Shrike (racing car)
| Company type | Racing car project |
|---|---|
| Industry | Automotive, Motorsport |
| Founded | 1988 |
| Founder | Ted Noack (instructor) |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Formula Holden racing cars (NB89H) |
Shrike represents a racing vehicle engineered in Australia by students at the Croydon Park Institute of TAFE in Adelaide during the years 1988 and 1989. It was specifically designed for the then-new Formula Holden series, which mandated the use of an aluminium monocoque chassis paired with a Buick-derived 3.8 litre Holden V6 engine, identical to that powering the contemporary Holden VN Commodore.
From its inception, the Shrike proved to be a strong contender in the Australian Drivers' Championship, competing against established manufacturers such as Elfin, Cheetah, and imported Formula 3000 models from Ralt, Reynard, and Lola.
Concept
The name Shrike draws inspiration from the bird depicted on the Flag of South Australia. The project was initiated by automotive engineering instructor Ted Noack, who utilized the expertise of TAFE students to construct and campaign these race cars. Financial backing was provided by South Australia's Education Minister, Greg Crafter, as part of an initiative to promote technical education.
The Shrike made its public debut with a demonstration run at the 1988 Australian Grand Prix held in Adelaide, piloted by local racer Ian Richards, who was the Australian Formula 2 champion in 1983.
Racing
The Shrike made its competitive debut at the first Formula Holden event in 1989 at Mallala Motorsport Park, with drivers Arthur Abrahams and Peter Doulman behind the wheel.
During the 1990 Australian Drivers' Championship, Adelaide-based driver Mark Poole drove a Clipsal-sponsored Shrike to finish second overall. Poole achieved victories at Sydney’s tight Amaroo Park circuit and Melbourne’s high-speed Sandown Raceway, highlighting the car’s adaptability across different track types. Going into the final round at the 1990 Australian Grand Prix, Poole trailed Ralt driver Simon Kane by a single point but was forced to retire due to radiator damage, which ultimately allowed Kane to clinch the championship.
Renowned motorcycle World Champion Wayne Gardner also attempted to compete in a Shrike at the 1990 AGP but was prevented from racing after a qualifying crash caused by coolant spillage, despite qualifying 11th in his first open-wheel competition.
A total of five NB89H Shrikes were constructed and raced throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Although they never secured a championship title, these cars earned several race wins against more technologically advanced former Formula 3000 vehicles across a variety of circuits, ranging from high-downforce tracks like Amaroo Park to low-downforce venues such as Sandown Raceway.
Complete Australian Drivers' Championship results
(key) (results shown in bold denote pole positions; results in italics represent fastest laps)