Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
Photos by Ian Colley, Steve Johns, Steve Ivanovich and Jim Heymer<br />
The car was purchased from Gary Goulding<br />
by Shaun Marshall who was competing at<br />
Mt Cotton in an Empire formula libre car. Not<br />
long after, Shaun decided to move overseas<br />
and the two cars were sold as a package<br />
deal to Chris Johns - and thus Chris’s stable<br />
suddenly became home to three competition<br />
cars of such varying types.<br />
Chris on one of his record breaking runs<br />
Talking of coffee, the ‘Expresso’ of the fleet<br />
at the moment is the Group U Ford Escort<br />
in which Chris won the 2015 Hillclimb series<br />
as a result of an incredible run of five record<br />
breaking runs on the one day which was<br />
halted only by the arrival of a severe storm<br />
which sent everyone scurrying for home. He<br />
also made history with becoming the second<br />
member of the one family to win the series -<br />
beaten in that ‘race’ by son, Terry four years<br />
earlier - JFR (Johns Family Racing) at its<br />
best!<br />
The name prominently displayed on the<br />
windscreen of this car is that of Terry<br />
Corbett who, until now, was the driver most<br />
associated with it though it had seen a<br />
number of owners prior to its purchase by<br />
Chris. The car began life as a 1970 Mk 1<br />
Ford Escort but was converted to a sports<br />
sedan by Terry who began competition in it<br />
in 1983. He then competed in the car from<br />
1983 to 1996 at events including circuit<br />
racing and hillclimbs in Qld and NSW. It had<br />
a bit more competition in other hands before<br />
lying idle from 2002-2007 when it was<br />
purchased in 2007 by Gary Goulding who<br />
got it logbooked as an Historic Sports Sedan<br />
(Group U) to 1985 specifications. As can be<br />
seen from the photo, another well known Mt<br />
Cotton name - that of Gary Cossor - appears<br />
on the car as he did a significant amount<br />
of work on the car over the years. Another<br />
person with close association with the car is<br />
Lyndon Cooper who was sometimes a dual<br />
entry in the car.<br />
Shaun Marshall in the Empire at the 2013 AHC<br />
The Empire is yet to be seen on track<br />
in Chris’s hands but hopefully will have<br />
made its first appearance by the time you<br />
read this. The car is British-built and saw<br />
competition at hillclimbs in the UK before<br />
being brought to Australia. Shaun Marshall<br />
purchased it in late 2013 and competed in a<br />
few events at Mt Cotton including the 2013<br />
Australian Championships.<br />
Chris has well demonstrated his skill at<br />
getting the Cappu and the Escort around the<br />
hill quickly and in spectacular fashion. We<br />
are now waiting to see how he goes in the<br />
‘saddle’ of this new English thoroughbred.<br />
The Empire getting readied for action<br />
The <strong>Octagon</strong> - November 2015 11
Change language