1962 Armstrong 500

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The 1962 Armstrong 500 was an endurance race for Australian built production cars. The race was held at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 21 October 1962 over 167 laps of the 3.0 mile circuit, a total of 501 miles. Cars competed in four classes based on the retail price of each model. Officially, only class placings were awarded but the No 21 Ford Falcon driven by Harry Firth and Bob Jane was recognised as "First across the line". This was the third and last Armstrong 500 to be held at Phillip Island prior to the race being moved to the Mount Panorama Circuit at Bathurst in New South Wales where it later became known as the Bathurst 1000.

Class structure

A Ford Falcon XL built up as a tribute to the car which is credited as "First across the line" in the 1962 Armstrong 500 1962 Falcon XL Armstrong 500 winner (9031568830).jpg
A Ford Falcon XL built up as a tribute to the car which is credited as "First across the line" in the 1962 Armstrong 500

For the 1962 race the division of classes was changed from engine capacity, used in the previous two Armstrong 500s, to the purchase price (in Australian pounds, the currency of the era) of the vehicle on the Australian market, with the intent to allow members of the public to make comparisons between cars which they could personally afford. An upper limit of £2000 was established to prevent the race from being dominated by purpose-built sports cars. These changes saw the Renault Gordinis move up from Class D to Class C, while the Volkswagens dropped from C to D. Volkswagen would break through for their first class victory this year.

Class A

Class A was for cars with a purchase price of between £1251 and £2000. The class featured Chrysler Valiant, Citroën ID19, Ford Zephyr, Studebaker Lark and Vauxhall Velox.

Class B

Class B was for cars with a purchase price of between £1051 and £1250. The class was dominated by the new Ford Falcon XL but also feature Austin Freeway and Holden EJ.

Class C

Class C was for cars with a purchase price of between £901 and £1050. The class featured Hillman Minx, Morris Major, Renault Gordini and Simca Aronde.

Class D

Class D was for cars with a purchase price of less than £900. The class featured Ford Anglia, Morris 850, Triumph Herald and Volkswagen.

Race

The race was dominated by the XL series Ford Falcon, three of which were amongst the first four finishers, led by the factory-supported car of defending winners Harry Firth and Bob Jane. On the same lap as Firth and Jane was the Class A winning Studebaker of Fred Sutherland and Bill Graetz, who won the class by four laps, defeating the factory-supported Ford Zephyr being driven by Geoff Russell and David Anderson, denying them[ who? ] a third consecutive class victory. This was as close as a Studebaker would get to an outright victory in the history of the event.

In Class C a Renault Gordini won despite being moved up from Class D with Rex Emmett, John Connolly and 1975 winner Brian Sampson winning by four laps. The Renault Gordini driven by Emmett, Connolly and Sampson which covered the most laps in Class C was initially disqualified after the race along with the Morris 850 driven by Allen and Hooker which crossed the line in second place in Class D. [1] Appeals were lodged in both cases. [1] Later published results show the cars as first in Class C and second in Class D respectively. [2] [3] [4] [ clarification needed ]

Jim McKeown, an emerging star in small capacity touring cars, and George Reynolds took their Volkswagen to the Class D victory, beating the leading Mini by a lap. Reynolds too had an outright victory in store in just two years time in 1964.

Aftermath

The toil placed on the cold mix bitumen surface by the race, with the largest entry the race had seen, overwhelmed the Phillip Island racetrack. Dangerous potholes formed all around the circuit, leaving a hefty repair bill, and an ominous threat to the future growth of the race. Staying at Phillip Island, as attractive as other factors presented, was plainly impossible and the search began by the promoters for a new home for the increasingly popular endurance production car race. Earlier the same year the Bathurst Six Hour Classic had been held at the Mount Panorama Circuit near Bathurst (won by a Daimler not eligible to run in the Armstrong), and that circuit immediately entered speculation.

