Larry Perkins

Larry Clifton Perkins born 18 March 1950

Larry, raised on a farm in Cowangie in the Mallee region of Victoria, developed a passion for cars early on. As the son of racing driver Eddie Perkins, who won the 1956 RedeX Round Australia Trial, and the maternal nephew of Bathurst 500 champion George Reynolds, Larry was immersed in a rich motorsport heritage. Growing up surrounded by farm machinery, he loved tinkering and developing his mechanical skills, which fuelled his love for cars from a young age.

 In 1970, Larry joined Harry Firth's Holden Dealer Team as a mechanic and driver. Although he wasn't heavily involved in road racing with the team, he did compete in Rallycross, partnering with team driver Peter Brock.

Larry Perkins headed to Europe, where he triumphed in the 1975 European Formula Three Championship. He also raced in Formula One during the 1974, 1976, and 1977 seasons. However, after failing to secure a permanent Formula One seat, he returned to Australia and claimed victory in the 1979 Rothmans International Series, driving an Elfin MR8 for the Ansett Team Elfin, managed by Elfin Sports Cars founder Garrie Cooper.

 

Larry Perkins debuted in the Bathurst 1000 in 1977, driving a Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback. He secured a third-place finish, teaming up with co-driver Peter Janson.

 

Larry Perkins went on to win the Bathurst 1000 six times (1982, 1983, 1984, 1993, 1995, and 1997). He shared the podium with co-drivers Peter Brock (1982–84), John Harvey (1983), and Gregg Hansford (1993), all while racing for the Holden Dealer Team, which by that time was owned by Brock, with Perkins responsible for race car development and preparation. In his final two victories in 1995 and 1997, he was partnered with Russell Ingall, and each win came behind the wheel of an Australian-made Holden Commodore.

Larry Perkins' 1995 Tooheys 1000 victory is often considered one of his most memorable. After a pit stop at the end of the first lap to replace a flat tyre, he dropped to the back of the field. However, he fought his way back into contention, taking the lead with less than 10 laps remaining after Glenn Seton's Ford Falcon retired due to a dropped valve in the engine. With co-driver Russell Ingall, Perkins became only the second team in the race's history to come from last place to win the event.

 Larry Perkins retired from racing in 2003 at the age of 53 and was inducted into the V8 Supercars Hall of Fame in 2008. In addition to his success as a driver, he is a talented automotive engineer and engine builder, having built many race cars for both his own team and other teams. Known for his lively and humorous nature, Perkins is often called "LP," but he's also widely recognized by the nicknames "Lightning Larry" or "Larrikin Larry."