August 09, 2024
Veteran Australian racer Charlie O’Brien has confirmed he’ll be at the Sprints, taking part in an autograph session, the official opening and grand parade on Saturday.
He’ll also be reunited with a Ralt RT4-Ford single-seater on display in which he contested the 1981 Australian Grand Prix, joining Brown, Allison and Bowe at Leyburn as drivers who have contested Australia’s most important motor race.
O’Brien drove in the Australian Grand Prix in 1981-82-83, but spent most of his long career in tin-tops, including stints with the Holden Dealer Team, Dick Johnson Racing and Allan Moffat Racing.
He joined the Australian Touring Car Championship in 1976 and had almost immediate success in a Holden Torana SLR5000. At Amaroo Park Raceway, at age 21, he became the youngest winner in touring car records, a distinction held until 2003.
He won the 1982 National Panasonic Series driving a Ralt RT4 and the 1987 New Zealand National Touring Car Series in his own BMW 635CSi.
Other drives were in Super Touring, Porsche Carrera Cup, V8 Utes, GT3, Touring Car Masters, GT Production and Australian NASCAR.
