in our Phase IV, Carter in the Phase 2 and David with Chris Bowden in the #9 Phase 3. It was to be a few parade laps for the big crowd before coming back in, which they did.. However, upon returning to the pits we let them know they can go for a few more laps if they wished, just a bit harder this time out?The racers came out in them all, big grins adorned their faces as they all headed out for another dozen laps to the cheers of the GT loving crowds surrounding the track perimeter. Once David and Chris came back in from some spirited laps in the Moffat 1973 Group C spec Phase 3, I had the pleasure of taking our Mechanic Jason and later our car care girl Casey for a few laps too.  It is really great to get behind the wheel of this machine, especially at a demanding track like Lakeside, sensational to drive, even in the spirited parade laps here.

 

  

Gibson in the Phase 4, French in the 3, Carter in the 2 and David Bowden in the Moffat 3.

  

Over the back of Lakeside, it is Ho Heaven for the Ford Fans.

A sight that most Torana and Charger drivers saw back in the day. ;)

Dan gives Jason a fun few laps in the #9 Phase 3

 

Murray Carter somehow fitted his entire family in for a few laps!

 GTHO's idling and about to begin the parade laps.

 

Plus a heap more of them on the track, search and you will find thanks to youtube!

 

 

The cars all did their duty well, the Legend drivers even more so. We got them all home nice and safe in Buderim and began for the next two days with tours of the interstate GT attendee?s.  Each day was booked out and brilliant, really good to meet so many different people who share our passion. Judging by the faces in the crowds I think a fair few were happy with the entire weekend's events and our tour was a great finish to it all.

  

Legends in the shed, as part of the special tour we did for the interstate GT members.

 

Frenchy, Gibbo, David and Lee from FPV entertain the crowd.

For the weekend, our biggest thanks go to Bob and Jo Taylor, who helped us with the shed tours and Lakeside events massively, it would not have happened without their help, thanks guys. Likewise, thanks to our gun photog Mark Pryor for many of the great images you see here, Check our facebook page for even more shots from this fun weekend. And if you like the video's click here for some more GTHO goodness. Enjoy!
Love your GT's,
Dan Bowden  

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