1963 Australian Touring Car Championship

The 1963 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Appendix J Touring Cars.[1] It was contested over a single 25 lap, 50 mile (80 km) race at the Mallala Race Circuit in South Australia on 15 April 1963 and was the fourth running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. The race was won by Bob Jane, driving a Jaguar Mark 2 4.1.[2]

1963 Australian Touring Car Championship
Previous: 1962 Next: 1964

Race

Much of the interest in the 1963 title centred on an anticipated duel between Bob Jane's much developed Jaguar Mark 2 and Norm Beechey's new Chevrolet Impala. The confrontation failed to eventuate after the Impala blew its engine the previous weekend and was a non-starter. Beechey raced his backup car, a Holden 48-215. Jane took pole position by one tenth of a second over the Valiant of Ern Abbott, with Clem Smith's Valiant another second behind. The second row comprised the Holden of Clive Millis and the Fiat 1500 of Pat James.[2]

Beechey retired on lap 1 after starting sixth, while Jane led from Abbott, Smith, Peter Manton, John Brindley, James, Harry Firth, George Reynolds and Richard Thurston. Jane set a new lap record of 1:57.2 on lap 2 as he extended his lead, while Firth passed James, Brindley and Manton to move into fourth place by lap 7. Abbott was able to stay with Jane as the two pulled away from Smith in third, who was ten seconds behind at half distance. Both Valiant drivers then encountered problems: Abbott's brakes began to fade and he fell back into the clutches of Smith, but Smith was low on fuel and had to conserve. Firth also had problems, with a bent throttle linkage putting him under pressure from Manton. Manton attempted to pass Firth at the last corner but was unable to take the place.[2]

Jane went on to win Jaguar's fourth and final Australian Touring Car Championship, leading Abbott home by seven seconds, with Smith a further 22 seconds adrift. Firth finished one lap down in fourth ahead of Manton, Millis and Reynolds.[2]

Results

Class winners are indicated by bold text.

Pos. Class No. Driver Entrant Car Laps Time/Retired
1 Over 3500cc 71 Bob Jane R. Jane Jaguar Mark 2 4.1 25 50:03.2
2 Over 3500cc 99 Ern Abbott E. Abbott Car Sales Chrysler Valiant R Series 25 +7.0
3 Over 3500cc 46 Clem Smith C. Smith Motors Chrylser Valiant R Series 25 +28.7
4 1301–1600cc 111 Harry Firth Ford Motor Co Ford Consul Cortina Mark I 24 +1 lap
5 Up to 1000cc 59 Peter Manton P. Manton Motors Morris Cooper 24 +1 lap
6 2001–2600cc 87 Clive Millis Merlyn Motors Holden 24 +1 lap
7 1001–1300cc 49 George Reynolds G. Reynolds Volkswagen 24 +1 lap
8 Up to 1000cc 112 Gavin Baillieu H. Firth Morris Cooper 23 +2 laps
9 1301–1600cc 78 Pat James Motor Improvements Fiat 1500 23 +2 laps
10 2601–3500cc 30 Cyril Nancarrow C.G. Nancarrow Austin A90 Westminster 23 +2 laps
11 2001–2600cc 70 B. Murphy B. Murphy Holden 23 +2 laps
12 Up to 1000cc 56 L. Callaway O'Callaghan Motors Morris Cooper 23 +2 laps
13 Up to 1000cc 57 W. Wauchope J.W. Taylors Morris Cooper 23 +2 laps
14 1001–1300cc 50 Ken Virgin K. Virgin Volkswagen 23 +2 laps
15 2001–2600cc 36 Dave Sullivan D. Sullivan Motors Holden 23 +2 laps
16 1001–1300cc 35 R. Brown B.J. Auto Service Simca Aronde 23 +2 laps
17 2001–2600cc 60 D. Dix D. Dix Holden 23 +2 laps
18 1301–1600cc 92 W. Nalder W. Nalder Hillman 22 +3 laps
19 2001–2600cc 69 John Brindley Car World Holden 22 +3 laps
20 1601–2000cc 114 Wally Wilson Team SAAS Citroën ID19 22 +3 laps
Ret Up to 1000cc 62 N. Webb C&S Motors Morris 850 17
Ret 1301–1600cc 73 Terry Sully T. Sully Hillman Minx 17
Ret Up to 1000cc 58 Richard Thurston R.K. Thurston Morris 850 16
Ret 2001–2600cc 85 B. Forbes Forcars Pty Ltd Holden 11
Ret 2001–2600cc 82 V. Clancy V. Clancy Holden 7
Ret 1301–1600cc 79 Brian Sampson Motor Improvements Austin Lancer 4
Ret 2601–3500cc 64 C. Roskilly C. Roskilly Austin A90 Westminster 3
Ret 2001–2600cc 39 R. Loader R. Loader Holden 3
Ret 2001–2600cc 74 Norm Beechey Holden 48-215 0
Sources:[2][3][4]

Statistics
  • Pole position: Bob Jane, 1:57.9[2]
  • Fastest lap: Bob Jane, 1:57.2[2]
  • Race distance: 25 laps, 84.50 km[2]
  • Average speed: 101.27 km/h[2]

References
  1. Australian Titles Retrieved from www.camsmanual.com.au on 20 February 2009
  2. Greenhalgh, David; Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart (2011). The official history: Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years. St Leonards, New South Wales: Chevron Publishing Group. pp. 38–41. ISBN 978-0-9805912-2-4.
  3. Official Results, Event 6, Australian Touring Car Championship, Sporting Car Club of South Australia
  4. Entry List, Race 6, Australian Touring Car Championship, Official Souvenir Programme, Mallala Motor Races, Easter Monday, 15 April 1963

Further reading
  • Bob Jane Makes It a Double, Australian Motor Sport, June 1963, pages 63–65
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