OldRacingCars.com

Australian Grand Prix

Sandown Park, 4 Nov 1973

ResultsLapsTime/Speed
1 Graham McRae McRae GM2 [001] - Chevrolet V8
#1 Graham McRae
52 57m 54.8s
190.71 kph
2 John McCormack Elfin MR5 [5711] - Repco Holden V8
#3 Ansett Team Elfin (see note 1)
52
3 Johnnie Walker Lola T330 [HU23] - Repco Holden V8
#25 John Walker Motor Racing (see note 2)
50
4 Howie Sangster McLaren M18/M22 [500-01] - Chevrolet V8
#14 Don O'Sullivan (see note 3)
50
5 Garrie Cooper Elfin MR5 [5723] - Repco Holden V8
#2 Ansett Team Elfin (see note 4)
49
6 John Leffler Elfin MR5 [5722] - Repco Holden V8
#16? Seiko Service Centre (see note 5)
49
7 Enno Buesselman (ANF2) 1.6-litre Birrana 273 [273-009] - Ford twin cam
#18 Bob & Marj Brown
46
8 Ken Hastings (ANF2) 1.6-litre Brabham BT35 [36] - Ford twin cam
#90 B. B. Cameron (see note 6)
45
9 Kevin Bartlett Lola T330 [HU22] - Chevrolet V8
#5 Chesterfield Filter Racing (see note 7)
43
10 Alfredo Costanzo (ANF2) 1.6-litre Elfin Mono Mk IID [MD6756] - Ford twin cam
#31 A. Constanzo
41
11 Max Stewart Lola T330 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8
#6 Seiko Service Centre (see note 8)
31
DNSP Chas Talbot (ANF2) 1.6-litre Elfin 600B [7124] - Ford twin cam
#38 Chas Talbot
Did not start (retired on parade lap)
DNS Leo Geoghegan (ANF2) 1.6-litre Birrana 273 [273-006] - Ford twin cam
#19 Grace Bros. Racing Team
Did not start
DNA Erol Richardson Wortmeyer SCV - Chevrolet V8
#7 John Wortmeyer
Did not arrive
DNA Jim Russell (ANF2) 1.6-litre Brabham "BT23D" (Jane) - Ford twin cam
#8 Fred Wheelhouse (see note 9)
Did not arrive
DNA Stan Keen Elfin MR5 [5724] - Ford V8
#9 Stan Keen Motors (see note 10)
Did not arrive
DNA Warwick Brown (F5000) unknown
#10 Team Target
Did not arrive
DNA Malcolm Ramsay (ANF2) 1.6-litre Birrana 273 [273-010] - Ford twin cam
#17 5AD-City State Racing Team
Did not arrive
DNA TBA Matich A50 [004] - Repco Holden V8
#20 John Walker Motor Racing (see note 11)
Did not arrive
DNA Bob Skelton (ANF2) 1.6-litre Bowin P6 [P6-119-72] - Ford twin cam Hart
#32 Finnie Ford
Did not arrive
DNA Don Uebergang (ANF2) 1.6-litre Birrana 273 [273-007] - Ford twin cam
#34 Don Uebergang
Did not arrive
DNA Paul Feltham (ANF2) 1.6-litre Elfin 600B [6803] - Ford twin cam
#39 Paul Feltham
Did not arrive
DNA Bruce Allison (ANF2) 1.6-litre Bowin P6 [P6F-129-73] - Ford twin cam
#62 Hobby & Toyland Racing
Did not arrive
DNA Kurt Seeberg (ANF2) 1.6-litre Elfin 600B [6802] - Ford twin cam
#65 Vern White
Did not arrive
DNA Darryl Pearsall (ANF2) 1.6-litre Lotus 39 [R12] - Ford twin cam
#86 Darryl Pearson Holdings P/L
Did not arrive

