In the 6 years since the introduction of the V8 Touring Car category in Australia, the Mobil Holden Racing Team has through its people and sponsor group, become the most successful team of the V8 Supercar era. To the end of the 1998 season, Mobil HRT had recorded 18 round wins and 47 race victories in Championship races during that time. That’s a winning ratio of 30% of rounds and 32% of races.
The Holden Racing Team began following the establishment in 1988 of the joint venture between the TWR Group and General Motors – Holden, in forming Holden Special Vehicles. It was a logical step to form a touring car team to create a marketing link between the Special Vehicle’s division and the on-track heritage of Holden’s motor sport activities.
In 1989, Perkins Engineering was contracted by Holden Special Vehicles to run the race cars under the HSV banner, with the Holden Racing Team being established the following year under the management of Win Percy. Success was immediate, with Percy combining with Alan Grice to win that year’s Toohey’s 1000 at Mount Panorama, followed by a second place in 1991.
With the establishment of the V8-only category (later to become V8 Supercars) in 1993 and a return to the supporter preferred Holden vs Ford battles, HRT rebuilt. Under Managing Director John Crennan and Team Manager Jeff Grech the restructure began, with new personnel, new equipment and in 1994, the return of Peter Brock to the Holden Factory Team, plus the support of major sponsor Mobil Oil (Australia) Ltd. Mobil then became naming rights sponsor in 1995.
The three year plan implemented in 1994 had its result in 1996 with Craig Lowndes in his debut season sweeping the Australian Touring Car Championship, then with Greg Murphy, backed up to win the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000 events.
Four round and 8 race wins weren’t enough to secure another ATCC title for the Mobil Holden Racing Team in 1997 and that year also saw Peter Brock announce his intention to retire. Joining Brock for his last two endurance races was Mark Skaife but while Mark put the #05 Commodore on pole for both events, luck was against a fairy tale end to Brock’s stellar career.
Skaife took over from Brock in 1998 and with Craig Lowndes returning from a season in European Formula 3000, the Mobil Holden Racing Team had two of the most talented drivers in the country heading up the Team. Both delivered, with Skaife taking 5 ATCC pole positions as well as a stunning sub-2 minute 10 second lap time in qualifying at Mount Panorama, while Lowndes made it two-from-two with his second Touring Car Championship crown.
1998 also was the year the Mobil Holden Racing Team introduced the racing version of the VT Commodore. Design and development work began in 1997, with the Team responsible for the category certification or “homologation” of the VT. The vehicle made its debut in June at Calder with Greg Murphy driving, while Lowndes took over the new racer for the balance of his successful Championship campaign.
Mobil HRT enters the revamped 1999 Shell Championship Series with two VT Commodores, which will see Craig Lowndes carrying the coveted number #1 and Mark Skaife #2.
Originally, Mobil HRT was based in Notting Hill in Melbourne’s outer east. However, the growth of the Team necessitated a move in early 1996 to its current base at Clayton Business Park, in the same complex as Holden Special Vehicles. This new factory allows all preparation to be carried out in-house; the Team having its own sub-assembly, fabrication, machining and gearbox assembly areas, an engine build shop, plus three, 1000 horse power water-brake dynamometers. This “dyne” area is also used in the development of the HSV road cars, including “optimising” of the HSV engines.
As a division of the TWR Group, the Mobil Holden Racing Team has strong links with and enjoys technological exchange with the UK based organisation, which houses the Arrows Formula One Team, the Volvo Super Touring program and sports car racing preparation.
