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[edit]

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[edit]

Class winners are indicated by bold text.

Pos. Driver No. Car Entrant Class Laps Time/Retired
1 Australia Bob Jane 71 Jaguar Mark 2 4.1 R. Jane Over 3500cc 25 50:03.2
2 Australia Ern Abbott 99 Chrysler Valiant R Series E. Abbott Car Sales Over 3500cc 25 +7.0
3 Australia Clem Smith 46 Chrysler Valiant R Series C. Smith Motors Over 3500cc 25 +28.7
4 Australia Harry Firth 111 Ford Consul Cortina Mark I Ford Motor Co 1301–1600cc 24 +1 lap
5 Australia Peter Manton 59 Morris Cooper P. Manton Motors Up to 1000cc 24 +1 lap
6 Australia Clive Millis 87 Holden Merlyn Motors 2001–2600cc 24 +1 lap
7 Australia George Reynolds 49 Volkswagen G. Reynolds 1001–1300cc 24 +1 lap
8 Australia Gavin Baillieu 112 Morris Cooper H. Firth Up to 1000cc 23 +2 laps
9 Australia Pat James 78 Fiat 1500 Motor Improvements 1301–1600cc 23 +2 laps
10 Australia Cyril Nancarrow 30 Austin A90 Westminster C.G. Nancarrow 2601–3500cc 23 +2 laps
11 Australia B. Murphy 70 Holden B. Murphy 2001–2600cc 23 +2 laps
12 Australia L. Callaway 56 Morris Cooper O'Callaghan Motors Up to 1000cc 23 +2 laps
13 Australia W. Wauchope 57 Morris Cooper J.W. Taylor's Up to 1000cc 23 +2 laps
14 Australia Ken Virgin 50 Volkswagen K. Virgin 1001–1300cc 23 +2 laps
15 Australia Dave Sullivan 36 Holden 48/215[2] D. Sullivan Motors 2001–2600cc 23 +2 laps
16 Australia R. Brown 35 Simca Aronde B.J. Auto Service 1001–1300cc 23 +2 laps
17 Australia D. Dix 60 Holden D. Dix 2001–2600cc 23 +2 laps
18 Australia W. Nalder 92 Hillman Minx[2] W. Nalder 1301–1600cc 22 +3 laps
19 Australia John Brindley 69 Holden 48/215[4] Car World 2001–2600cc 22 +3 laps
20 Australia Wally Wilson 114 Citroën ID19 Team SAAS 1601–2000cc 22 +3 laps
Ret Australia N. Webb 62 Morris 850 C&S Motors Up to 1000cc 17
Ret Australia Terry Sully 73 Hillman Minx T. F. Sully[5] 1301–1600cc 17
Ret Australia Richard Thurston 58 Morris 850 R.K. Thurston Up to 1000cc 16
Ret Australia B. Forbes 85 Holden Forcars Pty Ltd 2001–2600cc 11
Ret Australia V. Clancy 82 Holden V. Clancy 2001–2600cc 7
Ret Australia Brian Sampson 79 Austin Lancer Motor Improvements 1301–1600cc 4
Ret New Zealand Christoper (Nigel) Roskilly[3] 64 Austin A90 Westminster C. N. Roskilly[5] 2601–3500cc 3
Ret Australia R. Loader 39 Holden R. Loader 2001–2600cc 3
Ret Australia Norm Beechey 74 Holden 48-215 2001–2600cc 0
Sources:[2][6][5]

Statistics[edit]

  • Attendance: More than 14,000[7]
  • Pole position: Bob Jane, 1:57.9[2]
  • Fastest lap: Bob Jane, 1:57.2[2]
  • Race distance: 25 laps, 84.50 km[2]
  • Average speed: 101.27 km/h[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Australian Titles Retrieved from www.camsmanual.com.au on 20 February 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ a b "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. ^ a b c 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[edit]

  • Bob Jane Makes It a Double, Australian Motor Sport, June 1963, pages 63–65

External links[edit]

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