Campbell Roars Into Race History
Sydney Morning Herald
Monday December 7, 1987
MELBOURNE: Team Honda-Australia's Mal Campbell made motorcycle racing history in the second round of the Swann Insurance International Series yesterday.
But that did not stop Marlboro-Yamaha's Mike Dowson strengthening his grip on the series with just one meeting and two races to run.
Campbell scored the inaugural victory for the experimental, oval-pistoned Honda NR750 in heat one, in the first motorcycle race held on the combined 4.2km Thunderdome and road circuit at Calder Park.
The 34-year-old Tasmanian finished the first heat just 1s in front of the Yamaha FZR1000s of Victorian Kevin Magee and his Queensland teammate Dowson.
Dowson turned the tables to take a thrilling second heat, after holding off a challenge from Magee on the last lap.
Dowson goes into the final round at his home track, Brisbane's Lakeside raceway, next Sunday, holding a seven-point lead over Magee. Campbell is 13 points behind.
The Magee-Dowson battle was the highlight of the day's racing, with the pair duelling side-by-side at more than 260km/h, on the banked tri-oval section of the circuit.
At Winton, Australian production car champion Peter Fitzgerald teamed with former Bathurst winner Allan Grice to win yesterday's Yokohama 300 Classic.
Fitzgerald took his Mitsubishi Starion to the lead of the three-hour production car marathon at a third of the distance and handed the car to co-driver Grice just past the halfway mark.
Despite some body damage from a brush with a backmarker which caused a tyre to rub, Grice hung on to win the last major motor race of the season by 25s.
The powerful Holden Commodore turbo of Mark Gibbs grabbed the early lead but was overwhelmed on the 21st lap by Peter Brock's Commodore V8.
Brock, having his last start in a Holden before his switch to BMW next year, led the 36-car field a merry chase for 27 laps until he handed over to younger brother Phil.
Delays later in the race cost them time, so Brock's Holden career ended with a 10th placing.
© 1987 Sydney Morning Herald