Channel 7 Trophy

Adelaide International Raceway, 8 Oct 1972

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T300 [HU16] (Kevin Bartlett): New to Kevin Bartlett and raced in 1972 Australian Gold Star and 1973 Tasman. Sold to Reg Cook (NZ) 1973, but later burnt out in a trailer fire. Some remains later from Reg Cook to David Manton (NZ) and used in reconstruction of T300 HU3. More information about Lola T300 HU16
2. McLaren M10B [400-19] (Warwick Brown): A spare chassis supplied to Niel Allen. Built up and sold to Allan Hamilton for Australian Gold Star 1971, then to Pat Burke Racing for Warwick Brown in 1972 Tasman series and in 1972 Australian Gold Star. Raced by Bob Muir at a couple of 1973 Tasman races, then for Warwick Brown again in the 1973 Gold Star. Suspension and other parts used for Bryan Thomson's VW Sports Sedan in 1974, but the McLaren tub built up again, and sold via Peter Bick, Paul Trevethan and George Parlby to Llynden Riethmuller. Acquired from Riethmuller's family after his death by Alan Hamilton in 2011. Raced by Alfredo Costanzo in historic events in 2013, 2015, and 2016. To Giuseppe 'Joe' Ricciardo by 2016. More information about McLaren M10B 400-19
3. Elfin MR5 [5711] (John McCormack): New to John McCormack in September 1971, and raced in Australian Gold Star, taking two second places and a win from three races. Raced by McCormack in the 1972 Tasman series, and the 1972 Australian Gold Star, where he won one race. Then raced in the 1973 Tasman series, where he won the NZ GP and the Adelaide '100', and in the 1973 Australian Gold Star, when he won two races and the championship. Raced again in the 1974 Tasman, again winning the NZ GP. Raced by Phil Moore in the 1974 Gold Star. Sold to Glen Nichols December 1975, and entered for the Rothmans Internationals, but did not start a race. History then unknown until bought from Les Swallow by Gavin Sala, and sold to John McCormack for restoration some time before 1992.
4. Matich A50 [004] (Johnnie Walker): Bought by Johnny Walker, and fitted with the engine and transmission from his Elfin MR5. Raced by Walker in the 1972 Australian Gold Star, 1973 Australian Internationals, then to America for four races in the US series. To Jon Davison for the 1974 Australian Gold Star and 1975 Australian Internationals 1975 Australian Gold Star, 1976 Australian Internationals, 1976 Australian Gold Star, and 1977 Australian Internationals. To Bronwyn Taylor 1977 and raced in 1978 and 1979 - Geoff Munyard 1980 - leased to Kevin Leighton 1982 - Graham Stoll - Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Australia) - Ziggy Schueller 1990 - Ken Smith (NZ) 1992 or 1993 - James Boult (NZ) 1996 - Russell Greer (NZ) 1996 - Richard Bendell (Australia) 2001 - Aaron Lewis (Cessnock, NSW, Australia) 2004 - Philip Lewis 2013.
5. Lola T300 [HU1-2] (Gary Campbell): New for Frank Gardner late UK 1971 season, then to Australia but crashed in practice for the Australian GP and the 1972 Tasman series. Sold to Gary Campbell for the end of the Tasman series, then the 1972 Australian Gold Star series. Traded to Carl Haas for a new Lola T330, and sold on to Mike Brockman in Florida for the 1973 US championship. Not seen in 1974. Subsequent history unknown. More information about Lola T300 HU1
6. Elfin MR5 [5724] (Stan Keen): New to John Walker 1972, but he quickly replaced it with a Matich A50. Sold to Stan Keen and fitted with a Ford V8 later in the 1972 season, but not raced after October 1973. Sold to Peter "Chris" Middleton 1977, and raced in the 1978 Australian Internationals, and in the 1978 and 1979 Australian national seasons. Sold to Tony Parkinson 1979, then to Mike Adams 1981. It was then rebodied by Elfin, renamed 815, and raced by Mike Trengove and by Adams in 1981 and 1982. Sold to Paul Trevethan, then to Peter Brennan (Melbourne, Victoria) in the mid-1980s who restored it to original specification, and fitted a flat plane crank Repco Holden engine. To David Doubtfire in 1991, then to Max Floreani in 1996, and raced by Tony Floreani in historics up to 2013.
