1978 Rothmans 500

The 1978 Rothman 500 featured the novelty of a rolling start. Thus began a very l-o-n-g day.

John Goss and Rusty French were just one of the big name combinations that failed to finish.

Lap one and Brock had a jolly old time trying to hold off John Fitzpatrick in Bob Morris’s A9X on the opening lap. Fitzpatrick was soon through and led until lap 17, when overheating set in.

Incredibly, Peter Brock and Jim Richards’ #05 A9X was the first of 21 cars to retire. As other stars faltered, John Harvey and Charlie O’Brien’s #76 Torana took up the frontrunning until it ran out of fuel. Then the race came alive.

Bob Morris and John Fitzpatrick were pre-race contenders but also hit trouble during the tough event and didn't make the finish.

Bill O'Brien and Garry Willmington not only survived until the end, but came home in seventh place. Garth Wigston and Bruce Gowans did better and finished second in their Holden Torana A9X.

Allan Grice was another big name to be bettered by Oran Park on the day, failing to finish.

While the Seton name become famous with Ford, Barry Seton shared this Holden Torana A9X to 16th with Don Smith.

The HDT Torana A9X of John Harvey and Charlie O'Brien overcame all the obstacles to claim the win.

The Jack & Geoff Brabham Ford Falcon XC was out early.

Warren Cullen and John Walker benefitted from the troubles to the big names, claiming eighth place.

Dick Johnson - sharing with future Le Mans winner Vern Schuppan - was the last car to finish in 19th.

Race leader Harvey ran out of fuel on the circuit, ran back to the pits to collect a few litres of juice, then sprinted back to his Torana. Car #76 lost five laps in the process. The fightback then began, aided by others’ woes.

Another leader to succumb to mechanical gremlins was the husband/wife combo of Fred and Christine Gibson. Their #25 A9X’s engine blew with 30 laps remaining.

The big crowd watches Grice power onto the main straight.

Ford's leading stars, Allan Moffat and Colin Bond, before hitting trouble.

Allan Grice and John Leffler were another pairing to lead… and retire. This race played a part in developing the A9Xs for long distance racing.

Leader’s curse strikes again! Allan Moffat (sharing with Colin Bond) took up the frontrunning… until engine woes sealed its fate.

The Toyota Celica GT out-lasted the Aussie muscle cars to claim fourth place.

How come women racers were more active in 1978 than today? Sue Ransom and Italian F1 ace Lella Lombardi raced a Capri in the Sydney marathon.

John Harvey and Charlie O'Brien collect their prize.