The 1988 Goodyear AUSCAR 200 was the second AUSCAR in history and the first one to feature Ford’s after the inaugural round was filled solely with Holdens.
A twelve minute highlights package was uploaded by Super100MPH and this review goes through the footage.
26 AUSCAR’s taken to the grid with Jim Richards taking Pole Position in his #6 XF Falcon giving Ford a great start in AUSCAR.
Richard Howe in the #11 had a spin in turn two but he was able to get going again and rejoined the field after a caution.
Steve Harrington raced for the lead with Jim Richards for a couple before falling into the clutches of John Bowe.
The #33 of Rod McLeod spun it around but the race continued on but it wasn’t Rod’s only action for the day.
John Bowe passed Steve Harrington for second place before Harrington got it back only to lose it before the race was under caution as Mal Rose limped along after a strong start.
Jim Richards made a pit stop and John Bowe inherited the lead but Kim Jane blasted on by to take it from him.
Steve Harrington’s hopes of a win was taken away when he was involved in a crash and John Bowe made a pit stop under caution.
Terri Sawyer was then the leader and Marshall J Brewer in the #69 challenged for the lead before falling back, Kim Jane passed him to take second.
While that move was happening Neil Crompton said that the #7 of Kim Jane “goes straight beneath it, gives it (the #69) a real licking”, something only Neil Crompton would say on national television.
The #4 spun and brought out the yellow which was good news for Jim Richards as he was four seconds behind Terri Sawyer at that stage but he was making up time.
Kim Jane taken over the lead from Terri Sawyer and he was followed by Jim Richards.
Richard Howe had a second spin but unlike the first spin, his Commodore had a nose to wall meeting and put him out of the race.
The #4 had another spin this time spinning multiple times through the grass before getting going on the track.
Terri Sawyer was back in the hunt before John Bowe muscled through to take on Kim Jane and soon after he got the job done and set his sights on leader Jim Richards.
Terri Sawyer who was right behind them got loose and backed her #9 Commodore into the fence which busted up the rear of the car, worse was to come when after several cars avoided the stricken #9, the #33 of Rod McLeod gave the back a whack.
Jim Richards won the race from John Bowe who passed Kim Jane for second moments before the yellow that brought the race to a close.
The win by Jim Richards gave Ford first blood against Holden but as history records Ford endured a decade of struggle before Leigh Watkins became champion at the end of the life of the category.
Goodyear AUSCAR 200 Top 3
1. Jim Richards
2. John Bowe
3. Kim Jane
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