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1960 Australian Touring Car Championship

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Track map of the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit (1953-1961)

The 1960 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Appendix J Touring Cars. The title, which was the inaugural Australian Touring Car Championship, was contested over a single 20 lap, 75 mile race held on 1 February 1960 at the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit near Orange in New South Wales. The race was the first to be run under Appendix J Touring Car regulations, ushering in a new era that would last until January 1965 when CAMS replaced Appendix J with Group C for Improved Production Touring Cars.

The championship was won by David McKay driving a Jaguar Mark 1 3.4 Litre.

Race

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This, the first Australian touring car race to be run under a set of national regulations which defined a level of modification, was dominated by the three Jaguar Mark 1 drivers. The journalist racer David McKay, remembered for his efforts promoting racing cars and sports cars with his Scuderia Veloce team, claimed the racing achievement he is best remembered for, in a touring car race.

A single day of practice was held on Sunday, 31 January, with the fastest lap times from official practice used to set the grid for the race the following day. McKay set the fastest lap time of 2:40 to take pole position, with Bill Pitt and Ron Hodgson, also in Jaguars, setting times of 2:41 and 2:42 respectively to line up second and third on the grid. Later in the day, Hodgson set a lap time of 2:39 in unofficial practice. Multiple cars, including the three Jaguars, suffered overheating problems during the day, while Hodgson also had gearbox troubles with the car jumping out of gear. Roy Sawyer blew an engine which was rebuilt overnight.[1]

Hodgson led away from the start, getting the jump on McKay and Pitt, with the three Jaguars quickly pulling away from the rest of the field. All three drivers missed their brake markers going into Windsock Corner on lap 1, with Hodgson running wide and McKay and Pitt both spinning. This gave Hodgson a lead heading into lap 2 but McKay caught him halfway through the lap. Hodgson again left his braking too late at Windsock, allowing McKay, Pitt and several other cars through. By the time Hodgson restarted his car, he was around one minute down on McKay and Pitt. Hodgson was able to regain third place within the next lap, leaving Max Volkers in fourth while Ian Geoghegan led a battle for fifth until blowing a head gasket.[1]

By lap 14, McKay had a lead of 26 seconds over Pitt, while rain was beginning to fall over the circuit. Sawyer spun his car coming over the crest at Connaghans Corner, hitting the inside bank and rolling. Jack van Schaik narrowly missed Sawyer's car while Ken Miller scraped his roof on one of Sawyer's bumpers. Des West stopped to help Sawyer escape the car while the driver of a Ford Zephyr had also stopped, their car blocking the track. After helping Sawyer, West burned his hands while restarting his own car. McKay was able to slow safely as he approached the scene but was forced to use his car to move the stationary Zephyr out of the way. This allowed Pitt to close the gap and he took the lead when McKay spun on the following lap. However, the overdrive mechanism in Pitt's car began to fail and McKay was able to retake the lead with two laps remaining. McKay led to the finish, six seconds ahead of Pitt, with Hodgson more than a minute behind. Volkers was the best of the rest, finishing one lap down in fourth place.[1]

