THE last Benson & Hedges Racing Ford Sierra RS500 Group A car built is set to make a return to Australian motorsport at this year’s Phillip Island Classic Historic event.
Originally built and raced by the Tony Longhurst team in 1990, the Sierra made its debut at the AMSCAR Series final at Amaroo Park that year and was driven by Longhurst and Mark McLaughlin at that year’s Tooheys 1000 at Bathurst.
The car competed at Bathurst again in 1991 and is pictured in V8 Sleuth’s Bathurst 1990s book that features imagery of every car from every Bathurst 1000 held in the 1990s – it’s on sale here now on the V8 Sleuth Superstore.
It appeared in Historic racing in the hands of Carey McMahon in Australia before spending time racing overseas.
Repaired after an accident at Algarve in 2019 and completely restored, it was placed for sale via auction in early 2021.
The car is now owned by Kiwi Andy Greenslade and is one of a handful of Kiwi-owned touring cars to be heading to the event, which will be held at Phillip Island on March 7 to 10.
A range of Kiwi Super Tourers are also set to compete at the event, including the Honda Accord formerly driven by Neil Crompton in the 1997 North American Touring Car Championship.
It will be joined by two BMWs owned by Steven Kelly and Dennis Chapman and a 1995 Ford Mondeo owned by Scott O’Donnell.
WATCH: Up close look at the ex-Tony Longhurst Benson & Hedges Racing Sierra RS500 Cosworth.
