Supercars team Freightliner Racing will pay homage to both Australian Touring Car Championship legend Norm Beechey and the heritage of Freightliner trucks at the upcoming Sandown 500 in Melbourne.
The Sandown 500 is Supercars’ ‘retro round,’ with several teams creating one off, heritage inspired liveries for the first of the endurance events.
Tim Slade and co-driver Ash Walsh take to the event in Beechey’s iconic 1970 yellow livery which commemorates his second championship win and the first ever title to be won by an Australian built car – the HT GTS 350 Monaro.
Slade and Walsh will also take on the #75 instead of the car’s usual #14 to highlight Freightliners’ 75 years in the Truck and Transport industry, and importantly its continuous innovation. The retro inspired livery also features Freighliner’s original logo.
Beechey said seeing modern renditions of his liveries have brought back fond memories.
“I think the Supercars ‘Retro Round’ is a great throwback to the early days of touring car racing in Australia. I’m honoured that the Jones Brothers are representing some of my liveries and they have done a great job bringing them to life on the modern-day Supercar,” Beechey said.
“It will be a real thrill to see them on track, and hopefully on the podium at the end of the 500.”
Fellow Brad Jones Racing stable mates Nick Percat/Macaulay Jones, and Tim Blanchard/Todd Hazelwood will also run Beechey liveries.
Team owner Brad Jones said the three Beechey liveries are a very personal tribute.
“I believe all motorsport fans have a fond memory like that, and that’s certainly one of mine. This tribute to Norm is something Kim and I are proud of, and hopefully it brings back a lot of classic memories of those ATCC glory days for the fans, as it does for us,” Jones said.
“Norm and his wife Marg were friends of our parents, as were many competitors from the 70’s so it makes the tribute a very personal one for us.”
Blanchard and Hazelwood’s #4 Commodore celebrate his 1965 title winning Ford Mustang, complete while the #8 Commodore of Percat and Jones pay tribute to his 1967 Chevy Nova livery.
“We wanted to do something really special for the retro round, so Brad and I were reminiscing about our time growing up and some of our motorsport heroes; which Norm was most definitely one. Norm had this unique driving style, with plenty of sideways flair and a determined attitude. He was just brilliant to watch,” said Kim Jones.