Leo Geoghegan

Leo Geoghegan epitomised professionalism. The 1960s heralded the birth of a new era of motorsport and Leo, his brother Pete, and father Tom, led the charge.

When Sir Jack Brabham controversially branded his Cooper Bristol the Redex Special, Leo and Pete – who were too young to drive – were there for the reveal.

Still in his teens, Leo made his name in the emerging world of touring car racing. His streamlined FJ Holden won the first NSW Road Racing Championship for Sedan Cars.

Leo was always meant for open wheeler racing. The Geoghegan family secured the franchise for Lotus. They’d import them, race them, and then on-sell them.

Leo was so good that world champion Jim Clark implored him to come to Europe. “He’d be in the top six,” Jim said.

But father Tom had died, and Leo’s first duty lay to the family business.

Instead he raced ex-Clark cars. In 1969 he won the inaugural JAF Japanese Grand Prix in the ex-Clark Lotus 39, fitted with an Australian made Repco V8.

In a 10 year span, Leo won the Australian Gold Star Drivers’ Championship, the Australian Formula Junior title, and the Formula Two Championship twice.

With brother Pete, he won the Bathurst 6 Hour – a precursor to the Bathurst 1000, Australia’s Great Race.

The brothers won that event too in 1966, only to be protested back to second-place by their team-mate Harry Firth.

Leo was central to the development of the Chrysler Charger that took on the might of Holden and Ford.

But it was in a Holden, co-driving for Colin Bond, that he took his last Bathurst podium in 1973.

He retired far too young, aged just 38, in 1974.