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I feel I should relate a story from long ago and away from the race-tracks about this wonderful man.
As a 17,18 and 19 year old firstly with a sidevalve Morrie, later with a 997 Mini Cooper and lastly a 998 version, I worked for Ian as a detailer for one week of my annual holidays each year from “Which Bank” with a mate, Dennis Harlen. Those were fabulous days in the mid 60s. The cars I got to clean and chamois off every morning I could only dream about. The first 2 years were at Homebush between the factories and opposite Ronny Wards. The last year was at Ashfield opposite Peak Freans.
I think it was the middle year.
There was this Mini and it’s seats were over at Wardy’s and had to be put back in, so Ian said,”Eddie, take the Mini over the road and leave it at Ron’s” at this point I didn’t know it didn’t have any seats. So when I went to get in it, I found out this was the case and went back to Ian and told him. Ian looked around the yard and said “there’s a 4 gallon drum, sit that on the floor and use that. So I get the drum, sit it on the floor, only to find it sits right on top of the 4 inch wide floor strengthening channel.
In I get, put my bum on the top of it start it and push in the clutch, and select first gear.
As the clutch comes out the drum pivots on the edge of the channel, my bum goes backwards and lets out the clutch and it stalls. Now all this is happening right outside “his” office.
Try a second time with more concentration, for the same result.
The third time, guess what, it happens again. By this time I’m feeling about one inch tall when Ian arrives at the doorway, with a beaming great smile. I think his words were,… in fact I know his words were,….. “ Eddie you are a c c c c “ anyway after a number of further stutters he finally gets the word out followed by “of a driver”
I can tell you it didn’t happen a fourth time, and getting across Parramatta Road ( the busiest in the southern hemisphere ) was pretty uneventful after what had just transpired.
You know, in writing this here after all these years, I wonder if Ian didn’t “set me up” I sure wouldn’t put it past him. And I do remember that smile, and maybe that was the giveaway I didn’t think about till now.
I too saw him race, he was definitely a cut above anyone else in Touring Cars.
I also remember him on the Mountain Rallies and when I asked him there once if he remembered driving my Cox, Lotus 30 slot car in the “grand” opening of the Drummoyne Slot Car Club, he said he did remember the evening, and the celebrity race, but not the result, he retorted did I win? …. And the answer was a simple "sure did" … I still have that slot car and it takes pride of place in the model car cabinet.
I remember one event on a Mountain rally was at Moruya Speedway on the dirt, and Ian was in the aforementioned Mk II , now this is a big car to punt around a dirt track oval. compared to the little sports cars etc, guess what, Ian blitzed the whole field, now that is a remarkable effort, and some of the other 100 or so car/driver combos weren’t exactly novices.
I could tell a lot more stories of Big Pete Geoghegan, but the one I share with every one else is how much he is missed.
As to his nickname, Pete, I don’t know where it came from, but I suspect his youth. I do know that I have only ever heard Leo talk of Pete, never Ian. I write Ian above as that is what I always called him, being none the wiser at the time.
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