OldRacingCars.com

Australian Grand Prix

Oran Park, 17 Nov 1974

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Max Stewart Lola T330 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8
#6 (see note 1)
61 1h 08m 43.0s
2 John McCormack Elfin MR5 [5711] - Repco Holden V8
(see note 2)
61 1h 09m 43.3s
3 Graeme Lawrence Lola T332 [HU28] - Chevrolet V8
#14 (see note 3)
60
4 Jon Davison Matich A50 [004] - Repco Holden V8
(see note 4)
59
5 Garrie Cooper Elfin MR5 [5723] - Repco Holden V8
(see note 5)
58
R Kevin Bartlett Lola T332 ['HU22-2'] - Chevrolet V8
(see note 6)
58 fuel pick up
R Warwick Brown Lola T332 [HU27] - Chevrolet V8
#2 (see note 7)
49 broken harmonic balancer
R Lella Lombardi Matich A51 [005] - Repco Holden V8
#1
47 broken oil pump
R John Leffler (ANF2) 1.6-litre Bowin P8 [P8-118-72] - Ford twin cam
(see note 8)
26 valve
DNS John Goss Matich A53 [007] - Repco Holden V8
Did not start
(engine bearing)
DNS Ken Shirvington (ANF2) 1.6-litre March 732 [15 as '9'] - Ford twin cam
(see note 9)
Did not start
(too slow)

