Post by Bundy on Jun 14, 2012 11:22:55 GMT 10
Vale John Bagshaw
JOHN Bagshaw, former Managing Director of Holden and credited as one of the architects of the famous Holden Dealer Team – that eventually spawned into the Holden Racing Team of today – has passed away.
Bagshaw was MD of Holden between 1987 and 1990 and the last Australian to hold the position. He was also Grand Marshall for the 1988 Tooheys 1000 at Mount Panorama.
Perhaps his greatest legacy though to Australian motorsport is the famous Holden Dealer Team of the 1960s, 70s and 80s.
Along with the likes of Hall of Famer Harry Firth and Peter Lewis-Williams, Bagshaw helped piece together the Holden Dealer Team in 1969 – at a time when GM’s worldwide corporate policy strictly said ‘no racing’.
By packing the new squad as a ‘dealer’ team rather than a manufacturer-backed team – the HDT ‘got around’ the worldwide policy from General Motors headquarters in America and thus spawned one of the most celebrated and successful teams in Australian motorsport history.
A huge advocate of the ‘win on Sunday, sell on Monday’ philosophy of motorsport, Bagshaw passed away last Friday in Queensland at the age of 87.
He is survived by his wife Gillian, his three daughters Liz, Karen and Lauren, his five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held on the Gold Coast in the coming weeks
www.v8supercars.com.au/championship/newsarticle/vale-john-bagshaw/tabid/70/newsid/12545/default.aspx
As a pioneer of Holden motorsport in Australia, he will be sorely missed. RIP.