Peter Brock's 'crucifixion'

Tearful schoolchildren have called him from Tasmania and Perth, and close friends have sympathised with Peter Brock since the "great misfortune" overtook him. But Peter, one of Australia's favourite sporting heroes, calmly insists that rumours of his financial collapse, insanity, conversion to witchcraft and 101 equally improbable happenings are, to say the very least, greatly exaggerated.

With plans to win yet another Bathurst motor race well advanced and international markets for his finely tuned supercars opening up, Peter says he's on top of the world.

His wife Bev is angrily writing a book about what she calls Peter's "crucifixion". but the traumas of the pas few months which saw his triumphant association with Holden severed. He is firmly in control and, as usual, anticipating every bump and turn in the road ahead.

"It's very exciting. We have business opportunities which have never been available to us before," Peter says.

"Before, we had 444 dealers throughout Australia we were responsible to -- and probably about 400 of those had no interest in our product."

But all that has changed since the Holden connection was severed, largely over a mysterious 'energy polariser' Peter fitted to his specially prepared Holdens to give them a "sweeter" ride.

Although many international motoring writers have described the potent Brock machines as the best handling cars in the world, Holden rejected Peter's 'magic box' and moved to cut off supplies of their cars and components to his company HDT Racing Pty Ltd.

Word spread that Peter was in the grip of a guru, Melbourne chiropractor Dr Eric Dowker.

Bev says: "Eric, the supposed guru is a wonderful fellow."

"He is an excellent chiropractor and is shell-shocked by the media response to his friendship with Peter. He has seen how Peter has been crucified.

"We have heard that Peter is into black magic, wearing orange robes, sleeping under pyramids, worshipping strange gods, living an alternative lifestyle ... or simply that he's insane.

"Instead of encouraging technology and improvement, Australians are embarrassed and want to crush it.

Peter nods and adds: "People used to say Pasteur was mad too, but who would drink unpasteurised milk now?"

"I am a very optimistic person, always seeking new ways to improve, achieve, progress ... and it's very frustrating when you are involved with companies that try to thwart you in those aspirations."

Bev, a former teacher and the mother of James Brock, 11, Robert, 6, and Alexandra,4, comes to work every day now with Peter, following the resignations of several of his executives over the dispute with Holden.

Peter says: "I am a free agent and I can do what I want to. I plan to win Bathurst again this year .... And if they want to call me the Guru of Bathurst when it's over, that's OK with me too."

Story: John Monks
New Idea June 6 1987