We’ve been trying for over a year to figure out the histories of all the Oldsmobiles that Tropic Coast Racing ever had, it is quite a confusing tale.

Tropic Coast Racing started with two ex-Morgan-McClure Oldsmobiles with Ian Thomas and Dick Trickle using them in the 1990/91, the team along the way also brought an ex-#50 Dingman Bros Pontiac that used to be driven by Mickey Gibbs.

In 1992, Tropic Coast Racing got busy, they brought a Pontiac from an auction of Team III cars and equipment, they brought and then raced an Oldsmobile at Michigan in an ARCA race and that car was the car of choice during the 1992/93 Australian season.

The 1992/93 car stands out because of its left 3/4 window hatch, something the other two did not have, it also got a name ‘Intrepid’.

1992 also saw the team use a Chevrolet Lumina in an attempt to qualify for an ARCA race in Texas.

1993/94 saw the team evolve, they had moved to Melbourne, brought in new team members and they had also started to use the Chevrolet Lumina with an Oldsmobile assigned to road course duties.

Most people remember the original two Oldsmobiles, some remember three, but it appears that TCR dealt with more than that number and that has caused a really big headache.

The Cars

So, what happened to all the raced and unraced Olds?

‘Destiny‘ – An Olds or not an Olds?

The ex-Morgan-McClure car that Dick Trickle raced was said to have been nicknamed ‘Destiny’, it was supposedly turned into a Lumina, it ended up with Marshall Brewer a couple of years later and was used for a very long time at Fastrack and it still exists today.

One potential problem with identification is that Peter Sportelli was quoted as saying that ‘Destiny’ was driven by Kevin Schwantz and that Kevin Schwantz wrecked Destiny, and the car was given the new front and rear clips, and it was given the Monte Carlo treatment.

Countering that is the fact the Lumina that Fastrack got came with a ‘Destiny’ switch plate.

A 1996 ad throws another spanner in the works as the ad describes a Chevrolet Lumina getting front and rear clip and a new body, everything ‘Destiny’ would have needed.

Another issue with Destiny being an Oldsmobile is that some have said Destiny was always a Lumina.

It is believed that Destiny was an Oldsmobile, Peter Sportelli got his rebodied cars mixed up and the car that Motorsport News was describing was a mix of cars.

Confused? so are we but we will explain it.

Ex-Morgan-McClure Car 1 (Destiny)

As said earlier, Tropic Coast Racing had two ex-Morgan-McClure Oldsmobiles, this particular one was used at Oran Park in 1994.

By the time it was at Oran Park in November 1994, the sister car was with Paul Stocker, the ex-Barkdoll car was with Denzil Mead and John Faulkner had ‘Intrepid’.

Kevin Schwantz was seen in the 1995/96 season driving the #34 Lumina, but it had the Morgan-McClure brace on it just like this car, what confuses people about the Schwantz cars is that he raced and won at Oran Park in ‘Elvis’ and raced and won at Adelaide in ‘Destiny’ after wrecking ‘Elvis’ and then on the Thunderdome, he wrecked ‘Destiny’.

Best/Stocker Oldsmobile – Ex-Morgan-McClure Car 2

In May 1994, Paul Stocker brought an Oldsmobile and Motorsport News reported it was an ex-Ian Thomas Oldsmobile, it was Robin Best’s last drive and was later renumbered #48.

The interesting part of the car is that it does have the brace that Morgan-McClure cars had.

This car confused some people as Paul Stocker ended up having two Oldsmobile cars that used to be owned by Ian Thomas, this is not the one that John Faulkner purchased which was the second Oldsmobile that Paul brought.

The chassis of this car is believed to be the #9 VT Commodore that Scott Pierce drove in Stock Cars Australia.

Intrepid

The third Oldsmobile which we noted earlier was raced in the 1992 ARCA race at Michigan and was used in 1992/93 season, is ‘Intrepid’

Intrepid was purchased by John Faulkner around July 1993, it later went on to Eddie Abelnica and then Paul Stocker who put Doug Moss behind the wheel of it in 2001, it later went on the salt flats, and it still is an Oldsmobile.

The car is now owned by Eddie Ivermee who has a choice of historical liveries to choose from.

Ex-Phil Barkdoll Oldsmobile

It was reported that Ian Thomas had an ex-Phil Barkdoll Oldsmobile, the car ended up with Denzil Mead.

It is believed that this car was rebodied to a Monte Carlo and it then went to Marshall Brewer.

What is this Oldsmobile?

Motorsport News may have made a mistake and misidentified the ex-Morgan-McClure car for the ex-Phil Barkdoll car.

One of the Luminas had an Aroneck Racing plate still on the dash, Aroneck Racing used both Cheverolet (1989 and 1993) and Oldsmobile (1990 and 1992) so we’re not sure what this car came to Australia as.

So, we have counted four Oldsmobiles plus we have the uncertain Aroneck plated Lumina.