Robert “Bob” Jane
Four time winner of
the Armstrong 500 who achieved success both on and
off the circuit. Growing up in the inner Melbourne
suburb of Brunswick, like many boys Jane would become
fascinated with cars.
He started a business known as “Bob
Jane Autoland”, concerned with the distribution
of parts for Alfa Romeo and Jaguar, and becoming more
intimately involved with the auto industry it was inevitable
that Jane would soon venture onto the racing circuits
across the country.
He entered competitive racing in
1956, and by 1960 had honed his skills to such an extent
that he was rated as one of Australia’s top sedan
drivers. His big break came in 1961
when he partnered with co-driver
Harry Firth to win
the
Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island, then driving
a Mercedes-Benz 220SE (the only time a Mercedes would
take out the “Great
Race”).
Jane and Firth won the race again the
following year, and followed it’s change of venue
for 1963 to Mount Panorama. He continued his partnership
with Firth, and continued to win. For 1964 he partnered
with George Reynolds and, predictably, he racked up
another victory.
These successive four wins remain
unchallenged, sure some drivers have surpassed the
number of victories achieved by Jane, but none have
been able to string together four successive back-to-back
wins Jane also had success in the Australian Touring
Car Championship, taking out the title in 1962, 1963,
1971 and 1972.
21 Podium Finishes From
38 Race Starts
Amazingly, from 38 race starts in the
ATCC, he would finish on the podium 21 times. When
not competing on the track, Jane was able to concentrate
on his business interests.
The importation of parts,
and most particularly tyres, earned him a stellar reputation
in the industry. Most popular were the high performance
race tyres imported from Germany, at a time when racing
tyes were not as heavily regulated as they are today.
In
1965 Bob Jane opened the first “T-Marts” store
in Melbourne, and to this day it has remained an independent,
family-owned business. From 2002 to 2004 Bob Jane T-Marts
held the naming rights sponsorship for the Bathurst
1000, the race Jane dominated early in his career.
Bob Jane retired from racing in 1986, although his
many contributions to motor sport would continue. From
1980 to 1984 he attracted some of the best Formula
1 drivers to the Australian Grand Prix held at Calder
Park Raceway (The “Thunderdome”), this
event being a precursor to the Australian Formula 1
World Championship Grand Prix held in Adelaide in 1985.
Being a passionate follower of NASCAR, Jane constructed
the $54 million “Thunderdome” on the grounds
of the Calder Park Raceway. The new venue would open
in February 1988 and its success was assured when the
likes of Bobby Allison, Neil Bonnett and others from
the Winston West Series all attended.
Sadly, Bob Jane passed away in 2018.
Year |
Car |
Co
Driver |
Finished |
|
Ford Falcon XK |
Lou Moulina |
3rd |
|
Mercedes 220SE |
Harry Firth |
1st |
|
Ford Falcon XL |
Harry Firth |
1st |
|
Ford Cortina GT |
Harry Firth |
1st |
|
Ford Cortina GT |
George Reynolds |
1st |
|
Ford Cortina GT500 |
George Reynolds |
engine, lap 50 |
|
Ford Falcon XR GT |
Spencer Martin |
18th |
|
Holden Torana LC XU-1 |
John Harvey |
transmission, lap 50 |
|
Holden Torana LJ XU-1 |
John Harvey |
4th |
|
Holden Torana L34 |
Frank Gardner |
engine, lap 7 |
|
Holden Torana A9X |
Ian Geoghegan |
oil filter, lap 34 |
