Speedcafe and its staff are saddened to learn today of the passing of Brian ‘Sambo’ Sampson at the age of 88.
To the wider community he will be remembered as Peter Brock’s teammate when they won the 1975 Hardie Ferodo 1000 outright at Bathurst, but to the ardent support he was much more.
Born on June 17, 1935, Sampson’s motorsport career began at 19 years of age when he first completed in a hillclimb in his Father’s MG TD. The following year, in 1955, a sign of things to come was his 10th place at Albert Park in the Moomba TT 100 Miles Sports Car race in an Austin Healy 100/4. In 1958 he won the sports car race on the Melbourne circuit in his supercharged Morris Special.
It went on to take class victories at Phillip Island in 1961 and 1962 in the 500 mile race. His wins came in a Renault Gordini with codrivers John Connolly and Jim Gullan the first year, and Connolly and Rex Emmett in the second.
From 1965 to 1971, he was the mainstay of the Australian Motor Industries (AMI) Toyota Team and raced with the likes of Lew Marshall, Ern Abbott, Barry Ferguson, Bob Morris and Dick Thurston in small class Corollas. With Morris they were class winners in 1969.
Whilst not competing in touring car enduros, open wheelers were his realm. He a partnership with local racing car constructor Brian Shead. Sampson and Shead were very successful in their red and white Cheetahs through most of the 1970s with Sampson’s Motor Improvements-built engines.
He was brought into the Holden Dealer Team in 1974 for its ill-fated Holden Torana SL/R 5000 assault. The following year he stuck with Brock in the privateer Gown-Hindhaugh winning team where he was as the wheel to take the chequered flag.
Sampson wasn’t by any means done with Bathurst. He was Warren Cullen’s codriver in 1977 which included victory in the Rothmans 500 at Oran Park, before had two runs at Bathurst with the Re-Car outfit and Alan Browne with a best result of fourth in 1980. Then Sampson went back in 1982 and 1983 with Bill O’Brien in the Everlast Ford Falcon XD.
By the 80s, the later Cheetahs were Ford BDA powered and he raced them and the earlier cars. He also dabbled in Historics with an Elva Mk8S. Later he would drive an AF2 Reynard and Dallaras as well as in Formula Holdens in Lolas.
In 1985 Sampson joined Garry Waldon in a Mitsubishi Starion before three more Bathurst bids, again teamed up with Bill O’Brien, the last of which was in 1990. Ironically he finished 10th in his last enduro, the same result as his first.
Into his 60s and beyond, Sampson continued to race in open wheel competition, against much younger drivers, predominantly in Formula Fords in the Vic State Race Series, as well he enjoyed historic racing. He stopped racing after experiencing an epileptic blackout on the road, which resulted in serious injuries that took time to overcome.
For much of career, Sampson carried the #78 on his car, just because he had a collection 78rpm music records, and that he aimed to be still racing when he reached that age.
He was well regarded as a true gentleman by all that new him, and he lived a full life. To his family and many friends, Speedcafe sends its deepest condolences.
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