The classicist

Racing great, Leo Geoghegan, is perhaps best remembered for his dazzling performances in single-seater racing cars, in direct contrast to his brother Pete’s equally memorable talents in tin-tops. However, the unique and substantial role Leo played in the development of the Australian muscle car in the 1960s and ‘70s, particularly with Chrysler, is the stuff of legends.

Story: Luke West

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If you were a race fan in the 1960s and early 1970s, there’s a strong chance you were a fan of the Geoghegan brothers, Leo and Ian (or “Pete” – the mysterious nickname by which he was more widely known in the sport).

The Geoghegans, under the strict discipline and guidance of their father Tom, effectively formed Australia’s first professional race team, dominating the local motor sport scene. There was an old saying: “If Leo didn’t get you, Pete would”. They were the public face of domestic motor sport in the ‘60s, particularly in their native NSW.

Leo was primarily a single-seater exponent, known for his precision in finely-balanced open-wheeler racing cars. Younger sibling Pete was a touring car hero, remembered for his exuberant power-slides in Ford Mustangs. And for many years the pair joined forces for the high-profile Bathurst 500 production car classic.