1938 Australian Grand Prix
| 1938 Australian Grand Prix | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula Libre handicap race | |||
| Race details | |||
| Date | 18 April 1938 | ||
| Location | Mount Panorama Circuit, Bathurst, New South Wales | ||
| Course | Temporary road circuit | ||
| Course length | 6.12 km (3.84 miles) | ||
| Distance | 40 laps, 244.8 km (153.6 miles) | ||
| Weather | Sunny | ||
| Fastest lap | |||
| Driver |
 Peter Whitehead | ERA | |
| Time | 3m 23s [1] | ||
| Podium | |||
| First | ERA | ||
| Second | Terraplane Special | ||
| Third | MG | ||
The 1938 Australian Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Mount Panorama Circuit near Bathurst in New South Wales, Australia on 18 April 1938. It was staged over 40 laps of the six kilometre circuit for a total distance of 241 kilometres. The race, which was organised by the Light Car Club of New South Wales, attracted 38 entries, 30 of which started the race.[1]
The race was the tenth Australian Grand Prix and the first to be held in New South Wales. It marked a revival of the Australian Grand Prix title which had not been used since April 1935. The track utilised was the newly completed Mount Panorama Circuit, a dirt surface tourist drive which climbed the slope of Mount Panorama in the Bald Hills to the south of the city of Bathurst. The Grand Prix was the feature race at the inaugural meeting at the rural New South Wales venue. With a circuit length of just over 3.8 miles it was the shortest circuit to host the Australian Grand Prix to this time.
The format for the race was much the same as used previously for some of the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island, incorporating a handicap start with the slowest car starting first and other cars starting at intervals according to their predicted pace. The meeting was enlivened by two visiting British drivers, Peter Whitehead and Alan Sinclair who had brought with them supercharged racing machinery, respectively an ERA and an Alta. While Sinclair was unable to start the race, Whitehead did and it was quickly realised that his position as the scratch handicap competitor was too generous and by races end he had driven through the field. The only driver who had offered any resistance was Les Burrows driving a 1933 Terraplane-based racing car. However Burrows slowed near the end, his engine reducing in power sufficiently to allow Whitehead to sweep by to take victory despite Burrows starting the race 15 minutes earlier.
The initial release of official results attracted various protests and led to a recount, with some placings subsequently changed.[2]
Whitehead was awarded the RAC of Australia Cup and £250 prizemoney for winning the race.[1] He also received £100, the NRMA Trophy and the title of Australian Road Racing Champion for achieving the fastest time and the Courtney and Bohlsen Cup for setting the fastest lap.[1]
Classification
Results as follows.[3]
| Pos | No. | Driver | Car | Entrant [4] | Handicap [1] | Laps | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Peter Whitehead
|
ERA B Type / ERA s/c 1.5L | P.N. Whitehead | Scratch | 40 | 2h 46m 50s |
| 2 | 22 |  Les Burrows
|
Terraplane Special / Terraplane 2.6L | L. Burrows | 15 mins | 40 | 2h 48m 21s |
| 3 | 31 | Alan Crago John Sherwood [1]
|
MG TA / MG 1.3L | F.A. Crago | 26 mins | 40 | 2h 29m 20s |
| 4 | 3 | Tom Peters
|
Bugatti Type 37A / Ford s/c 2.9L | T. Peters | 4 mins | 40 | 2h 50m 19s |
| 5 | 32 | John Crouch
|
MG TA / MG 1.3L | J.F. Crouch | 26 mins | 40 | 2h 51m 38s |
