1987 Calder 500

The race unique event had two names - the Calder 500 and/or the Bob Jane T-Marts 500.

The warmup lap before the start as the BMW drivers weave around to warm their tyres. This is the section where the road course ended and the banked oval part of the track began. 

Neil Crompton didn’t have the necessary licence to race the previous weekend, but joined Peter McLeod in HDT’s Bathurst-winning car.

Perkins debuted a new VL model after his Enzed VK was eliminated early the previous Sunday at Bathurst, after a clash with the #18 DJR Sierra. The Panorama prang didn’t stop the same two pairings scrapping at Calder.

Just a week after Bathurst the WTCC crews rocked up to Calder for a very different race

Dick Johnson was still ironing the bugs out of his Sierras in late 1987. The Shell car covered only 25 laps.

Klaus call. First lap leader Ludwig ran wide, allowing the sister car through. It was a lead Steve Soper and Pierre Dieudonne effectively held to the end. Car #7 struggled home in 12th after losing first gear.

The usual shenanigans occurred in the bottom half of the top 10 on the first lap.

Allan Grice and Win Percy didn't make the finish in their Bob Jane-backed VL Commodore.

No fewer than seven cars fronted that didn’t race seven days earlier at Bathurst, including the Mike Freeman/Bruce Williams VK.

Former Miss Austria Mercedes Stermitz redeemed herself at Calder – after the ‘Mercedes Bends BMW’ incident at Bathurst – finishing seventh with the more accomplished Anette Meeuvissen. As Seven’s Mike Raymond commented mid-race, “the frauleins are doing fine.”

The oval was murder on tyres. Brocky also battled a broken seat.

John Harvey drove the Holden-supplied pace car. The corner off the banking was reverse camber city.

The 120-lap race was a deflating experience for Andrew Miedecke.

A good crowd rocked up to see the BMWs harass the Holdens.

Dick Johnson finished the race in the #18 Sierra after his #17 struck trouble after only 25-laps.

The BMW team was a picture of Teutonic efficiency.

The sole Nissan Racing Skyline of Glenn Seton/George Fury finished fifth.

Italian hopes were dashed early when the Maserati Biturbo of Pro Team Italia/Imberti dropped out after 18-laps, while the #100 Alfa Romeo came in 16th (of 17 finishers).

The homegrown Holdens took the fight to the foreign competition during the WTCC's Australian leg.

BMW probably didn't think of the Thunderdome when designing the E30 M3.

Keiran Wills Nissan Skyline was another early DNF on the tricky 4.1km layout.

Holden v BMW v Ford was the story of Group A's glory days in Australia.

Steve Soper and Pierre Dieudonne won the race and kept the win in their Eggenberger Ford Sierra because no-one protested.