1959 Australian Drivers' Championship

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The 1959 Australian Drivers Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Formula Libre cars. The championship winner was awarded the 1959 CAMS Gold Star.

The series was won by Victorian racer Len Lukey driving his Cooper T45 Climax and in the opening round of the series his own much modified Cooper T23 which was known as the Lukey-Bristol. Lukey was one of only a few drivers who attempted to complete the gruelling twelve race schedule, the longest in ADC history. Lukey finished just two points ahead of his season long rival, Alec Mildren from the ACT [1] (Cooper-Climax). Stan Jones was third in the championship, using four different cars over the course of the series. Race victories were shared around with Mildren taking three wins. Lukey, Jones and Bill Patterson each took two wins, with single victories going to Jack Brabham, Bib Stillwell and New Zealand Maserati 250F racer Ross Jensen.

Calendar

The title, which was the third Australian Drivers' Championship, [2] was contested over a twelve race series. [3] [4]

RaceDate [4] Race [5] CircuitLocationWinner
126 JanuarySouth Pacific Championship Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit Orange, New South Wales Jack Brabham*
222 FebruaryVictorian Trophy Fisherman's Bend Melbourne, Victoria Alec Mildren
32 March Australian Grand Prix Longford Circuit Longford, Tasmania Stan Jones
428 MarchSouth Australian Trophy Port Wakefield Circuit Port Wakefield, South Australia Stan Jones
530 March Bathurst 100 Mount Panorama Circuit Bathurst, New South Wales Ross Jensen*
614 JuneLowood Trophy Lowood Airfield Circuit Lowood, Queensland Alec Mildren
730 AugustQueensland Centenary Road Race Championship Lowood Airfield Circuit Lowood, Queensland Alec Mildren
84 OctoberNew South Wales Road Race Championship Mount Panorama Circuit Bathurst, New South Wales Bib Stillwell
912 OctoberThe Advertiser Trophy Port Wakefield Circuit Port Wakefield, South Australia Bill Patterson
1024 OctoberWestern Australian Road Race Championship Caversham Caversham, Western Australia Len Lukey
1122 NovemberWestern Port Cup [6] Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Phillip Island, Victoria Bill Patterson
1213 DecemberPhillip Island Trophy Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Phillip Island, Victoria Len Lukey

Points

Championship points were awarded on a 12-7-5-3-2-1 basis to the first six Australian drivers at each race, irrespective of actual race placings gained. Only the best nine race results could be retained by each driver. [7]

As only Australian resident drivers were eligible, South Pacific Championship winner Jack Brabham and Bathurst 100 winner Ross Jensen were not awarded points towards the championship.

Results

PositionDriver [8] [5] Car [5] Entrant [5] GB [8] FB [8] Lon [8] PW [8] MP [8] Low [8] Low [8] MP [8] PW [8] Cav [8] PI [8] PI [8] Total [8]
1Len LukeyLukey Bristol &
Cooper T45 Coventry Climax 		Lukey Mufflers Pty Ltd537712-73-12(3)1268
2 Alec Mildren Cooper T43 Coventry Climax &
Cooper T45 Coventry Climax 		A.G. Mildren Pty Ltd3123--12125(3)57766
3 Stan Jones Maybach Mk.IV Corvette
Maserati 250F
Cooper T51 Coventry Climax
Sabakat Coventry Climax 		Stan Jones Motors Pty. Ltd.-71212-5---71-44
4 Bill Patterson Cooper T43 Coventry Climax Bill Patterson Motors P/L-----72-12-12-33
5Arnold Glass Ferrari 555 Super Squalo
Maserati 250F 		A.J. Glass7-5-73------22
6 Doug Whiteford Maserati 300S D. Whiteford125--1-------18 [9]
7 Bib Stillwell Cooper T51 Coventry Climax B.S. Stillwell------512----17
8Keith Rilstone Zephyr SpecialK. Rilstone---5----7-2-14
9Ted GreyTornado Mk.II Corvette L. Abrahams-------7----7
10Austin Miller Cooper T51 Coventry Climax Superior Cars------1----56
11Jack MyersWM SpecialJ. Myers----5-------5
= David McKay Cooper T51 Coventry Climax Victa Pty Ltd--------5---5
=Noel Hall Cooper T51 Coventry Climax O. Hall----------5-5
=Murray Trenberth Alta F2 Holden M. Trenberth---3----2---5
15Ray Wamsley Alfa Romeo Tipo B Chevrolet Corvette R. Wamsley----3-------3
= Frank Matich Jaguar D-Type Leaton Motors------3-----3
= Syd Negus Cooper T20 Holden Syd Negus ---------3--3
= Murray Carter Corvette SpecialMurray Carter Motors-----------33
19Alwyn RoseDal Ro SpecialA.J. Rose2-----------2
=John Lanyon MG TC SpecialJ. Lanyon-2----------2
=Alan Jack Cooper T39 Coventry Climax A. Jack--2---------2
=Jim Goldfinch Austin-Healey 100S J. Goldfinch---2--------2
=Werner Greve HWM Jaguar W. Greve----2-------2
=Arthur Griffiths Ferrari 555 Super SqualoA. Griffith-----2------2
=David Finch Jaguar D-Type D. Finch-------2----2
=Peter BondBondley SpecialP. Bond---------2--2
= John Roxburgh Cooper T41 Coventry Climax Kingbridge Service-----------22
=Glyn Scott Cooper T43 Coventry Climax Glyn Scott Motors-----1-1----2
29Barry Collerson Talbot-Lago T26C B. Collerson1-----------1
=Ron Phillips Cooper T38 Jaguar R. Phillips--1---------1
=Tom Stevens MG TA SpecialT. Stevens---1--------1
=Syd TaylorTS SpecialS Taylor---------1--1

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References

  1. ↑ 1961 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 51
  2. ↑ Australian Drivers Championship - CAMS Gold Star, 2016 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, as archived at web.archive.org
  3. ↑ Australian Motor Sport Review, 1958-59, pages 82
  4. 1 2 Guide to The Gold Star, Supplement to Racing Car News, August 1970, page ii
  5. 1 2 3 4 1959 Gold Star, members.optusnet.com.au/dandsshaw, as archived at web.archive.org
  6. ↑ Phillip Island Circuit, www.progcovers.com Retrieved 29 November 2018
  7. ↑ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1959, page 44
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 1959 Gold Star Point Score, Automobiles Australia - incorporating Australian Motor Sport Review 1959-60, page 80
  9. ↑ Automobiles Australia lists Whiteford's points as 12 + 5 + 1 = 17

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