The 2022 racing season is finally over, now is a great time to regroup and reflect.
From my perspective, it was a decent season. Second overall in the Touring Car Masters, in my mighty little Torana A9X 4 door competing in its 7th season. Although, like most race cars, almost all the components are replaced from time to time.
Motorsport is full of ups and downs, which I accept, but I have to say that a $20 high-intensity rain light that failed in wet at Bathurst ultimately caused me to be black-flagged and cost me the championship.
Crazy as it sounds, it's true. A $20 part!
The Touring Car Masters champion is Ryan Hansford, a very deserving winner and a good bloke. I was good friends with his late father, and he appears to have inherited all his skill.
I would be remiss not to mention the final Supercar race of the season, the Adelaide 500. Played out as always in two halves, 250 kilometres on Saturday and 250 kilometres on Sunday, a very torrid event for cars and, more so, for the drivers. I did many of those races in my Supercar time; with cockpit temps around 60 Degrees Celsius, it's very tough to back up the second day.
Much was made of the last race for Holden. Although there is not much Holden in today's cars other than the grille and the mirrors. But Holden as a brand has been a mainstay of our motor racing scene since the early sixties.
As a kid, I religiously followed heroes like Norm Beechey and Brian Muir as they demonstrated the ability of the EH Holden and, of course, Colin Bond, Peter Brock, Allan Grice and Bob Morris, later on, who excited us with racing Toranas of many iterations. The Walkinshaw HRT had a boom period in the late 90s and 2000s, while 888 carried the baton with Jamie Whincup winning 7 championships and now Shane van Gisbergen just winning his third. All in Holden badged cars.
Holden was a big part of lots of our lives. Many folks purchased and drove them and are still staunch and loyal Holden fans. But quite honestly, I feel like Holden deserted their loyalists and dealers when they shut up shop and left Australia's Holden faithful with just memories. I would be interested in your opinion.
RIP Holden.
I would like to wish all my Shannons family a very happy and safe festive season, and I look forward to seeing you around the car events and tracks next year.
Thank you so much for your support and friendship.
Merry Christmas, everyone.
JB
