In it's annual yearbook, Australia motor magazine, Wheels, has nominated who it believes to be the 50 best drivers in Australian motorsport. The list was rated by a panel of experts included former Bathurst 1000 winners Mark Skaife, Kevin Bartlett, Colin Bond and Jim Richards.
The list is quite interesting.
The top 10 are:
1st Jack Brabham. Three times World F1 Champion (1959, 60, & 660.
2nd Jim Richards. Seven times Bathurst 1000 winner, four times Australian Touring Car Champion. Multiple other titles.
3rd Alan Jones. 1980 World F1 Champion.
4th Mark Skaife. Four times Bathurst 1000 winner, five times Australian touring car champion.
5th Peter Brock. Nine times Bathurst 1000 winner, three times Australian touring car champion.
6th Frank Gardner. First ever driver to win 100 international motor races (in various classes). Won the BTCC twice and the British Saloon Car Championship three times.
7th Frank Matich. Largely unknown. Rated on his talent apparantly. Won numerous Tasman Cup races in late 60s and early 70s against European F1 drivers.
8th Mark Webber. Current Williams driver.
9th Ian 'Pete' Geohagen. Five times Australian Touring Car Champion, one time Bathurst 1000 winner.
10th Allan Moffat. Four times Australian Touring Car Champion and four times Bathurst 1000 winner.
Other notables are:
11th John Bowe. Two time Bathurst 1000 winner and 1995 Australian Touring Car Champion.
12th Colin Bond. One time Bathurst 1000 winner. Three times Australian Rally Champion.
13th Larry Perkins. Was a formula one driver between 1974 and 77. Six times Bathurst 1000 winner.
15th Kevin Bartlett. One time Bathurst 1000 winner, two time Australian Driver's Champion in the Tasman Cup days.
17th Craig Lowndes. One time Bathurst 1000 winner, three time Australian Touring Car Champion. Still only 30 - so early days yet.
19th Dick Johnson. Five times Australian Touring Car Champion. Three times Bathurst 1000 winner.
22nd Glen Seton. Current V8 Supercar driver and two times Australian Touring Car Champion.
32nd Marcus Ambrose. Two time Australian Touring Car Champion (V8 Supercar). Still only 27.
34th Russell Ingall. Two times Bathurst 1000 winner. Placed second in the Australian Touring Car Championship three times.
37th Greg Murphy. A kiwi - but has mostly raced in Australia. Four times Bathurst 1000 winner.
Some UCP users may remember that I made a thread earlier in the year on who the top 10 Australasian drivers were.
There are some differences - if anyone is interested this is the thread:
http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum...ead.php?t=2489.
I did include the top NZ drivers as well in that earlier thread.
There were some major surprises in the Wheels list.
Jim Richards rated second ahead of Alan Jones.
Dick Johnson rated so low despite his multiple Bathurst and ATCC victories.