1961 Armstrong 500

Motor race in Australia January 2021 January 2012 1961 Armstrong 500 1960 1962 The 1961 Armstrong 500 was an endurance motor race for standard production sedans. The event was held at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 19 November 1961 over 167 laps of the 3.0 mile circuit, a total of 501 miles (807 km). The race was organised by the Light Car Club of Australia and was sponsored by Armstrong York Engineering Pty Ltd.Front cover, Official Programme, 1961 Armstrong 500, Philip Island, Sunday, 19 November 1961, pages 18 & 19 It was the second event held in the combined history of the Bathurst 1000, which had begun the previous year with the first Armstrong 500. Interest had waned since the previous year with the entry for this year the lowest in the races history until the fields were restricted to V8 Supercars only in 1995. Geoff Russell and David Anderson backed up their 1960 class victory in their Peugeot 403 by winning their class again. Bob Jane and Harry Firth were the only combination to complete the full race distance, earning the pair the first of their four outright race wins, although the concept of outright race win would not be officially recognised until 1965. Mercedes-Benz, Studebaker and Renault all took their first class wins. Class structure Class A Class A was for cars with an engine capacity over 2600cc. The class featured Ford Customline, Studebaker Lark and Vauxhall Velox. Class B Class B was for cars with an engine capacity between 1601cc and 2600cc. The class featured Ford Falcon, Holden EK and Mercedes-Benz 220SE. Class C Class C was for cars with an engine capacity of between 1001cc and 1600cc. The class featured Morris Major, Peugeot 403, Simca Montlhery and Volkswagen 1200. Australia's Greatest Motor Race The Complete History Tuckey Bill Lansdowne Press Sydney 1961: The day the idea nearly died: 1981 74–81 0-7018-1547-7 Class D Class D was for cars with an engine capacity of 1000cc or less. The class featured Ford Anglia, Morris 850, Renault Gordini and Triumph Herald. Results Pos.The 1961 Armstrong 500 - A classic canter for hacks, Official Programme,1962 Armstrong 500, Philip Island, Sunday, 21 October 1962, pages 12 to 23 No.Entry list, Official Programme, 1961 Armstrong 500, Philip Island, Sunday, 19 November 1961, pages 18 & 19 Entrant Drivers Car Laps Class A 1 43 York Motors (Sales) Pty Ltd David McKayBrian Foley Studebaker Lark 166 2 41 WF Coad Frank CoadJohn Roxburgh Vauxhall Velox 165 3 44 Canada Cycle & Motor Co (Sales) Pty Ltd Fred SutherlandBill Graetz Studebaker Lark 165 DNFAustralia's Greatest Motor Race, Second Edition 1990, page 292 42 SP Boyd-Squires Peter Boyd-SquiresPeter Will Ford Customline Class B 1 32 Autoland Pty Ltd Bob JaneHarry Firth Mercedes-Benz 220SE 167 2 35 KJ Harper Ken HarperSyd FisherJohn Raeburn Ford Falcon XK 161 Disq 33 Stan Jones Motors Pty Ltd Ian StrachanJohn Lanyon Holden EK 134 Class C 1 24 GLA Russell Geoff RussellDave Anderson Peugeot 403 163 2 26 W Coe Bill CoeRon Lilley Peugeot 403 161 3 22 Ecurie - BJ Auto Service, Eiffel Tower Group, Martins Panel Service Bob BrownLionel MarshMichael Lempriere Simca Montlhery 160 4 25 Killara Motor Garage Bob HoldenKen BrigdenAlbert Bridge Peugeot 403 153 5 21 G Reynolds George ReynoldsGreg Cusack Volkswagen 152 DNF 27 JP Gray Charlie SmithBruce MaherTony Osborne Morris Major 141 DNF 28 EA Clay Eddie ClayJack FrenchJim Gray Morris Major 135 Class D 1 3 Monash Service Station Jim GullanBrian SampsonJohn Connolly Renault Gordini 157 2 4 W McB March Bill MarchNorm Beechey Renault Gordini 156 3 9 JGR Poulton George PoultonJoe Vanaria Triumph Herald 155 4 10 Autoland Pty Ltd Bill JaneNorm HenthornJim White Triumph Herald 155 5 15 Alan Coffey Motors Lou MolinaDoug Whiteford Ford Anglia 152 6 2 Ian W Robertson Les ParkStan Martin Renault Gordini 150 7 11 Viscount Motors Pty Ltd Alan CaelliJ EdwardsM Watson Ford Anglia 149 8 14 KF Lott Kevin LottBrian DevlinPeter Candy Ford Anglia 148 9 12 Hilltop Auto John BrindleyLou Burke Ford Anglia 148 10 16 Alan Coffey Motors Peter CoffeyIan Trudinger Ford Anglia 146 11 7 HNE Johannesen Neil JohannesenGraham MillsJacques Sapir Morris 850 136 Disq 8 G Reynolds Hoot GibsonPaul England Triumph Herald 12 Note: There was no outright winner, with only the winners of the four classes being given official recognition and prize money.How the Armstrong 500 is run, Official Programme, 1961 Armstrong 500, Philip Island, Sunday, 19 November 1961, page 7 However the Mercedes-Benz 220SE driven by Bob Jane and Harry Firth was the only car to complete the full 500-mile distance and it is generally considered to be the "winner" of the race. Statistics Fastest Lap - #32 Jane/Firth - 2:41 - Laps 14 & 121 Race Time - 8:00:31 References Australia's Greatest Motor Race, 1960–1989, The First 30 Years The Australian Racing History of Ford, © 1989 The First 15 Years (Hardie-Ferodo 1000, A Pictorial History 1960–1975) The Official Racing History of Holden Wilson Stewart Chevron Publishing Group Hornsby 1988 0959037845 The Age, Monday, 20 November 1961, Page 17 Australia's Greatest Motor Race 1960-1999 The first 40 years Greenhalgh David Thomas B. Floyd Bill Tuckey Chevron Publishing Group Pty Limited Hornsby 1961 The day the idea nearly died 2000 1-875221-12-3 102–107 & 451 External links Race results, www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au 1961 Armstrong 500 images, autopics.com.au Category:Armstrong 500 Armstrong 500 Category:Motorsport at Phillip Island