Victoria Trophy

Sandown Park, 16 Apr 1972

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. 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
2. Lola T300 [HU4-2] (Bob Muir): New to Niel Allen but crashed in testing. Rebuilt and sold to Bob Muir for 1972, then to Pat Burke Racing for Warwick Brown in 1973, and written off at Surfers Paradise. Some parts of this car to Reg Cook, then to David Manton, then to Frank Lyons. More information about Lola T300 HU4
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. 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.
5. Elfin MR5 [5724] (Johnnie Walker): 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.
6. 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
7. 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
8. McLaren M4A [M4A/1] (Ken Hastings): Entered by Bruce McLaren Motor Racing for Bruce McLaren in F2 in 1967. Sold to Jim Palmer (NZ) 1968, then to Tony Osborne's Argo Racing in Australia July 1968, driven by Peter Macrow in 1968 and then Alfredo Costanzo from 1968 to 1971. To Ken Hastings mid-1971, who swapped the FVA for a Ford twin-cam for 1972, and the to John Sheppard August 1973. Fitted with a 1300cc Toyota Corolla engine by Geoff Kennett 1974. Later Tony Armstrong (Victoria, Australia) in November 1982 and rebuilt around 1985. At Christie's Melbourne auction 1990 where it was sold to Art Valdez (Torrance, CA). It remained in Valdez' collection for many years, until sold to a UK consortium in 2017.
9. 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
10. Elfin MR5 [5722] (Max Stewart): New to Max Stewart in time for the start of the 1972 Tasman series. Also raced by Stewart in the 1972 Australian Gold Star. Entered by Stewart for John Leffler in a few raced in October/November 1973. Then sold to Baron Robertson and raced in the Tasman series in 1974 and 1975, and in the New Zealand and Australian Internationals in 1976. History then unknown until bought from David Davidson (Melbourne) by Gavin Sala. By 1994, this car was with Adrian Tweedle (Victoria). Subsequent history again unknown, but reported to be with Max Pearson by 2012.
11. Brabham BT36 ["BT30-27"] (John Harvey): Built for Bob Jane to BT36 specification intended for the new Jane 2-litre engine and shipped to Australia in April 1971. Due to delays with the engine, the car was finally built up with a 2-litre Waggott TC/4V engine and FT200 gearbox, and was debuted at the Australian Grand Prix meeting in November 1971 where it was driven by John Harvey. Replaced in 1972 by the team's new Bowin-based F5000 car, and sold to Denis Lupton who converted it to ANF2 specification for Ian Cook to drive. The car was wrecked in the accident which killed Cook at Sandown in June 1973, and was rebuilt by Lupton on a new chassis fabricated by Bob Britton. Later said to be owned by Peter Whelan and then with Peter Johnson (Sydney, NSW, Australia) by 2006. Offered by sale by Johnson in August 2009 when said to be undergoing full restoration with a Waggott engine. With Bruce Hamilton of (Monkton, MD) in 2010.

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.