Results

PosNo [5] Entrant [5] DriversCarLaps
Class A
12Canada Cycle & Motor Co. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Fred Sutherland
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bill Graetz
Studebaker Lark 167
210 Ford Motor Co. of Australia Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoff Russell
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Anderson
Ford Zephyr Mk III 163
37Continental & General Distributors Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Norm Beechey
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Cusack
Citroën ID19 160
45Hawthorn Auto Wreckers Flag of Australia (converted).svg Vic Croft
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wal Gillespie
Chrysler Valiant 160
58 Scuderia Veloce Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bill Buckle
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian Foley
Citroën ID19 156
69Wallace Auto Racing Stable Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bill Wilson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Mike Ide
Citroën ID19 155
76 Calder Motor Raceway Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat Hawthorn
Flag of Australia (converted).svg G Hibberd
Chrysler Valiant 153
83Hospital Hill Motors Service Station Flag of Australia (converted).svg Don Algie
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kingsley Hibbard
Studebaker Lark 127
DNF4Auburn Garage Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter White
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Boyd-Squires
Chrysler Valiant 118
DNF1S.A. Cheney Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Coad
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Roxburgh
Vauxhall Velox 64
Class B
121 Ford Motor Co. of Australia Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harry Firth
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Jane
Ford Falcon XL 167
220 Ford Motor Co. of Australia Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ken Harper
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Raeburn
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Syd Fisher
Ford Falcon XL 166
325Broon's Motors Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan Caelli
Flag of Australia (converted).svg J Edwards
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Bodinnar
Ford Falcon XL 165
426L.J. Callaway Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Callaway
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank Porter
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jim Smith
Ford Falcon XL 161
522Molybond Laboritories Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Barry Foster
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Brown
Flag of Australia (converted).svg David Catlin
Holden EJ 160
624Hilltop Autos Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lex Davison
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Brindley
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil Trueman [6]
Austin Freeway 159
723C. Smith Flag of Australia (converted).svg Charlie Smith
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brucer Maher
Austin Freeway 145
827New Oakleigh Motors and New St. Kilda Motors Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kevin Lott
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tom Roddy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian Devlin
Ford Falcon XL 134
Class C
130Rex Emmett Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rex Emmett
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Connolly
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian Sampson
Renault Gordini 162
234Edney's Garage Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan Edney
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Greg Fayers
Morris Major Elite 158
333Eiffel Tower Group Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Diane Leighton
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Anne Bennett
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pam Murison
Simca Aronde 157
437Clemens Sporting Car Service Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ian Wells
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Don Dunoon
Hillman Minx 151
536W. Nalder Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wes Nalder
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Fish
Hillman Minx 145
DNF31Eiffel Tower Group Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Eiffeltower [7]
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lionel Marsh
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Vern Curtin
Simca Aronde 121
DNF32Eiffel Tower Group Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bill Roberts
Flag of Australia (converted).svg J Hume
Flag of Australia (converted).svg W Murison
Simca Aronde 63
DNF35Carburettor Centre, Belvedere Motors Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Les Darcy
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Don Castaldi
Simca Aronde 60
Class D
148H.G. McLean Motors Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Reynolds
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jim McKeown
Volkswagen 162
243 [8] [9] [9] Flag of Australia (converted).svg D Hooker
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Terry Allen
Morris 850 161
341Ace Motors Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Geoffrey Waite
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Macrow
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Rocky Tresise
Morris 850 160
450Spencer Motors Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Theiler
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Foreman
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Reg Lunn
Volkswagen 160
540Jack Hunnam Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Hunnam
Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Hartnett
Morris 850 160
642Head Brothers Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Huse
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Clarrie Head
Morris 850 159
751G.A. Gibson Flag of Australia (converted).svg Hoot Gibson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Paul England
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Madden
Triumph Herald 157
844S.D. Hughes Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham Hoinville
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Kevin Burns
Ford Anglia 157
947S.C. Martin Flag of Australia (converted).svg Stan Martin
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Les Park
Triumph Herald 154
1053Sydney Grevett Flag of Australia (converted).svg Syd Grevett
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cliff van Praag
Morris 850 150
1145McLure's Restraurants Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Poulton
Flag of Australia (converted).svg R Poulton
Flag of Australia (converted).svg M Watson
Triumph Herald 150
DNF49E. Whiteford Motors Pty. Ltd. Flag of Australia (converted).svg Doug Whiteford
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Lou Molina
Volkswagen 148
DNF52A.G. Reynolds Flag of Australia (converted).svg Tony Reynolds
Flag of Australia (converted).svg A Humphries
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Frank McEnroe
Morris 850 101
DNF46High Road Auto Port Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jack Anderson
Flag of Australia (converted).svg J Binning
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Bullock
Triumph Herald 13

Statistics

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References

  1. 1 2 Ford Triumphs in rugged '500', Australian Motor Sports, December 1962, pages 25 to 29 and page 49
  2. W. P. Tuckey, The Book of Australian Motor Racing, 1965?, page 158
  3. John Smailes, The first 15 Years, Hardie-Ferodo 1000 - A Pictorial History 1960–1975, page 55
  4. Bill Tuckey and David Greenhalgh, Australia's Greatest Motor Race - The first 30 years, page 293
  5. 1 2 Official Programme, The 1962 Armstrong 500, Sunday, 21st October 1962
  6. Graham Howard, Lex Davison - Larger Than Life, 2004, page 175
  7. Jack Eiffeltower was a pseudonym used by Jack Nougher
  8. Image of Allen / Hooker Morris 850, Armstrong 500 1962, autopics.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org
  9. 1 2 The Allen / Hooker Morris 850 was not listed in the Official Programme
Sources