1955 Avon Trophy

Castle Combe Circuit track map.svg NC UK Avon Trophy I Avon Trophy Castle Combe Circuit, Wilts. 1 October 1955 Permanent racing facility 1.84 2.961 55 101.2 162.831 Harry Schell USA 1912 Vanwall 1:14.4 Harry Schell Vanwall 1:13.6 USA 1912 Harry Schell USA 1912 Vanwall Horace Gould UK Maserati Bob Gerard UK Cooper-Bristol The I Avon Trophy was a non-championship Grand Prix which was held at the Castle Combe Circuit on 1 October 1955, three weeks after the end of the season. It was the inaugural running of the Avon Trophy, and the last race run to Formula One regulations to be held at the circuit. The race was won from pole by American, Harry Schell, ahead of privateer Horace Gould, in second and Bob Gerard in third. Background The Castle Combe circuit, converted from an airfield just five years earlier, welcomed Formula One racing for the fourth consecutive year, having hosted the Joe Fry Memorial Trophy in previous years. The inaugural Avon Trophy, although post-season and non-championship, was attended by numerous championship contenders from the 1955 season, as well as some new faces ahead of 1956. Among those who entered the race were American, Harry Schell, privateer Horace Gould and Frenchman, Louis Rosier. Peter Collins and future championship runner-up, Tony Brooks also attended. Classification Qualifying PosNo.DriverConstructorTime/GapGrid126USA 1912 Harry SchellVanwall1m14.4126GBR Horace GouldMaserati+0.62312GBR Bob GerardCooper-Bristol+0.63430GBR Tony BrooksConnaught-Lea-Francis+2.64510GBR Roy SalvadoriMaserati+2.8564FRA Louis RosierMaserati+3.26740GBR Graham WhiteheadConnaught-Lea-Francis+3.2782GBR Peter WalkerConnaught-Alta+4.48920GBR Paul EmeryEmeryson-Alta+5.891034GBR Tom KyffinCooper-Bristol+9.0101128GBR Alastair BirrellCooper-Bristol+12.4111232GBR Dick GibsonConnaught-Lea-Francis+12.4121314GBR Peter CollinsMaseratiunknown131418GBR Michael YoungConnaught-Altaunknown14DNA8GBR Les LestonMaserati DNA16GBR Ron FlockhartBRM DNA22GBR Mike HawthornFerrari DNA36GBR Bruce HalfordCooper-Bristol DNA38GBR John YoungConnaught-Lea-Francis Race PosNo.DriverConstructorLapsTime/Retired126USA 1912 Harry SchellVanwall551:10:32.826GBR Horace GouldMaserati55+20.0 s312GBR Bob GerardCooper-Bristol55+32.6 s410GBR Roy SalvadoriMaserati55530GBR Tony BrooksConnaught-Lea-Francis54640GBR Graham WhiteheadConnaught-Lea-Francis54732GBR Dick GibsonConnaught-Lea-Francis5382GBR Peter WalkerConnaught-Alta Gearbox918GBR Michael YoungConnaught-Alta 1020GBR Paul EmeryEmeryson-Alta Ret4FRA Louis RosierMaserati18Broken shock absorberRet14GBR Peter CollinsMaserati9De Dion tubeRet28GBR Alastair BirrellCooper-Bristol Ret34GBR Tom KyffinCooper-Bristol References ChicaneF1 article Avon Trophy 1955 1955 International Gold Cup 1955 Syracuse Grand Prix — — Category:1955 Formula One races