1961 Australian Touring Car Championship

Motor racing competition July 2015 July 2015 1961 Australian Touring Car Championship 1960 1962 thumb|250px|Layout of the Lowood Airfield Circuit (1946-1966) The 1961 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title for drivers of Appendix J Touring Cars.National Titles, 1961 CAMS Manual Of Motor Sport, page 53 The championship, which was contested over a single, 50 mile (82 km) race at the Lowood Airfield Circuit in Queensland on 3 September 1961, was the second Australian Touring Car Championship. The race, which was promoted by the Queensland Racing Drivers' Club, was won by Bill Pitt, driving a Jaguar Mark 1 3.4.The official history: Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years Greenhalgh David Howard Graham Wilson Stewart Chevron Publishing Group 2011 978-0-9805912-2-4 St Leonards, New South Wales 22–30 Race overview As in 1960, the event was dominated by Jaguar drivers. Ian Geoghegan took pole position ahead of Bill Pitt and Ron Hodgson, while Bob Jane and Bill Burns completed a top five lockout for Jaguar. Bob Holden was fastest of the non-Jaguar drivers in practice, more than eleven seconds slower than Burns. Jane made a good start and was alongside Geoghegan heading into the first corner, but Geoghegan held on and led Hodgson, Pitt and Jane around for the first lap. Pitt attempted to pass Hodgson in the back section of the circuit but was unable to complete the move. Geoghegan led by 2.5 seconds at the end of the first lap, with Hodgson holding a similar margin back to Pitt in third. Jane and Burns were further back, while Holden and Cecil Keid led the battle for sixth ahead of Barry Gibson, Muir Daniel, Ken Brigden, Noel Trees, Des West, Roy Sawyer and Viv Eddy. Jane retired on lap 2 after a rear spring mount broke. Geoghegan continued to build his lead over Hodgson, extending it to around six seconds by the end of lap 3 and setting a new lap record of 2:04.7 on lap 2, before Hodgson went off at the first corner, allowing Pitt into second place. Pitt quickly closed in on Geoghegan, setting another lap record of 2:03.7, before passing him for the lead on lap 5. Geoghegan began suffering from clutch slip and dropped back, as did Hodgson who had both overdrive and brake problems. Sawyer retired on lap 7 with brake dramas and Gibson went out of the race as well on the following lap. West and Trees then went out on consecutive laps. By this stage, Pitt had a lead of more than 40 seconds and went on to an easy victory over Geoghegan and Hodgson. Burns completed a Jaguar top four while Holden was the first non-Jaguar in fifth. Keid had been running sixth until dropping back on the second last lap to seventh, allowing Daniel into sixth place. The top ten was rounded out by Brigden, Eddy and J.D. Sherman. Geoghegan would go on to win five Australian Touring Car Championships during the 1960s, while Hodgson would achieve success as a team owner when Bob Morris won the 1979 title. Race results Pos. No. Driver Entrant Car Class Keith Thallon, Home Ground Win For Bill Pitt in Touring Championship, Sports Car World, November 1961, pages 51 & 52 Class Pos. Laps Time/Retired 1 34 AUS Bill Pitt Mrs DI Anderson Jaguar Mark 1 3.4 2601-3500cc 1 18 38:20.7 2 5 AUS Ian Geoghegan Geoghegan Motors Liverpool Jaguar Mark 1 3.4 18 3 69 AUS Ron Hodgson Strathfield Motors Pty Ltd Jaguar Mark 2 3.8 Over 3500cc 1 18 4 AUS Bill Burns W Burns Jaguar Mark 1 3.4 5 113 AUS Bob Holden Holden FJ 2001-2600cc 1 6 AUS Muir Daniel Austin A105 7 32 AUS Cecil Keid Holden FJ 8 63 AUS Ken Brigden Peugeot 403 1301-1600cc 1 9 12 AUS Viv Eddy Morris 850 Up to 1000cc 1 10 77 AUS J. D. Sherman Ford XK Falcon 11 AUS J. Whalen Morris Minor 1000 12 AUS T. Uren Peugeot 203 Ret 8 AUS Noel Trees Morris 850 13 Ret 1 AUS Des West Geoghegan Motors Des White, Australian Touring Car Championship, Racing Car News, October 1961, page 5 Morris 850 12 Ret AUS Barry Gibson Ford Zephyr 7 Ret 26 AUS Roy Sawyer Ford Anglia 105E 6 Brakes Ret 7 AUS Bob Jane Jaguar Mark 2 3.8 1 Suspension Sources:November 1961 Pitt Wins Touring Championship Australian Motor Sport 486–487Lap record by Pitt The Courier Mail 4 September 1961 14http://autopics.com.au/61014-113-bob-holden-32-cecil-keid-holden-fj-atcc-lowood-1961/ 61014 - #113 Bob Holden, #32 Cecil Keid, Holden FJ - ATCC Lowood 1961 Autopics Statistics Pole position: Ian Geoghegan, 2:03.1November 1961 Touring Title to Pitt Modern Motor Sydney, New South Wales Modern Magazines Pty Ltd 91 Fastest lap: Bill Pitt, 2:03.7 (new lap record) Race distance: 18 laps, 81.72 km Average speed: 127.87 km/h References External links Touring Cars 1961, autopics.com.au Image of cover of Official Programme, www.progcovers.com Category:Australian Touring Car Championship seasons Touring Cars