Len Lukey

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Len Lukey (1921/1922 - 28 October 1978) was an Australian racing driver. He was the winner of the 1959 Australian Drivers' Championship driving a Lukey Bristol and a Cooper T45 Coventry Climax.

Contents

Motorsport career

Lukey made his motor sport debut in 1953 [1] at the wheel of Ford Mainline Utility. [2] After such vehicles were ruled ineligible, he moved on to racing Ford Customlines, winning the main saloon car race at the Albert Park Circuit in March 1957. [1]

In October 1956 Lukey purchased a Cooper T23 Bristol which he first raced in the 1956 Australian Grand Prix meeting, finishing ninth in the main event. [3] The following year Lukey used the car at Coonabarabran to establish a new Category E Australian National Speed record of 147.4 mph for the flying kilometre. [3]

Lukey acquired a Cooper T45 from Jack Brabham in early 1959 [3] and embarked upon a concerted campaign to win the 1959 Australian Drivers' Championship. [1] He won the title by 2 points, securing the championship at the twelfth and final race of the series. [1] His last race was the 1960 New Zealand Grand Prix after which he retired from active participation at the age of 38. [1]

In 1964 Lukey purchased the property which included what is now the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Victoria for $40,000. Following extensive repairs, the circuit was reopened in 1967 and ownership was retained by Lukey's estate until 1984. [4]

Lukey died on 28 October 1978 in Melbourne, [5] aged 56. [6] Turn 9 on the Phillip Island circuit is named Lukey Heights in his memory. [4]

Career results

YearSeries / EventPositionCarEntrant
1957 Australian Drivers' Championship 5th Cooper T23 Bristol Len Lukey
1958 Australian Drivers' Championship 3rd Cooper T23 Bristol
Lukey Bristol 		Lukey Mufflers
1959 Australian Drivers' Championship 1stLukey Bristol &
Cooper T45 Coventry Climax 		Lukey Mufflers Pty. Ltd.

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Len Lukey... driver of the year, Automobiles Australia - incorporating Australian Motor Sports Review 1959 - 1960, pages 82 to 86
  2. ↑ W.P. Tuckey, The Book of Australian Motor Racing, The K.G. Murray Publishing Company Pty Ltd, page 39
  3. 1 2 3 John B. Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 100
  4. 1 2 "Len Lukey". Monument Australia. Retrieved 18 December 2019.
  5. ↑ Death of Len Lukey, Racing Car News, November 1978, page 9
  6. ↑ "29 Oct 1978 - Former racer dies". Trove. Retrieved 25 July 2024.
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