Bathurst winner opens up on Brock legacy

LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour victory meant more to Kenny Habul than meets the eye.

Habul achieved a lifelong dream to win at Mount Panorama on Sunday.

The expatriate Australian was one of four drivers in the winning #75 SunEnergy1 Racing Mercedes-AMG.

Habul won the race alongside Jules Gounon, Luca Stolz and Martin Konrad.

Bathurst and circuit itself is special for Habul; he even owns a property on Conrod Straight.

For Habul, it was also a chance to emulate his mentor, the late Peter Brock, who won the Great Race a record nine times.

The legendary Brock played a crucial role in 48-year-old Habul’s upbringing.

Speaking after the race, the moment wasn’t lost on an emotional Habul.

"I had a rough upbringing,” Habul said.

"I had to leave home and I went to Melbourne and [Brock] looked after me and took me in.

"I worked there with his race teams and basically just swept the floors and washed the wheels and he always checked on me... Bev [Brock] also.

"When everyone went home at the end of the night and no one was around, I would jump in the race car.

"I couldn’t tell anyone, because that was illegal... I just sat in the car.”

Habul extended his relationship with Brock to Frenchman Gounon.

Gounon revealed he read a Brock book in the days leading to the race.

"As a kid with dreams, he was the ultimate,” Habul said.

"He never ever turned away from an autograph or a picture with someone.

"He gave so much of his time, and you don’t see that to be honest with a lot of superstars in the world across all different sports.

"You don’t see enough of, ‘Let me put myself out and make time for 200 people in front of me’.

"He was that guy. He never left early, he never said no.”

Habul also owns the 1987 Bathurst-winning car; it is Brock’s final Bathurst winner.

"I was here in ’87, I was 14 years old,” Habul said.

“He actually finished third but ended up winning when the other cars were disqualified.

"I own that car now, the #10, drove it at Goodwood.

"She’s a bit 'how’s your uncle' compared to this Mercedes, no ABS, no traction control, no power steering.

"I don’t know how they drove them around here to be honest back then."

Habul paid tribute to Bev Brock, who is currently battling health issues.

Victory at Mount Panorama was the best way for Habul to say thank you to the late racing champion, who died in 2006.

It came after Gounon brought the car home after Habul was slapped with dual penalties for Safety Car infringements.

"He was good to me, and just a shout out to Bev,” he said.

"She’s fighting some health issues and we’re all praying for her and hoping she pulls through. She’s a good lady.

"Peter told me way back, 2004 or something, he said, ‘No one has ever done a perfect lap here, and if you try too hard, you bring it back four feet shorter’.

"And that’s what happens. That’s what makes it mystical to me.”

The LIQUI MOLY Bathurst 12 Hour will return in February 2023.