| 6 | 17 | Jack Phillips
|
Ford Special / Ford 3.6L | J.K. Phillips | 13 mins | 40 | 2h 52m 28s |
| 7 | 20 | Charles Whatmore
|
Ford Special / Ford 3.6L | C. Whatmore | 14 mins | 40 | 2h 52m 56s |
| 8 | 39 | Ron Uffindell
|
Austin 7 Special / Austin 0.7L | R.G. Uffindell | 34 mins | 40 | 2h 55m 07s |
| 9 | 37 | Les Murphy
|
MG PB / MG 0.8L | J.H. O'Dea | 30 mins | 40 | 3h 02m 40s |
| 10 | 15 | George Bonser
|
Terraplane Special / Terraplane 3.5L | G. Bonser junior [5] | 12 mins | 40 | 2h 56m 47s |
| 11 | 18 | Bob Lea-Wright
|
Terraplane Special / Terraplane 3.5L | R.A. Lea-Wright | 13 mins | 40 | 2h 58m 01s |
| 12 | 38 | Colin Anderson
|
Morris Cowley / Morris 1.7L | A.I Barrett | 30 mins | 40 | 2h 57m 47s |
| 13 | 19 | D. Kerr
|
Ford Special / Ford 3.6L | D. Kerr | 14 mins | 40 | 2h 59m 59s |
| 14 | 16 | Harry Beith
|
Terraplane Special / Terraplane 3.5L | H.J. Beith | 13 mins | 40 | 3h 05m 19s |
| 15 | 12 | George Martin
|
BMW 328 / BMW 2.0L | G.C. Martin [5] | 7 mins | 40 | |
| 16 | 14 | Barney Dentry
|
Riley Special / Riley 1.1L | G.B. Dentry | 12 mins | 40 | |
| Ret | 21 | Paul Burton
|
Alvis / Alvis s/c 1.5L | P.H. Burton | 14 mins | ||
| Ret | 26 | Reg Sevil [1]
|
Singer / Singer 1.5L | R.B. Sevil [5] [1] | 22 mins | ||
| Ret | 30 | Jack Boughton
|
Morgan 4/4 / Coventry Climax 1.1L | J.S. Boughton | 24 mins | ||
| Ret | 5 | Jim Fagan
|
MG K3 / MG s/c 1.1L | J.H. Fagan | 6 mins | ||
| Ret | 36 | John Pike
|
Singer 9 / Singer 1.0L | J.E. Pike | 30 mins | ||
| Ret | 35 | Arthur Beasley
|
Singer 9 / Singer 1.0L | A. Beasley | 28 mins | ||
| Ret | 23 | Fred Foss
|
Ford Special / Ford 3.6L | F.J. Foss | 17 mins | ||
| Ret | 33 | R. Keir [5] [4] [1]
|
MG TA / MG 1.3L | R.C. Keir [5] [4] [1] | 26 mins | ||
| Ret | 9 | Tim Joshua
|
Frazer Nash / Meadows 1.5L | C.M. Joshua [5] | 7 mins | ||
| Ret | 24 | C. Williamson
|
Chrysler Special / Chrysler 4.2L | C. Williamson | 17 mins | ||
| Ret | 11 | George Reed
|
Ford Special / Ford 3.6L | N.F. Aubin | 7 mins | ||
| Ret | 2 | Frank Kleinig
|
Kleinig-Hudson 8 Special / Hudson 4.2L | W.A. McIntyre | 4 mins | 5 | |
| Ret | 25 | Alf Barrett
|
Lombard AL3 / Lombard 1.2L | A.I Barrett | 28 mins | 3 | |
| Ret | 34 | George Thame
|
Riley Nine Imp / Riley 1.1L | G.J. Thame | 5 mins | 3 | |
| DNS | 8 | Wally James
|
Frazer Nash / Ford 2.9L | W. James | 7 mins | ||
| DNS | 4 | Colin Dunne
|
MG K3 / MG s/c 1.1L | C.A. Dunne | 5 mins | ||
| DNS | 6 | Lyster Jackson
|
MG K3 / MG s/c 1.1L | L. Jackson | 6 mins | ||
| DNS | 7 | Alan Sinclair
|
Alta / Alta s/c 1.1L | A.J. Sinclair | 6 mins | ||
| DNS | 10 | John Barraclough
|
Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 SS / Alfa Romeo s/c 1.8L | J.A. Barraclough | 7 mins | ||
| DNS | 27 | John Sherwood
|
MG NE / MG 1.3L | J.O. Sherwood | 22 mins | ||
| DNS | 28 | John Summers
|
MG Magna / MG 1.1L | J.H. Summers | 24 mins | ||
| DNS | 29 | C. Frederick
|
MG Magnette Special / MG 1.3L | C. Frederick | 24 mins |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j John B Blanden, A History of Australian Grand Prix 1928–1939, Volume 1, 1981, pages 151 to 168
- ^ John Medley, Bathurst - Cradle of Australian Motor Racing, page 27
- ^ Medley, John (1986). "1952". In Howard, Graham (ed.). The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix. Gordon, NSW: R & T Publishing. pp. 92–103. ISBN 0-9588464-0-5.
- ^ a b c John Medley, Bathurst - Cradle of Australian Motor Racing, page 19
- ^ a b c d e f Record entry for Grand Prix at Easter, The Advocate, Wednesday, April 6, 1938, page 10, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au