7. Matich A50 [001 as '002'] (Frank Matich): New for Frank Matich to win the 1971 Australian GP, then raced in the New Zealand Tasman rounds before being renumbered '002' for the Australian Internationals. Matich won the 1972 Australian Gold Star in this car, and raced it in the 1973 Tasman series. Then to Barry Lewis in 1975 - Peter Roach 1976 - Dave Powell 1976 - John Briggs 1978 and damaged at a hillclimb. Via K & A Engineering to Gavin Sala 1984 or 1985, then to his son Bryan Sala. More information about Matich A50-001/002
8. Elfin 600B/E [7122] (Larry Perkins): New in January 1971 to Garry Campbell (Sydney, New South Wales) and raced in Australian F2 in 1971, using a Ford twin cam engine. For the Tasman series in early 1972, the car was fitted with a 2-litre Waggott TC4V engine which had been acquired from the estate of Glyn Scott. It was then taken to Japan for the JAF GP in May 1972, where it was fitted with Leo Geoghegan's Waggott engine and was raced that weekend by Geoghegan. It was then returned to F2 specification and raced by Larry Perkins in the 1972 F2 series. The Elfin Register records this car going to Damon Beck in NSW for 1973, and later owned by Bob Muir and Peter Clarke. By 2002, it was with Peter Clark, and was sold by him via Harry Galloway to Geoff Russell. At that time the car was dismantled and in storage at Galloway’s workshop at Little Hartley in New South Wales. In 2023, Russell was restoring the car to Ford twin cam form.
9. McLaren M18/M22 (Don O'Sullivan): May be 500-08. Don O'Sullivan (Australia). Bought new from McLaren to replace O'Sullivan's M10A crashed at Teretonga. First seen at Mallala 11 Oct 1971 with Repco-Holden V8. Raced at 21 Nov 1971 Australian GP. Entered in the 1972 Australian Tasman rounds but DNA. Next seen at Surfers Paradise 27 Aug 1972 (raced by O'Sullivan) then at Symmons Plain 24 Sep (DNA but described as McLaren M22) and Adelaide 8 Oct. Raced by Howie Sangster for O'Sullivan from Warwick Farm 5 Nov 1972 (DNS). Not entered in 1973 Tasman series. O'Sullivan then bought an ex-Teddy Pilette M22 from VDS and the M18 is not seen again. Jaime Gard recalls it being reduced to a bare tub to contribute parts to the Gardos F5000 and then sold with the McLaren M22. However, M18 bulkheads have been found in the Gardos so it would appear than the M18 was completely consumed.
10. Elfin MR5 [5723] (Garrie Cooper): Works Elfin Sports Cars entry for Garrie Cooper in the 1972 Tasman and Australian Gold Star, the 1973 Tasman and Australian Gold Star, the 1974 Tasman and Australian Gold Star, and the 1975 Tasman and Australian Gold Star. Rebuilt in August 1975 as the MR5-B. Sold to John Edmonds for the last race of the Australian Gold Star, then the 1976 New Zealand and Australian Internationals, the 1976 national season, and the 1977 Australian Internationals. Then to Phil Ward 1977, and then with Mike Pope from 1980 to 1986. History then unknown until bought from Geoff Munday by Gavin Sala. Sold by Sala to Ken Smith in Nnew Zealand, and reportedly with Barrie Flett in 1994. The car is said to have spent time in a museum in NZ, before being bought by Smith again, and sold back to Geoff Munday some time before 2014.

Sources

Note that the identification of individual cars in these results is based on the material presented elsewhere in this site and may in some cases contradict the organisers' published results.

Australian Gold Star results for the period 1971-1976 are now available from a variety Australian magazines and yearbooks. As well as Racing Car News, results have been cross-checked against the 1972 Australian Motoring Yearbook and the 1973 and 1974 Australian Competition Yearbooks. Information is added from Autosport where available. The 1975 season was collated by Glenn Moulds using Racing Car News, Australian Auto Action, Chequered Flag, Australian Competition Year, "50 Years Of The Australian Grand Prix" and "Australia's Elfin Sports and Racing Cars". For the 1976 season, Glenn was also able to use Motor Sport Reporter from R3 Calder onwards.

All comments, clarifications, corrections and additions are most welcome. Please email Allen (allen@oldracingcars.com) if you can help in any way with our research.