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The Holden Dealer Team (HDT) was Holden's semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1986, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s. From 1980 the Holden Dealer Team, by then under the ownership of Peter Brock, diversified into producing modified road-going Commodores and other Holden cars for selected dealers via HDT Special Vehicles. Holden ceased its association with Brock's businesses in February 1987, and for the remainder of that year the race team became known as HDT Racing P/L, which name was later dissolved when Brock secured a contract with BMW Australia to operate a BMW M3 race team (formerly JPS Team BMW) in 1988. Further into 1988, Brock sold off his HDT Special Vehicles road car business, which has nevertheless, under various ownership, continued to modify Holden vehicles to this current day. The podium finish for Brock in the 24hr 427 Monaro inspired the new HDT owners (Pennsi brothers) early 2001 to develop a range of HDT Monaro's, also carrying the Monza name. Three of these vehicles were produced during the early part of 2000. These new branded Monza's were built to different specifications, with the most powerful and highly developed type being the R/T variant, which was had seen track work on most club days at Eastern Creek. ==The Firth Years== After showing an increasing interest in motorsport during the 1960s, Holden decided to form a team to enter both Touring Car and Rally events in 1969. However, Holden’s parent company, General Motors forbade its manufacturers from officially entering motor sport circuit racing events worldwide. Holden was able to circumvent this directive by naming its team the ‘Holden Dealer Team’ which was officially owned by its dealers. In reality Holden bankrolled the entire operation and Holden executive John Bagshaw, who was the driving force behind the establishment of the team, created the financial framework which allowed the HDT to be funded without Detroit's knowledge. Holden appointed former Ford Works Team manager Harry Firth to run the operation. Harry Firth hired two talented, but relatively untested, drivers in Colin Bond and Peter Brock. These two drivers would form the backbone of the team over the next few years. At that year's Hardie-Ferodo 500 the team entered three HT Monaro GTS350’s and tasted immediate success, finishing first and third, with Bond winning with co-driver Tony Roberts, while Brock finished third with Des West. Concerned at the ongoing development of rival Ford's V8 powered XW Falcon GTHO Phase I, in 1970 Firth opted to run a much smaller race car based upon the Holden Torana with a 6-cylinder engine. The LC Torana GTR XU-1 was a match for the larger and more powerful Falcon GT-HO at most circuits, but at Bathurst, with its long straight and steep 'mountain' climb, the car was less competitive, and Ford’s Allan Moffat dominated both the 1970 and 1971 Bathurst events. However, in the wet 1972 Hardie-Ferodo 500 the Holden Dealer Team with its LJ Torana GTR XU-1 broke through Ford's domination, with Peter Brock winning the first of his nine Bathurst victories in a solo drive in the last of Bathurst's 500 mile Series Production race formats During Firths time at HDT. Brock had his day winning Bathurst in 1975 on a dry track in his #5 Holden L34. This was a win for HDT as well for they masterminded the fastest Holden ever built the L34. The HDT developed L34 got 1st 2nd 3rd that year and the first 7 places in 1976. Never has Holden been so dominant at the mountain. The A9X used the L34 motor for its victories as well as the HDT Commodores. The big brake light car concept brought about by Firth with high performance small motor dominated Holden's thinking moving from the cumbersome Kingswoods to the Torana-like fleet of foot Commodore of the eighties. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Holden Dealer Team」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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