1964 Australian Touring Car Championship

1964 Australian Touring Car Championship
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The 1964 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Appendix J Touring Cars and Group E Series Production Touring Cars.[1] The championship was contested over a single race staged at the Lakeside circuit in Queensland, Australia, on 26 July 1964.[2] The race was won by Ian Geoghegan, the first of his five Australian Touring Car Championship titles. Geoghegan drove a Ford Cortina in what was the first Australian championship victory for a Ford driver and the first time the Jaguars had been defeated for the title.

Race

For the first time the race was held at a circuit within easy reach of a major city. Lakeside's proximity to Brisbane ensured a large crowd as for the first time the race appeared wide open with many fancied runners. The Jaguars had faded, although Bob Jane's Mark II was certainly a potential front runner, the rise of the Ford Cortina in either its GT specification or the Lotus tuned version, of which only Jim McKeown's was ready in time for the race. For the first time too Holden was a front runner with the S4 versions of the EH Holden. In the lead up to the race Ian Geoghegan rolled and destroyed his Cortina and a factory test car was driven up from Melbourne to get Geoghegan back in the race.

Brian Muir lead from the start but lost the lead to Jim McKeown in the early running. Muir was then passed by Jane who then moved into the lead when McKeown had a brief off and dropped behind Muir to third. Later McKeown clipped the abandon Warren Weldon Holden and hit the barriers, promoting Norm Beechey into third, a position he lost to Ian Geogehegan just passed half-distance. Jane struck clutch problems and dropped down the order putting Muir back into the lead. Beechey climed into second, not only was an Australian car leading the ATCC for the first but was second as well. With 13 laps to go though Muir pitted to replace a worn out tyre. Geoghegan pushed Beechey hard and with seven laps to go took the lead and won. Behind Beechey, Jane limped home for third ahead of the Minis of Brian Foley and Peter Manton with local Glynn Scott home for sixth position.[3]

Results

Position [4] Driver No. Car Entrant Class Pos. Class [5] Laps
1 Ian Geoghegan 5 Ford Cortina GT Mk.I Total Team 1 1301 to 2000cc 50
2 Norm Beechey 4 Holden EH Special S4 Neptune Racing Team 1 Over 2600cc 50
3 Bob Jane 7 Jaguar 3.8 Mk II 2 Over 2600cc 50
4 Brian Foley Morris Cooper S 1 1001 to 1300cc 50
5 Peter Manton Morris Cooper S Neptune Racing Team 2 1001 to 1300cc 50
6 Glyn Scott Ford Cortina GT Mk.I Max Volkers 2 1301 to 2000cc 49
7 Brian Muir 1 Holden EH Special S4 Scuderia Veloce 3 Over 2600cc 48
8 John French Morris Cooper S 3 1001 to 1300cc
9 Barry Seton 51 Holden 48-215 1 2001 to 2600cc
10 Harry Firth Ford Cortina GT Mk.I 3 1301 to 2000cc
11 Richard Arblaster Austin Cooper S 4 1001 to 1300cc
12 Steve Harvey 28 Morris Cooper 1 Up to 1000cc
13 Malcolm Bailey Ford Zephyr Mk.III 2 2001 to 2600cc
14 Brendan Hare 47 Renault 750 2 Up to 1000cc
DNF Des West Holden 48-215 2001 to 2600cc 37
DNF Ron Clark Morris Cooper S 1001 to 1300cc
DNF Jim McKeown 3 Ford Cortina Lotus Mk.I Neptune Racing Team 1301 to 2000cc 19
DNF Warren Weldon 91 Holden 48-215 2001 to 2600cc 14
DNF Brian Michelmore Ford Cortina GT Mk.I 1301 to 2000cc
DNF Clem Smith 46 Chrysler Valiant R Series Over 2600cc 1
DNS Bob Lidgate

References

  1. ↑ CAMS Manual Of Motor Sport, 1964, pages 48–51
  2. ↑ Jim Shephard, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, page 103
  3. ↑ Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart (1986). "1964: Ford's first of twelve". Australian Touring Car Championship: 25 fabulous years. Gordon: R&T Publishing. pp. 50–56. ISBN 0-9590378-2-9.
  4. ↑ Graham Howard & Stewart Wilson, Australian Touring Car Championship, 30 Fabulous Years, 1989, pages 50–56
  5. ↑ Australian Motor Sports, September 1964, page 50

External links