1955 South Pacific Championship for racing cars

The 1955 South Pacific Championship for racing cars was a motor race staged at the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit at Orange in New South Wales, Australia on 31 January 1955.[1] The race, which was a Formula Libre event open to racing cars and stripped sports cars,[2] was contested as a scratch race which also incorporated a handicap award.[3] It was held over 27 laps[1] of the 3¾ mile circuit[4] for a total distance of 100 miles.[1] The race, which was the first South Pacific Championship for racing cars,[1] was won by Englishman Peter Whitehead driving a 3 litre Ferrari.[4]

Track map of the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit (1953-1961)

The championship meeting, which was conducted by the Australian Sporting Car Club,[2] was the first FIA sanctioned international race meeting to be staged in Australia.[5]

Race results
Peter Whitehead won the championship driving a Ferrari 500, similar to that pictured above.
Position[6] Driver[6] No.[6] Car[6] Laps[1] Remarks
1 Peter Whitehead 2[1] Ferrari 500[7] 27 1h 5m 1s, 93 m.p.h.[8]
2 Jack Brabham 5 Cooper Bristol
3 Tony Gaze 4 Ferrari 500[7]
4 Jack Murray[9] 56 [9] Allard Cadillac[3][10]
5 Tom Sulman 14 [9] Maserati
6 Curly Brydon MG TC Special
7 G Grieg Alfa Romeo Alvis
 ? John MacMillan 10 Alfa Romeo
 ? Noel Barnes MG Special
DNF [9] Jack Robinson Jaguar XK120 Special 23 [9]
DNF [9] Dick Cobden [9] Ferrari[9] 2 [9]
DNS Prince Bira Maserati Engine failure in practice [9]
DNS [9] Prince Bira[9] O.S.C.A.[9] Fuel feed problems in preliminary race [9]
DNS [9] Reg Hunt [9] Maserati[9] Brakes [9]
DNS [9] Ian Mountain [9] Peugeot Special [9] Fatal accident in preliminary race [9]

Handicap results
Position[6] Driver[6] No.[6] Car[6] Laps[1]
1 Jack Brabham 5 Cooper Bristol
2 Jack Murray[9] 56 [9] Allard Cadillac[3][10]
3 Tom Sulman Maserati
4 Peter Whitehead 2[1] Ferrari 500[7] 27

Notes:

  • Attendance: 30,000[1]
  • Number of starters: unknown
  • Number of finishers: unknown
  • Winner's race time: 65 minutes 1 second[1]
  • Winner's average speed: 95 mph[1]
  • Fastest lap: Peter Whitehead, Ferrari 500, 2 minutes 21 seconds[6]

References
  1. Whitehead wins at Orange, Modern Motor, March 1955, page 29
  2. Big races for Orange on 31st, Wheels (magazine), February 1955, page 30
  3. Orange car races, Australian Motor Sports, January 1955, page 25
  4. Sidelights on Orange, Australian Motor Manual, 1 March 1955, pages 41 & 47
  5. Gnoo Blas Classic, www.gnooblas.com, as archived at web.archive.org
  6. South Pacific Road Racing Championships, Australian Motor Sports, February 1955, pages 60 to 64
  7. John B Blanden, 1952 Ferrari Type 500, Old Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 146
  8. South Pacific Championship, Motor Manual's Motor Racing Year Book No. 6, pages 10 to 13
  9. Whitehead's Big Win, Cars, April 1955, pages 20 to 23 + pages 61 to 62
  10. Race driver, spectator die in crash, Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, 1 February 1955, page 3
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