BRITISH MOTORING FIXTURES, 1936
ROYAL SCOTTISH AUTOMOBILE CLUB MOTOR CAR EVENTS IN SCOTLAND FOR 1936
RACING IN AUSTRALIA SOME DETAILS OF THE NEW PHILLIP ISLAND COURSE
Racing in Australia has become familiar to English enthusiasts through events held on Phillip Island. A new and improved road circuit has now been created, and was first used for the Australian Race Drivers’ Cup, which was run on November 5th, 1935. The circuit measures 3.312 miles in length, and this new event consisted of thirtyfive laps. The original course Was rectangular. The new one forms a traditional triangle, and includes the whole of the old ” pit straight,” with its picturesquely-named ” Heaven ” and ” Hell ” corners ; the apex of the triangle is. formed by
” School ” corner. Sections of the circuit give rise to the dust which seems inseparable from Australian events, and an extraordinarily-mixed entry came to the line tfur the first event on the new course. There was a supercharged Le Manstype Bentley, a Hudson, a Le Mans Singer and a ten-year-old Chrysler which had broken the Melbourne to Sydney record. There were also two Riley
” Imps,” four M.G.s, a Willys and a Morris ” Special.”
The variety of the cars in itself suggests the keenness of the competitors, who were running for the Racing Drivers’ Cup and a cash prize of 175, the handicap event having been organised by the Australian Racing Drivers’ Club.
The big Bentley proved difficult to handle on the short circuit, but the Terraplane was in its element and began to gain ground rapidly, after halfdistance. The leader was then G. Bastow, taking the Le Mans Singer round at a pace which made him seem almost a certain winner if he could maintain his speed.
Several machines found mechanical trouble, and pit work proved indifferent ; apparently, Australian racing enthusiasts have yet to appreciate its vital importance. On the twenty-seventh lap, the Terraplane clocked 66.24 m.p.h. and did this again on ,the thirty-second lap, fastest time of the day. This effort gave the driver second place, but it seemed im
possible that he could catch the leader. On the start of its last lap, however, the Singer began to misfire, and the Terraplane snatched the lead near Heaven Corner, winning at an average of 64.83 m.p.h. The Singer was second, and the Chrysler third. The Bentley’s gear-lever jammed in top. near the finish, which helped to rob this car of a place.
A similar race was held on New Year’s Day, organised by the Victoria Sporting Car Club, and it seems likely that this new venue will attain considerable importance ” down under.” High ground at the start enables spectators to watch the progress of cars almost all round the course, which is an ideal not achieved on any road circuit in Europe except, perhaps, at St. Gaudens, for the Grand Prix du Comminges. RESULT
1. L. Burrows (Terraplane) lh. 47m. 21s. 64.83 m.p.h.
2. G. Bastow (Singer) 2b. Om. 37s. 57.70 m.p.h.
3. H. Beith (Chrysler) lb. 50m. 458. 62.84 m.p.h.
4. A. Beasley (Willyt4) 1h. 55rn. 258. 60.30 m.p.h.
5. L. Murphy (M.G. P-type) 2h. 2m. 17s. 56.92 m.p.h.
6. T. Peters (Bent ley) lb. 50m. 59s. 62.70 m.p.h.