Arguably the greatest race in the world, and more especially
Australia, the 1000 kilometre race for production sedans has for many years
taken place at the Mount Panorama circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales. But
the event actually started out as a 500 mile event at Victoria's Phillip
Island circuit when, in 1960, a field of 47 cars of varying performance,
size, engine capacity and price would compete for total prizemoney of $11,710.
Some of these drivers were to become household names of motor sport, although
they were driving some very unlikely cars!
Harry Firth drove a Singer Gazelle,
Brian Foley and Peter Manton drove Wolseley 1500's, David McKay and Greg
Cusack drove Volkswagens, the Geoghegan brothers drove a
Renault Dauphine,
while John French, Norm Beechey and Jim McKeown shared a Standard Vanguard.
Then there was Lex Davison and Bevan Gibson in NSU's, and Murray Carter in
a
Ford Customline. But that year the winners would be John Roxburgh and Frank
Coad driving a
Vauxhall Cresta. So successful was the event that plans were
quickly put into place to hold it again the following year.