Mark Petch Motorsport was a motor racing team that competed in Australian and New Zealand motorsport.
History Mark Petch Motorsport was formed in 1985 by former New Zealand National Championship winner Mark Petch.About Us Autoquip A Volvo 240T was imported from Belgium and debuted at the 1985 Wellington 500 where Robbie Francevic and Michel Delcourt won.Mark Petch: Setting the Record Straight Auto Action issue 376 26 July 1985 pages 20, 21, 35Volvo 240 Turbo Group A 240 GroupSaturday Sleuthing: Francevic's Volvo title winner V8 Supercars 9 August 2014 Francevic then drove the car in the 1985 Australian Touring Car Championship, recording wins at Symmons Plains and Oran Park before teaming with John Bowe at the Sandown 500 and Bathurst 1000.Twin Peaks NZ Classic CarRobbie Francevic Speedcafe 2 December 2011Australia's most iconic Volvo racecar Speedcafe 10 June 2013
Francevic drove the 240T to victories in the opening two rounds of the 1986 Australian Touring Car Championship, after which the team's Australian assets then sold to the Volvo Dealer Team.Big program announced for Volvo Dealer Team Auto Action issue 393 21 March 1986 page 3 Mark Petch Motorsport purchased an ex-Andy Rouse Engineering Ford XR4Ti, with Francevic driving the car at the 1986 Bathurst 1000.Petch in the race for action Canberra Times 3 October 1986 page 3
In 1987, Mark Petch Motorsport purchased the CiBiEmme BMW M3 that had been raced by Johnny Cecotto and Gianfranco Brancatelli at the 1987 Bathurst 1000.Petch buys CiBiEmme car Auto Action issue 433 9 October 1987 page 3 In 1988, Mark Petch purchased a Wolf Racing Ford Sierra RS500 with Armin Hahne co-driving at the Bathurst 1000 and Wellington 500.Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1988 touringcarracing.net
In 1989, Francevic competed in two rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship before being joined by Gianfranco Brancatelli at Bathurst and Wellington.Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1989 touringcarracing.net In 1990, the car was raced at Bathurst by Brancatelli and Robb Gravett.
In 1991, the Sierra was raced at Wellington by Brett Riley and Kayne ScottNissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1991 touringcarracing.net and in 1992 by Scott and Greg Murphy.Nissan Mobil 500 Wellington 1992 touringcarracing.net A second Sierra was purchased from Dick Johnson Racing at the end of 1991.Sierra - DJR4 Dick Johnson Racing
Mark Petch Motorsport later became involved in New Zealand TraNZam racing and the New Zealand V8 Series winning the latter three times before being disbanded at the end of 2009.
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