Two iconic Australian race cars, the 2008 Holden Racing Team (HRT) VE Commodore and the Holden Monaro 427C, captivated motorsport enthusiasts at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK. The event, held at the Goodwood estate in West Sussex from July 13 to July 16, 2023, featured a thrilling timed shoot-out that showcased some of the world’s fastest vehicles.
The standout performer was the VE Commodore, driven by current British Touring Car Champion Jake Hill. Hill completed the narrow 1.86-kilometre course in an impressive 48.35 seconds, securing fifth place among a competitive field of 20 cars. The overall winner was a remarkable electric Ford Supertruck, driven by Romain Dumas, who clocked a time of 43.22 seconds, setting an unofficial record for the festival.
Hill’s VE Commodore, which sported the 2008 livery of the HRT, was originally constructed by the factory Holden team. It first raced that year under the HSV Dealer Team banner, driven by Rick Kelly. The car’s performance at Goodwood highlighted its legacy in Australian motorsport.
In addition to Hill’s achievement, fellow New Zealander and four-time Bathurst 1000 winner Greg Murphy showcased the Holden Monaro 427C, a car he co-drove to victory in the 2003 Bathurst 24 Hour race alongside Todd Kelly and Jason Bright. The Monaro 427C, built by Garry Rogers Motorsport, was modified from its road-going variant, featuring a powerful 7.0-litre V8 engine. This vehicle was pivotal in its category, winning the Bathurst 24-hour races in both 2002 and 2003 and leading to the creation of a limited-edition showroom model known as the ‘HRT 427′.
Murphy ran the Monaro in its original 2003 Bathurst race livery, complete with the iconic racing number ’05’ associated with the late Peter Brock. His final run yielded a time of 50.37 seconds, propelling him from provisional 11th place to an impressive seventh overall. Murphy’s performance was punctuated by a late surge that allowed him to surpass the BMW of Dirk Muller.
Completing the strong showing for the Antipodean contingent, Steven Richards, a five-time Bathurst champion, finished tenth in the Nissan Skyline GTS-R. This vehicle, which claimed victory in the 1990 Australian Touring Car Championship under the guidance of his father, Jim Richards, added further depth to the impressive lineup of classic cars at the festival.
The Goodwood Festival of Speed continues to be a premier event in the motorsport calendar, drawing fans and participants alike from around the world to celebrate automotive excellence and racing heritage. The performances of the Holden vehicles served as a testament to Australia’s rich motorsport legacy, showcasing both speed and engineering prowess on an international stage.