Results

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The Holden 48-215 of Des West, pictured in 2015. The car was blue when it contested the race, being painted red later in the year.
Pos. No. Driver Entrant Car Laps Time/Retired
1 71 Australia David McKay D. McKay Jaguar Mark 1 3.4 20 54:19
2 34 Australia Bill Pitt Mrs Anderson Jaguar Mark 1 3.4 20 +6
3 69 Australia Ron Hodgson Strathfield Motors Jaguar Mark 1 3.8 20 +1:23
4 4 Australia Max Volkers M. Volkers Holden FJ 19 +1 lap
5 72 Australia Jan Harris J. Harris Holden
6 15 Australia Ralph Sach T. Sulman Holden 48-215
7 17 Australia Ken Miller K. E. Miller Holden
8 36 Australia John Millard J. R. Millard Holden
9 33 Australia Bruce McPhee B. A. McPhee Holden 48-215
10 41 Australia Andy Selmes A. W. Selmes Holden
11 27 Australia Des West D. L. West Holden 48-215
12 55 Australia Jerry Trevor-Jones R. Bland Austin Lancer
13 37 Australia Ian Grant Momchong Motors Holden
Class results
2001–2600cc
1 4 Australia Max Volkers M. Volkers Holden FJ 19 +1 lap
2 72 Australia Jan Harris J. Harris Holden
3 15 Australia Ralph Sach T. Sulman Holden 48-215
4 17 Australia Ken Miller K. E. Miller Holden
5 36 Australia John Millard J. R. Millard Holden
6 33 Australia Bruce McPhee B. A. McPhee Holden 48-215
7 41 Australia Andy Selmes A. W. Selmes Holden
8 27 Australia Des West D. L. West Holden 48-215
9 37 Australia Ian Grant Momchong Motors Holden
31 Australia John Halcrow[2] J. E. Halcrow Holden
? 16[3] R. Telford[3] R. Telford[3] Ford Zephyr
Ret 5 Australia Ian Geoghegan I. Geoghegan Holden 48-215 Head gasket
Ret 22 Australia Bob Rawlings R. K. Rawlings Holden Rollover[4]
Ret 7 Australia Roy Sawyer R. A. Sawyer Holden FJ Accident
Ret Australia Len Sayer Holden
1301–2000cc
1 55 Australia Jerry Trevor-Jones R. Bland Austin Lancer
2 46 Australia Charles van Schaik C. van Schaik Morris Major
3 35 Australia John Malcolm J. R. Malcolm Austin Lancer
4 20 Australia Denis Gregory D. Gregory Morris Major
5 89 Australia Malcolm Bailey M. S. Bailey Wolseley 1500
6 38 Australia Emanuel Pitsiladis E. D. Pitsiladis Austin Lancer
Ret 44 Australia Howard Sketchley H. Sketchley Austin Lancer
Ret 14 Australia Charlie Smith C. G. Smith Morris Major
Ret Australia Keith Watts K. Watts Peugeot 403
1001–1300cc
1 47 Australia Jack van Schaik J. van Schaik Simca Aronde
2 63 Australia Ken Brigden K. A. Brigden Peugeot 203
3 96 Australia Eric Creese E. Creese Simca
Ret 50 Australia Doug Stewart J. A. Whitter & Co Simca Aronde
Ret 24 Australia Alton Boddenberg A. J. Boddenberg Peugeot 203
Ret 54 Australia Ray Price R. A. Price Fiat 1100
Under 1000cc
1 11 Australia Brian Foley Kinsley Pty Ltd Austin A40 Farina
2 Australia Kevin Bartlett K. Bartlett Morris Minor 1000
3 66 Australia Bob Martin R. Martin Morris Minor 1000
4 48 Australia R. Copley R. Copley Morris Minor
5 40 Australia Ted Ansell E. Ansell NSU Prinz
Ret 23 Australia Doug Kelly Bank Corner Motors Fiat Abarth 750
Sources:[1][5][3][6]

Statistics

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  • Pole position: David McKay, 2:40[5]
  • Fastest lap: David McKay, 2:35, 140 km/h (87 m.p.h.)[4]
  • Average speed of winning car: 133 km/h (80 m.p.h.)[4]
  • There were 44 starters of which 31 finished.[5]
  • Attendance: 7,000[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Greenhalgh, David; Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart (2011). The official history: Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years. St Leonards, New South Wales: Chevron Publishing Group. pp. 12–21. ISBN 978-0-9805912-2-4.
  2. ^ Wilson, Stewart (1988). Holden: The official racing history. Hornsby, New South Wales: Chevron Publishing Group. p. 329. ISBN 0-9590378-4-5.
  3. ^ a b c d "Event No. 4 (2.05 p.m.) – Australian Touring Car Championship". Australian Touring Car Championship Meeting Official Programme. 1 February 1960. pp. 16–17.
  4. ^ a b c d Denis Gregory, Chequered Times - A History of Gnoo Blas - Orange 1953-1960
  5. ^ a b c McKay, David (April 1960). "First Touring Titles Decided". Modern Motor. Sydney, New South Wales: Modern Magazines Pty Ltd. pp. 22–23, 80–81.
  6. ^ Oastler, Mark. "Des West's 'Appendix J' Holden 48-215". Australian Muscle Car. No. 53. St Leonards, New South Wales: Chevron Publishing Group. pp. 36–63.

Further reading

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  • David McKay, First Touring Titles Decided, Modern Motor, April 1960, pages 22–23 & 80-81
  • Orange Road Races – Feb. 1st, Australian Motor Sports, February 1960, pages 68 & 71
  • Peter Wherrett, Speedy Orange, Sports Car World, March 1960, page 52
  • Mark Oastler, Des West's 'Appendix J' Holden 48-215, Australian Muscle Car, Jan/Feb 2011, pages 36–63
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