Allan Grice’s resume is second to none in the Australian motorsport community, but son Ben got the opportunity at Phillip Island to sample what 1980s touring car racing was like by driving the Holden Commodore nicknamed ‘Elvis’.
A frontrunner in the Trans Am category, the second generation Grice was invited to drive the Roadways-built STP Holden VH Commodore steered by his father Allan in an enduro event at Adelaide International Raceway in 1982 and the Silastic 300 at Amaroo Park during the next season after moving to the team full-time.
However, the nickname ‘Elvis’ was coined due to the amount of hits it experienced when drive by Steve Harrington. It was heavily damaged at Oran Park as a result of a punctured tyre, was hit during a spin at Sandown, then became an early retiree due to a multi-car pile up at Bathurst all during 1982.
Ownership passed on to Sydney privateer Ken Mathews during the closing stages of the Group C era before progressing through other owners to finally end up in Ed Singleton’s collection.
John Bowe drove ‘Elvis’ at Bathurst last year and the now it’s the younger Grice’s turn.
“We have to get some of these young drivers into these,” Grice remarked after his first session steering ‘Elvis’.
“They don’t know how good they’ve got it!”
Although it was only a short three lap run around Phillip Island, Grice was in awe at what his father and contemporaries achieved in these Group C beasts.
“I don’t know how they did a thousand kilometres in these,” he added.
“It’s so good. The sound, the feel, I love it.”
Grice was surrounded by Commodores driven by his father including the Craven Mild example from Bathurst 1980 and another from 1984.
Of course, it’s fitting Repco features on the Commodores front spoiler.