How Kindness Grows A Lesson from Peter Brock

There are few people who have not heard of Australian racing car legend, Peter Brock.

Born in country Victoria in 1945, Peter might have led a fairly ordinary life if he hadn’t spent two years undertaking National Service at the Blamey Barracks in Wagga. You see, in 1965, when on leave from the barracks he went to Bathurst to watch the 500-mile production car race that was to become the Bathurst 1000, and determined to become a race car driver when he left the army.

In 1969, Brock made his debut at Bathurst in the Hardie-Ferodo 500 in a Holden HT Monaro GTS 350 alongside Des West, with the pair finishing third behind their winning HDT teammates Colin Bond and Tony Roberts. Watching the race with his parents was five-year-old Mark Briggs. Mark had the opportunity to meet Brock, and right from the beginning, sensed something special about Brock.

Perhaps he saw his glimmer of greatness. Perhaps he knew that a busy man who took the time to talk to children and not brush them off was unique. Whatever it was, Mark and his family attended subsequent Bathurst 500s and saw Brock become a household name: Brock went on to win the Bathurst 500 a total of nine times, a record that has yet to be beaten, and also won nine times at Sandown.

As Mark became a young man, Brock taught him to drive and spent time with him sharing some of life’s lessons that he learned along the way. Brock always had time for Mark, who was also welcomed by Brock’s family, with whom he stays in touch to this day.

Mark has been running his popular “Mark’s Pit Stop Barber Shop” for some years in Young. Last November Mark moved his business out to his property in Burrangong, so that he could spend time with his beloved mother in her last few months.

Now Mark is set to create a truly unique V8 Supercar Museum. Mark has converted a large shed into a carefully curated museum of Brock memorabilia and V8 supercars.

There, car enthusiasts will see model cars, signed photographs, racing uniforms, and the odd original car bonnet all in mint condition and no dust in sight.

Car clubs across NSW and the ACT have already got wind of Mark’s Museum and have started coming out to look at his collection, but because it is so extensive Mark has plans to expand.

Last week was the 16th year anniversary of Peter Brock’s untimely passing at the age of 61. While Mark will always miss his mentor, Brock is never far from his mind.

If you would like to visit the Museum, please arrange a time with Mark by calling 0407 265 562. The entry fee is a gold coin donation, and it’s worth every cent.

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• Motoring