Harry Firth

Harry Firth (born in Orbost, Victoria in 1918) is an Australian former racing driver and team manager. Firth was a leading race and rally driver during the 1950’s and 1960’s and continued as an influential team manager well into the 1970’s. Firth’s nickname was “the fox”, implying his use of cunning ploys as a team manager.

Firth won the Bathurst 500 (including its predecessor at Phillip Island) four times. He also won the Southern Cross Rally and the Australian Rally Championship.

Early years

After returning from service in World War II, Firth turned his attention to motorsport. He was involved in preparing the winning BMW 328 for the 1948 Australian Grand Prix (driven by Frank Pratt). In the 1950’s Firth successfully competed in Porsche 356’s in races and hillclimbs. Firth had a great record in the Alpine Rally winning the event five times between 1953 and 1962.

In 1961 Firth teamed with Bob Jane in a Mercedes-Benz 220SE to win the Armstrong 500 at Philip Island.

Ford works team

In 1962 the Firth Motors workshop at Queens Avenue, Auburn (Melbourne) became the base for the Ford works team. Firth and Jane drove a Ford works team Ford Falcon to victory in the Armstrong 500 at Philip Island and repeated the effort the following year in a Ford Cortina GT at Bathurst (the Armstrong 500 having moved to Bathurst that year). In 1964 Firth won the Ampol Around Australia Trial in a Cortina GT.

In 1966 Firth and his navigator Graham Hoinville won the inaugural Southern Cross Rally in a Ford Cortina. 1967 saw Firth notching up another victory at the Bathurst 500 with co-driver Fred Gibson in a Ford Falcon GT and the following year Firth and Hoinville won the Australian Rally Championship.

Holden Dealer Team

In 1969 Harry Firth left the Ford works team to become manager of the fledgling Holden Dealer Team, which despite the name was actually a works team backed by Holden and set up by GMH executive John Bagshaw. The team operated out of Firth’s Auburn workshop.

That year Firth was instrumental in launching the professional careers of two soon to be famous drivers – talented up and coming rally driver Colin Bond and young tearaway Peter Brock whose feats in an Austin A30 had brought him to Firth’s attention. Bond and Tony Roberts won the 1969 Bathurst race for Firth’s Holden team in a Monaro GTS350 with Des West and Brock finishing third in a similar car.

Over the next 8 years the Holden Dealer Team under Firth achieved many notable race and rally victories and championship wins. Included among these are:

* another Bathurst crown in 1972 with Peter Brock driving a Holden Torana GTR XU-1.
* Australian Touring Car Championship titles in 1974 (Brock) and 1975 (Bond).
* Australian Rally Championship wins by Colin Bond in 1971, 1972 and 1974 and by Peter Lang in 1973.
* Southern Cross Rally wins in 1970 (Barry Ferguson) and 1971 (Bond).
* Sandown 250 wins in 1971 (Bond) and 1973 (Brock).
* and Holden Dealer Team drivers secured the Australian Manufacturers' Championship for GMH in 1971, 1973 and 1974.

At the end of the 1977 season Harry Firth retired as manager of the Holden team but continued his involvement in motor racing as National Chief Scrutineer in 1979-1981.

References

*www.harryfirth.com (Official website of Harry Firth)
*The History of the Falcon GT (Stewart Wilson) © 1978
*Australia's Greatest Motor Race 1960-1999 (Chevron) © 2000