Bryan Thomson

Sports Hall of Fame Inductee

The man who would be known as Shepparton’s “Mister Motor Sport” will now be inducted into the Sports Hall of Fame.  

In the years between 1953 and 2003 when Shepparton people spoke of Motor racing, the name Bryan Thomson would be at the forefront. He commenced his love of racing by riding motor bikes as that was what he could afford. However in 1959 he purchased an Austin Healy as his first race car in his first race at Barjarg. He loved the thrill of racing and set out to make it his lifetime pursuit.

 He was an innovator, a man of ideas which he wasn’t afraid to try out. His first major move in the sport was in 1960 when he purchased what he termed as the “Sexiest” Australian special race car ever constructed, Lou Melina’s Monza Holden racing car. With Brian at the wheel he won 20 races from 57 starts. His big time racing career was under way. 

Bryan became a well-known racing driver as he sat behind the wheel of 30 different racing cars that he raced all over Australia and in the UK. in a number of different classes. Amongst his cars were names such as Cooper Climax, Jaguar, Mercedes, Chev Comaro, L.C.Torana, Volvo, Mazda, VW, Ford Sierra and many more.  He was the first Shepparton race driver to compete overseas when he and his wife Loel travelled around the U.K. racing circuits and drove against the leaders in world motor sport. He was an amazing privateer who was not afraid to take on the big factory teams with their high class drivers and teams.

 On his return to Australia he competed in all the major races and won the Australian Sports Sedan GT championship in a Mercedes Benz. He drove into 3^rd place in the James Hardy 12 hour event at Bathurst and was 3^rd in the Sandown 250. With the support of talented local motor mechanical masters like Peter Fowler He competed in the Australian endurance championships, the Australian Sports Car championships and the Australian Touring Car Championships. He also drove in Formula One. In 1973 Bryan embarked on a project that would make him a household name when he constructed a Chevy V8 powered VW to race in the sports sedan series at Calder.

Bryans Motor Racing career spanned 5 decades. He has ridden and driven at speed anything worth racing and competed in 9 Bathurst series.

Known as Mister Nice Guy by his peers he has never shied away from a challenge and with his devoted and supportive wife Loel by his side he has achieved so much in life. 

Apart from motor racing he has operated 2 highly successful truck dealerships and with Loel restored a magnificent historic home Noorilim at Murchison where the Thomson’s lived. Loel has also amassed the largest collection of textiles and courtier in the Southern Hemisphere and has made this fabulous collection available to the new Museum of Vehicle Evolution in Shepparton It will be a sensation for visitors to our City and we thank Loel and Bryan for their wonderful gesture.