Gricey's hard-earned thirst

Maybe it was a dig at rival Peter Brock's tie up with the Victorian government's .05 road safety campaign, or maybe it was just a bit of lighthearted fun, but at Bathurst in 1979 Gricey let his choice of poison be known through the artwork on his helmet.

Story: Luke West

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Friday, September 28, 1979: Changeable conditions keep Craven Mild Racing and others guessing which boots to fit – wets or slicks – for qualifying. There’s much to lose on Friday and little to gain, beyond a berth in Hardies Heroes. Allan Grice safely steers his Torana A9X hatch into the top 10, secures third on the grid, and then plots for Alfredo Costanzo and he to dethrone Brock/Richards on race day.

Render: Peter Hughes For more visit hughesmotorsportart.com

It wasn’t to be. An error from Costanzo on Sunday robs them of a podium and they finish fourth, one spot behind quasi-team-mates Radburn/Smith. The hole in Grice’s helmet (below with Frank Gardner) is not for the sponsor’s product. Instead, it reads ‘Bacardi here’...