Gavin Wilkins

Our local SA motorsport Legends are not only created from the long circuit.. we have our share of Legends in every category of motorsport. One of our best-known drag racing Legends has to be Gavin Wilkins, famous for his 7 second Mustang!

- Clare Vale

Something that has struck me while writing this series about racing Legends is how modest and humble they are about their achievements. Gavin is no exception. I have known him since my time in the V8 Supercar series, where he was briefly the TC – a thankless job at the best of times, as the TC is the one who has to tackle perceived technical deviations from the rules. I never heard him blowing his own trumpet, despite his knowledge and experience with V8 motors, and he got the job done with a minimum of fuss and attitude.

Gavin was born in Brakpan in 1965. His Dad was a very good mechanic who did his time with GM, Ford and Leyland. Clearly, Ford’s blue genes run in the family! Gavin was only four or five when he inherited his late cousin’s 50cc motor cycle, and despite many tumbles and falls, he soon taught himself to ride. Once he got the basics sorted, he just wanted to go faster and faster…

As soon as Gavin had his licence, he was on the road with his Honda MB50, looking for races around every corner. “Of course, my Honda was not stock – it could do 155kph,” recalls Gavin. “My nickname at school was Turbo, not knowing how that name would transpire in years to come!”

In 1981, Gavin took his bike to Rainbow Drag Strip for the first time, where he did 21 seconds on a quarter mile, and that’s where the real Legend started. Gavin’s dream at that stage was to work on motorcycles, and he started his career with Honda in 1982.

His first car was a lime green Mini, which he used during his National Service. “Yes, of course it was modified,”, laughs Gavin. “But it was still pretty light on fuel!” Gavin soon made the move to racing on four wheels, and it didn’t take too long before he was making a real name for himself in drag racing.