John Goss (race driver)

John Goss (b. 2 May 1943, Hobart, Tasmania) is the only Australian racing driver to win Australia's two most prestigious races, the Bathurst 1000 (twice, in 1974 and 1985), and the Australian Grand Prix (1976).

Early career

Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, Goss began racing in his home state in Holden FJs and Ford Customlines. He then built his own sports car, the Tornado Ford, which he took to the mainland with some success, scoring points in the Australian Sports Car Championship in both 1969 and 1970. He also raced Ford Falcon GTHOs in production car racing from 1969 and stayed loyal to Ford for much of his career.

Goss debuted at the Bathurst 500 in 1969 driving a McLeod Ford (with its distinctive yellow/black chequer windscreen strip) sponsored Ford Falcon GTHO, but Goss’s co-driver Dennis Cribbin crashed the Falcon at Forrest Elbow. In 1970 John Goss posted the fastest lap during the Bathurst 500 in his Falcon. The following year Goss won two rounds of the Toby Lee Series at Oran Park against such opposition as Colin Bond and Fred Gibson.

1972

Goss won the 1972 South Pacific Touring Car Series and the 1972 Sandown 250 endurance race, both in Series Production Ford Falcon GTHOs. He also put his Falcon on the front row of the grid at the Bathurst 500, qualifying 2nd fastest.

1973

With the Series Production class being replaced by the new Group C Touring Car class in 1973, Goss was the first driver to develop and race the new "XA" Falcon Hardtop. Unlike Series Production, the new Group C rules allowed considerable modifications. Goss obtained sponsorship from Shell and Max McLeod, a prominent Ford dealer in Rockdale, New South Wales - known for his "Horn cars" - as well as obtaining factory assistance from Ford Australia, who provided Goss with purpose-built XA racing chassis. Goss and Kevin Bartlett teamed up for the 1973 Hardie Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst and qualified on pole position, but failed to finish despite leading for much of the race.

1974

as their major sponsor - and proved to have the reliability needed to last through a race marred by driving rain, finishing first.

To celebrate the victory, Ford Australia released a limited edition XB Falcon Hardtop in 1975 called the John Goss Special. Actual production numbers of these cars were never released by Ford, but estimates range anywhere between 260 and 800 - they are now considered collectible.

1975

John won the Sandown Park round of the Tasman Series driving an Australian built Matich.

1976

John won the Australian Grand Prix at Sandown Park in Victoria, driving a Matich A53 Repco Holden.

1977 to 1984

From 1977 to 1979 Goss registered three ‘Did Not Finish’ results at Bathurst with 24 Hours of Le Mans winner Henri Pescarolo as co-driver. Then in 1980 Goss began campaigning the Jaguar XJ-S at Bathurst at first with no luck; but sharing a drive with influential Scottish team owner Tom Walkinshaw in 1984 would lead to a turnaround in fortune the following year.

1985

Goss' second and last Bathurst victory came in 1985 - with co-driver Armin Hahne - as a member of the Jaguar Racing Australia team, driving a Jaguar XJ-S. Fellow Jaguar driver and team owner, Tom Walkinshaw, finished third.

1986

Goss returned with his own privately entered XJ-S, co-driving with veteran Bob Muir. Numerous troubles saw them finish 24th outright after starting 26th.

1989

Goss drove for Glenn Seton Racing in a Ford Sierra RS500 with Glenn Seton and Tony Noske to finish 20th outright after starting 17th.

1990

Goss’s last Bathurst 1000 came in 1990 when he paired with Phil Ward in a Mercedes 190E to finish 12th outright and a class win after starting 38th.

References

*A History of Australian Motor Sport, © 1980
*Australian Competition Yearbook, 1977
*"Racing Car News" Champions, 1972
* [http://www.teamdan.com Team Dan]
* [http://www.camsmanual.com.au Cams Manual]