Peter Brock’s first Bathurst crown came in the 1972 Hardie-Ferodo 500. This was the last race to be held over the original distance of 500 miles and the last year drivers were able to race without the assistance of a co-driver.
Race qualifying saw Allan Moffat in the number one Ford XY Falcon GT-HO on pole position, with an incredible 2m35.8s, 3.1 seconds faster than 1971. Beside him was John Goss, who despite blowing a motor in practice, still managed to clock a best of 2m37.2s. Behind them were John French and Fred Gibson, driving the number two works car, closely followed by Peter Brock driving his Holden LJ XU-1 Torana.
Race day was pouring with rain and the start was an incredible sight, with a huge cloud of spray blanketing the field, which looked more like a power boat fleet than a pack of cars. Despite all of the problems encountered by his rivals, Peter Brock cruised to an astounding victory in his Holden Dealer Team LJ XU-1 Torana, by the huge margin of five laps. Brock’s car ran without trouble all day. This would ultimately prove to be the beginning of an unrivaled legacy on The Mountain for Peter Brock.