Peter Brock’s motorsport legend endures 20 years after his death

“I couldn’t believe the things that he could do behind the wheel,” James Brock said of his stepfather, Peter Brock. “You would almost believe that he was defying physics.”

That driving ability made Brock a national legend and made his death all the more shocking. He died at 61 on September 8, 2006, after a crash during a rally race at Gidgegannup near Perth. His death prompted an outpouring of grief, a state funeral in Victoria and spontaneous memorials at racing tracks across Australia.

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I couldn’t believe the things that he could do behind the wheel. You would almost believe that he was defying physics.

His son Rob Brock said his father “left an indelible mark on Australia.” He also described the circumstances of the death in starkly personal terms: “He definitely died doing what he loved. It was a very crazy time and very poetic that dad did go out racing.”

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He definitely died doing what he loved. It was a very crazy time and very poetic that dad did go out racing.

James Brock had only limited chances to race alongside his stepfather because Peter was nearing the end of his career when James began his own. He particularly remembers winning the Mount Panorama V8 Ute event in 2003 and sharing the podium with him. Their partnership also produced a practical lesson during the 1999 Targa Tasmania rally. James said they worked out that Peter was a better driver when navigating, while James was a better navigator when driving.

Peter Brock made his professional racing debut at Mount Panorama in 1969 and became closely associated with the circuit. He won the Bathurst 1000 nine times, a record that remains intact. Across 212 Touring Car Championship starts, he won 48 races and three championships, and he entered the Hall of Fame in 2001.

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Dad left an indelible mark on Australia so it’s interesting to see how much he affected everyone.

To mark the anniversary, the National Motor Racing Museum in Bathurst opened an exhibition. Museum coordinator Brad Owen called Brock “one of the most important figures” in Australian motorsport and said the profile he brought to the sport remains relevant today.

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He’s one of the most important figures in our sport.