Australian Grand Prix

Sandown Park, 12 Sep 1976

All cars are 5-litre F5000 unless noted.

Notes on the cars:

1. Lola T400 [HU15] (John Leffler): See full history: Lola T400 HU15.
2. McLaren M18/M22 [500-01] (Chris Milton): See full history: McLaren M18 500-01.
3. Lola T400 [HU1] (Kevin Bartlett): See full history: Lola T400 HU1.
4. Lola T400 [HU3] (Max Stewart): See full history: Lola T400 HU3.
5. 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.
6. Lola T332 ['071-084'] (Terry Hook): See full history: Lola T330 HU7.
7. McLaren M10B [400-02] (Gil Cameron): New to Niel Allen (Australia) late 1969, and raced in 1970 and 1971 Tasman series. To Kevin Bartlett for 1971 Australian Gold Star and 1972 Tasman 1972, then to US for at least one race in 1972. Then unknown until bought by Gil Cameron, and raced in Australia from 1975 to 1977. Donated parts to Tony Edmondson's Alfetta Chev sports sedan, and the remainder of the car stored at Elfin during the 1980s. Subsequent history unknown, but later owned by Llynden Riethmuller (Sydney, NSW) in 2007. After Riethmuller's death, sold to Alan Hamilton in 2011, and restored for historic racing. More information about McLaren M10B 400-2
8. Lola T400 [HU4] (Ken Shirvington): See full history: Lola T400 HU4.
9. Lola T332 ['HU22-3'] (Bruce Allison): 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'
10. Elfin MR5-B [5723] (John Edmonds): 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.
11. Brabham BT35 [8] (John Millard): New to Ed Reeves for British Formula Atlantic in 1971, using Wood BDA engines. Also raced by David Morgan at a couple of late season races. Retained by Reeves for Morgan to drive in 1972, and fitted with an 1860cc Wood BDA for the F2 race at Mallory Park in March 1972 which, remarkably, Morgan won. Reeves then bought a new BT38 for Morgan, and the BT35 was sold via Alan Jones to John and Chrystal Millard in Australia, who fitted a Ford twin cam for the ANF2 category, but it was four years before the car ran again. Raced by John Millard until February 1978 when an accident at Sandown Park damaged the chassis. Bought by Denis Lupton in September 1978 still in damaged state and repaired but still not assembled until bought by Bryan Miller (Kiama, NSW) in 1999. Retained by Miller until May 2014 when bought by John Hughes and shipped back to England.
12. Lola T330 [HU1] (Ian Adams): 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
13. Lola T330 [HU8] (Ken Smith): To Haas/Hall and developed by Jim Hall with revised bodywork, radiators and rear wing for Brian Redman in the 1973 US series. Then to Rogers Racing for Larry Harley in the 1974 US series. To Ken Smith (New Zealand) for the 1974/75 season, the New Zealand and Australian Internationals 1976. To Chris Milton (South Australia) and raced in Australia from Sep 1977 to Sep 1978. To John Blanden 1978, and driven for him by Rob Butcher from 1979 to 1982. To Bib Stillwell 1988 for Australian historic racing. To Noel Robson (Melbourne, Australia) 1993, and raced in Australian historic racing for many years. More information about Lola T330 HU8
14. Matich A50 [001 as '002'] (Dave Powell): 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
15. Brabham BT28 [20] (Denis Lupton): New to Mike Stowe's Car Consultants (USA) and entered for Stowe and David Cole to race in late-1969 F3 with a Felday engine. Sold to Dick Barker in December but crashed at the Mallory Park Boxing Day libre race. Raced by Barker in F3 and in libre in 1970 but crashed again at Oulton Park on 25 May 1970. Sold to Bobby Howlings late 1970, and then to Alan Joy who updated it for the new 1600cc F3 in 1971. Next seen with Spencer Elton (Westbury, Wiltshire) in March 1972 and sold to David Wadham-Smith. Returned to Elton in January 1973. Later sold by Low Cost Racing to Greg Bowden and then to Denis Lupton (Australia) who converted it to ANF2 specification with a 1.6-litre Ford twin cam, running it from 1975 to 1977. Still owned by Denis in 2009.

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.