The Repco-backed Chevrolet Monte Carlo that won the last NASCAR race held in Australia in 2000 has returned to its old racing livery as part of Repco’s 100the anniversary celebrations.
Driven by Kim Jane and prepared by John Sidney Racing in the period, the car has returned to the Repco livery in which it competed at the 2000 Australian Grand Prix in NASCAR support races.
Jane won all three races in the #27 Repco Monte Carlo on the Melbourne road/street circuit at that round; they turned out to be the last local NASCAR races before Bob Jane drew the pin in local competition.
Repco and V8 Sleuth have worked together to track down the car and return it to its 2000 season Repco livery as part of the 100the anniversary celebrations.
The car will be featured as part of a special exhibition from October at the National Museum of Motor Racing at Mount Panorama that will include a range of significant Repco-connected cars from Australian motoring history.
The remaining cars to be featured in the ‘Repco Racing, 100 Years In The Making’ exhibit at the museum will be revealed in the coming weeks.
Jane, who won the local NASCAR crown four times in the car (1996/97, 1997/98, 1998/99 and 1999/2000), will get behind the wheel of the car on race morning at the Repco Bathurst 1000 next month. as part of a special parade of cars in the run-up to the ‘Great Race’.
He was met with the car recently at the home of Australian superspeed racing: the Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne.
“It’s a wonderful car, it has a great history,” says Jane.
“Repco sponsorship started in the 1990s with David Tennant, who was the marketing manager at the time. Repco started out as a small sponsor when the car was wearing Bob Jane T-Marts colors, and we had the opportunity to sell all the sponsorship to Repco for what turned out to be the last season of NASCAR racing.
“To see him now again looking like he last raced is a wonderful feeling.”
Mitch Wiley, Repco’s head of sponsorship, says the opportunity to help bring back a winning part of Repco’s local motorsports history was too good to pass up.
“Once we were alerted to the fact that this car was still available, we connected with its owner Zac (O’Hara) through the V8 Sleuth team and arranged for it to be returned to its last winning 2000 livery,” he says. .
“Seeing the car reunited with Kim at the Calder Park Thunderdome and having it on display in Bathurst is truly special. The NASCAR era is an incredible chapter in Australian motorsports history and we are very proud of our involvement.
“The exhibit at the National Museum of Motor Racing will feature some important cars from Repco motorsports history and we will reveal more of them in the coming weeks.”
Brad Owen, museum coordinator for the National Museum of Motor Racing, says the exhibit is the latest in a line of successful exhibits at the venue.
“We have celebrated Craig Lowndes, Dick Johnson and Larry Perkins at recent exhibitions and 2022 is the perfect time for us to celebrate Repco’s incredible racing history and heritage in its 100.the anniversary,” he says.
“The lineup of cars being assembled is exciting and will give fans at the Repco Bathurst 1000 an additional reason to visit the Museum this October.”
Now owned by Zac O’Hara of Goulburn and raced in the National Stock Car Series, the car was returned to its Albert Park 2000 Repco livery by former NASCAR team owner and sign expert Scott Williams, who originally applied it 22 years ago! years!
Originally driven by Max Dumesny as a Valvoline car, Bob Jane purchased the V8-powered Monte Carlo for his nephew Kim to race, still groomed by John Sidney, beginning with the 1996/1997 Australian super racing season.
The Chevrolet took most of its victories at the Calder Park Thunderdome in Melbourne, but also won on the short flat track oval at Adelaide International Raceway, in addition to its 2000 success at Albert Park.
He finished runner-up in the 1998 NASCAR 100 at Bathurst with Jane trailing home winner Russell Ingall. The car also competed at the Twin Ring Motegi in the 1999 Winston West NASCAR round held in Japan.
