1963 Australian Touring Car Championship

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The 1963 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Appendix J Touring Cars. [1] It was contested over a single 25 lap, 50 mile (80 km) race at the Mallala Race Circuit in South Australia on 15 April 1963 and was the fourth running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. The race was won by Bob Jane, driving a Jaguar Mark 2 4.1. [2]

Race

Much of the interest in the 1963 title centred on an anticipated duel between Bob Jane's much developed Jaguar Mark 2 and Norm Beechey's new Chevrolet Impala. The confrontation failed to eventuate after the Impala blew its engine the previous weekend and was a non-starter. Beechey raced his backup car, a Holden 48-215. Jane took pole position by one tenth of a second over the Valiant of Ern Abbott, with Clem Smith's Valiant another second behind. The second row comprised the Holden of Clive Millis and the Fiat 1500 of Pat James. [2]

Beechey retired on lap 1 after starting sixth, while Jane led from Abbott, Smith, Peter Manton, John Brindley, James, Harry Firth, George Reynolds and Richard Thurston. Jane set a new lap record of 1:57.2 on lap 2 as he extended his lead, while Firth passed James, Brindley and Manton to move into fourth place by lap 7. Abbott was able to stay with Jane as the two pulled away from Smith in third, who was ten seconds behind at half distance. Both Valiant drivers then encountered problems: Abbott's brakes began to fade and he fell back into the clutches of Smith, but Smith was low on fuel and had to conserve. Firth also had problems, with a bent throttle linkage putting him under pressure from Manton. Manton attempted to pass Firth at the last corner but was unable to take the place. [2]

Jane went on to become the fourth and final Jaguar driver to win an Australian Touring Car Championship, leading Abbott home by seven seconds, with Smith a further 22 seconds adrift. Firth finished one lap down in fourth ahead of Manton, Millis and Reynolds. [2]

1963 also saw the first New Zealander to compete in the Australian Touring Car Championship – Car #64, an Austin A90 driven by Christopher Roskilly. [3]

Results

Class winners are indicated by bold text.

Pos.DriverNo.CarEntrantClassLapsTime/Retired
1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Jane 71 Jaguar Mark 2 4.1 R. JaneOver 3500cc2550:03.2
2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ern Abbott99 Chrysler Valiant R Series E. Abbott Car SalesOver 3500cc25+7.0
3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Clem Smith46 Chrysler Valiant R Series C. Smith MotorsOver 3500cc25+28.7
4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Harry Firth 111 Ford Consul Cortina Mark I Ford Motor Co 1301–1600cc24+1 lap
5 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter Manton59 Morris Cooper P. Manton MotorsUp to 1000cc24+1 lap
6 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Clive Millis87 Holden Merlyn Motors2001–2600cc24+1 lap
7 Flag of Australia (converted).svg George Reynolds 49 Volkswagen G. Reynolds1001–1300cc24+1 lap
8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Gavin Baillieu112 Morris Cooper H. FirthUp to 1000cc23+2 laps
9 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Pat James78 Fiat 1500 Motor Improvements1301–1600cc23+2 laps
10 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Cyril Nancarrow30 Austin A90 Westminster C.G. Nancarrow2601–3500cc23+2 laps
11 Flag of Australia (converted).svg B. Murphy70 Holden B. Murphy2001–2600cc23+2 laps
12 Flag of Australia (converted).svg L. Callaway56 Morris Cooper O'Callaghan MotorsUp to 1000cc23+2 laps
13 Flag of Australia (converted).svg W. Wauchope57 Morris Cooper J.W. Taylor'sUp to 1000cc23+2 laps
14 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ken Virgin50 Volkswagen K. Virgin1001–1300cc23+2 laps
15 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Dave Sullivan36 Holden 48/215 [2] D. Sullivan Motors2001–2600cc23+2 laps
16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg R. Brown35 Simca Aronde B.J. Auto Service1001–1300cc23+2 laps
17 Flag of Australia (converted).svg D. Dix60 Holden D. Dix2001–2600cc23+2 laps
18 Flag of Australia (converted).svg W. Nalder92 Hillman Minx [2] W. Nalder1301–1600cc22+3 laps
19 Flag of Australia (converted).svg John Brindley69 Holden 48/215 [4] Car World2001–2600cc22+3 laps
20 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Wally Wilson114 Citroën ID19 Team SAAS1601–2000cc22+3 laps
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg N. Webb62 Morris 850 C&S MotorsUp to 1000cc17
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg Terry Sully73 Hillman Minx T. F. Sully [5] 1301–1600cc17
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg Richard Thurston58 Morris 850 R.K. ThurstonUp to 1000cc16
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg B. Forbes85 Holden Forcars Pty Ltd2001–2600cc11
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg V. Clancy82 Holden V. Clancy2001–2600cc7
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian Sampson 79 Austin Lancer Motor Improvements1301–1600cc4
Ret Flag of New Zealand.svg Christoper (Nigel) Roskilly [3] 64 Austin A90 Westminster C. N. Roskilly [5] 2601–3500cc3
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg R. Loader39 Holden R. Loader2001–2600cc3
Ret Flag of Australia (converted).svg Norm Beechey 74 Holden 48-215 2001–2600cc0
Sources: [2] [6] [5]

Statistics

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References

  1. Australian Titles Retrieved from www.camsmanual.com.au on 20 February 2009
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 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. 38–41. ISBN   978-0-9805912-2-4.
  3. 1 2 "Solving the mystery of Supercars' first Kiwi". V8 Sleuth. 15 April 2024.
  4. Jane Retains Touring Title, Australian Autosportsman, June 1963, pages Eleven to Fourteen
  5. 1 2 3 Entry List, Race 6, Australian Touring Car Championship, Official Souvenir Programme, Mallala Motor Races, Easter Monday, 15 April 1963
  6. Official Results, Event 6, Australian Touring Car Championship, Sporting Car Club of South Australia
  7. Australian Touring Car Championship to Jane - Mallala, Sports Car World, June 1963, pages 54 & 55

Further reading