Bev, the secret to Brock’s success

ONE of Australia's really great folk heroes, Peter Brock, loved Ned Kelly.

Bev and Peter Brock

OUR government calls Ned Kelly one of Australia’s greatest folk heroes, which is interesting because one of Australia's really great folk heroes, Peter Brock, loved Ned Kelly.

There are probably as many books on Brocky as on Ned, but not as many academic papers. Yet.

Given the number of books, including two by his partner of 28 years, Bev Brock, you would think there is not much more to learn about Peter Perfect (he hated the nickname). He was a “vulnerable, insecure guy, who has been thrust into the public limelight”, according to Bev, and in his 40 years of motor racing he believed that he had “never done anything that was worthwhile”.

What we do know is that he was one of the most gifted drivers of all time, would have liked to have played more on the global stage, and is the best known, most-loved race driver in Australian history.

What you probably don’t know is that he was a leader at school; he could have been a top AFL player; did National Service; loved art; was a passionate environmentalist; helped hundreds of troubled young kids; and practised yoga every day.

The best book on Brock the driver is David Hassall’s self-published Brocky (about $8 on Kindle). Hassall was Brock’s ghost writer and Brock authorised most of the book before he took a corner too fast, slid into a tree and was killed in 2006.

The best insight into Brock the man comes from Bev’s new book, Life to the Limit ($29.99). More importantly, we learn about Bev Brock the woman.

As David Hassall writes: “Alongside his partner of 28 years, Bev, Brock set aside the self-obsession that marks most great sportsmen and developed into an articulate and thoughtful human who inspired businessmen, fans and Olympic athletes alike.”

Bev Brock (she changed her surname by deed poll when she moved in with Peter) came from a dirt-poor subsistence farming family in Western Australia. At a few stages she became de facto wife and mother when her own mother suffered a breakdown. Along the way Bev tried to commit suicide, broke her neck, successfully taught Aboriginal kids in very small country towns, married, had a child, divorced. And met Peter Brock.

There is no doubt that Peter’s career and life was as successful as it was because of Bev. But Brock repaid her by running off with Julie Bamford, Bev’s best friend of 23 years.

Ironically, Brock felt betrayed by sponsors and friends many times. Some, like Holden’s decision to end its relationship with him, was probably a mixture of a bureaucracy unable to control an outlaw and issues like the Energy Polariser.

Bev is very spiritual. In her teaching years she had frightening experiences with ouija boards; she believes in the prophetic nature of dreams and credits complementary therapy with her full recovery from the broken neck. Reading the book, it all makes perfect sense.

Brock is an Australian folk hero because he ticked all the boxes. But very few of Brock’s biographers give the credit for his success to Bev.

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