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 Max Stewart (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8 1m 05.2s
2 Warwick Brown (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU27] - Chevrolet V8 1m 05.3s
3 Kevin Bartlett (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 ['HU22-2'] - Chevrolet V8 1m 06.9s
4 Lella Lombardi (F5000) 5-litre Matich A51 [005] - Repco Holden V8 1m 07.0s
5 John McCormack (F5000) 5-litre Elfin MR5 [5711] - Repco Holden V8 1m 07.5s
6 Graeme Lawrence (F5000) 5-litre Lola T332 [HU28] - Chevrolet V8 1m 08.0s
7 Garrie Cooper (F5000) 5-litre Elfin MR5 [5723] - Repco Holden V8 1m 09.2s
8 Jon Davison (F5000) 5-litre Matich A50 [004] - Repco Holden V8 1m 09.2s
9 John Leffler (ANF2) 1.6-litre Bowin P8 [P8-118-72] - Ford twin cam 1m 09.2s
10 John Goss * (F5000) 5-litre Matich A53 [007] - Repco Holden V8 1m 11.9s
11 Ken Shirvington * (ANF2) 1.6-litre March 732 [15 as '9'] - Ford twin cam 1m 14.4s
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. Lola T330 [HU1] (Max Stewart): Works car for Frank Gardner at the end of 1972, then to Max Stewart for the 1973 Tasman series, the 1973 US series, 1973 Australian Gold Star, 1974 Tasman, and 1974 Gold Star. In ecember 1974, Kevin Bartlett used the car to win a New Zealand Gold Star race. Driven by David Oxton in the 1975 New Zealand Tasman races, then by Stewart for last two races of Tasman 1975 after he gave up on his Lola T400. Driven by John Leffler, Stewart and Paul Bernasconi during 1975. To Ian Adams (NSW, Australia) 1976, and raced until 1982. Sold by Adams to Darcy Russell (Moorabbin, Victoria, Australia) in 1988, and raced in historic racing from 1992 onwards. Appeared regularly at the VHRR Phillip Island Classic from 1997 to 2016, and in the Australian GP support races in 2009 and 2010. More information about Lola T330 HU1
  2. 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.
  3. Lola T332 [HU28] (Graeme Lawrence): Graeme Lawrence (NZ) for Tasman 1974, New Zealand Gold Star 1974; Tasman 1975; Tasman 1976; Gold Star Oct/Nov 1976; Australian Internationals 1977 - Terry Hook (Aus) Australian Internationals 1978, Australian Internationals 1979; heavily crashed at a club event at Lakeside 21 Jun 1981. Rebuilt by March 1982 by Chas Talbot on a new tub. Sold to Bob Minogue and Pete Brennan in the mid-1980s who sold the rear end to Peter Bick to complete his ex-Davison HU34. The ex-Hook car was then built up with other parts and sold to Manuel Jimenez who in turn passed it to Murray Richards (Murrumbeena, Australia). To David Sharp (New Zealand) 1993. To Murray Sinclair (Hong Kong, and Christchurch, New Zealand) 2001, and raced in the F5000 Tasman Revival from 2003 to 2007. To Russell Greer (Blenheim, New Zealand) 2007, who continued to race it in the Revival series. More information about Lola T332 HU28
  4. Matich A50 [004] (Jon Davison): 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. 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.
  6. Lola T332 ['HU22-2'] (Kevin Bartlett): Effectively a new Lola T332 built for Kevin Bartlett to replace the T330 crashed at Pukekohe in January 1974. Raced by Bartlett in the Australian Gold Star from August 1974 onwards. To Bruce Allison for 1975 and raced in Australian Gold Star 1975, and New Zealand and Australian Internationals 1976, but crashed and heavily damaged at Oran Park 1 Feb. Rebuilt again on another T332 tub and raced by Allison later in 1976. Sold by Allison to Martin Sampson of Magnum Wheels, and raced for him by Kevin Bartlett in the 1977 Australian Internationals 1977, by Alan Jones at Surfers after he wrecked his T332C HU61, then by Johnnie Walker in September 1977, and in Australia in 1978 and 1979. Sampson retired the car after 1979, and it was displayed at the Birdwood Museum until sold to Bob Minogue in 1987. Raced for Minoque by Barry Ward in 1987, then sold to Paul Cromarty (Aus), then Adrian Whapham (NZ) in 1994 or 1995. To Stan Redmond (Christchurch, NZ) by 2001 and raced in F5000 Tasman Revival series. To Peter Sundberg (Auckland, New Zealand) 2009. To David Banks (Auckland, New Zealand) and raced by him in the 2017/18 Tasman Revival series. More information about Lola T332 'the Kevin Bartlett car'
  7. Lola T332 [HU27] (Warwick Brown): See full history: Lola T332 HU27.
  8. Bowin P8 [P8-118-72] (John Leffler): Built in August 1972, supplied to Bob Jane Racing and fitted with a Repco Holden V8 for John Harvey to race in the Australian Gold Star series. First appeared at Surfers Paradise 27 Aug 1972 but failed to start with fuel problems. Then raced in a non-championship event at Warwick Farm a week later, where Harvey finished fifth in Heat 1 but collided with Kevin Bartlett at the start of the Heat 2. The car was then stored for 18 months, until sold to John Leffler to replace his damaged ANF2 Bowin P8/2. Converted to ANF2 specification and raced in the Australian F2 series in 1974, and in Australian Gold Star events. Leased to Sue Ransom for a one-off race at Wanneroo Park in May 1975. The car remained in Western Australia, and is reported to have been owned by Rod Housego and Ian Wookey, before reappearing at Wanneroo Park in the hands of Rob Richards in 1980. Richards raced it as late as 1982, in Formula Pacific specification. Then unknown until 2004, when it was being restored by Matthew Lloyd. Lloyd died in 2008, just as the car was being completed, and in 2009 it was bought by Dean Saunders.
  9. March 732 [15 as '9'] (Ken Shirvington): A new car for Andy Sutcliffe at Karlskoga run by Brian Lewis Racing and replacing 732-9, crashed by Mike Beuttler earlier in the year. To save paperwork, the team put the "732/9" chassis plate onto the car and it still wears it today. Sold to Ken Smith in New Zealand after Sutcliffe's money did not appear and raced by him in the 1974 Tasman series. Then rebuilt as a ANF2 car with a Ford twin cam for the 1974 Australian Formula 2 series and sold to Ken Shirvington mid-season. The car remains in Australia in 2012.

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.