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Qualifying
1 John McCormack (F5000) 5-litre Elfin MR5 [5711] - Repco Holden V8 1m 01.2s
2 Johnnie Walker (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU23] - Repco Holden V8 1m 01.4s
3 Kevin Bartlett (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU22] - Chevrolet V8 1m 01.7s
4 Graham McRae (F5000) 5-litre McRae GM2 [001] - Chevrolet V8 1m 01.8s
5 Max Stewart (F5000) 5-litre Lola T330 [HU1] - Chevrolet V8 1m 01.9s
6 Howie Sangster (F5000) 5-litre McLaren M18/M22 [500-01] - Chevrolet V8 1m 03.7s
7 Garrie Cooper (F5000) 5-litre Elfin MR5 [5723] - Repco Holden V8 1m 05.0s
8 John Leffler (F5000) 5-litre Elfin MR5 [5722] - Repco Holden V8 1m 05.1s
9 Enno Buesselman (ANF2) 1.6-litre Birrana 273 [273-009] - Ford twin cam 1m 09.2s
10 Leo Geoghegan * (ANF2) 1.6-litre Birrana 273 [273-006] - Ford twin cam 1m 10.6s
11 Ken Hastings (ANF2) 1.6-litre Brabham BT35 [36] - Ford twin cam 1m 12.3s
12 Alfredo Costanzo (ANF2) 1.6-litre Elfin Mono Mk IID [MD6756] - Ford twin cam 1m 13.8s
13 Chas Talbot * (ANF2) 1.6-litre Elfin 600B [7124] - Ford twin cam 1m 14.8s
 
* Did not start

Notes on the cars:

  1. 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.
  2. Lola T330 [HU23] (Johnnie Walker): See full history: Lola T330 HU23.
  3. McLaren M18/M22 [500-01] (Howie Sangster): See full history: McLaren M18 500-01.
  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 [5722] (John Leffler): 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.
  6. Brabham BT35 [36] (Ken Hastings): First known when a new F3 Brabham "BT35-36" was advertised by Bill Thompson from London and Brentwood telephone numbers in Autosport in November 1971. Although "BT35-36" could refer to a BT35 updated to Bt36 specification, that makes no sense for a brand new F3 car, so it must be assumed this was a reference to chassis number BT35-36. The advert said that the car had not been raced. This car was next seen 18 months later when it was raced in ANF2 specification by Bob Holden in Australia. It is understood to have been owned by Australian sometime MRD mechanic Ray Pounder at or just before this. It passed to Brian Cameron for 1974, and was raced by him and by Ken Hastings in early 1974. Then to Kurt Seeberg and raced by him from July 1974 to 1981 at least. Later sold to Brian Sampson (Melbourne) in 2003.
  7. Lola T330 [HU22] (Kevin Bartlett): New to Kevin Bartlett (Aus) 1973. First raced in Australia September 1973, then in the 1974 Tasman series, but crashed in practice at Pukekohe and effectively written off.
  8. 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
  9. Brabham "BT23D" (Jane) (Jim Russell): Built by Bob Jane's team using a frame supplied by Bob Britton to the Brabham BT23 pattern. The car was a replacement for the team's Brabham BT23E, and had a lower nose and higher cockpit than its predecessor, and triangular sidepods. It first raced at Lakeside's Gold Star round on 7 Jun 1970, driven by John Harvey, and Harvey later won a Gold Star race at Sandown Park in September. It was unused during 1971 and then sold to Fred Wheelhouse (St Albans, Victoria), rebuilt to ANF2 specification and registered with CAMS as a "Brabham BT23D". Sold to Rod Housego 1974 and moved to Western Australia, then sold in 1975 to Dominic Mannello (Perth), who fitted Brabham BT36 bodywork and a 1600cc Fiat twin cam engine for the 1978 ANF2. Retained by Mannello until sold to West Australian Racing Museum owner Neil McCrudden in 2001. Used in historic racing between 2007 and 2015 by Lance Carwardine as the "Brabham Jane".
  10. 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.
  11. Matich A50 [004] (TBA): 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.

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.

Individual sources for this event

Entry list kindly provided by Rob Bartholomaeus.