This view in race direction looking down the main straight and into the daunting ‘Doohan’ Turn 1 ‘Southern Loop’ section of the track (Kevin Drage)
Kevin Drage’s wonderful aircraft shot shows packed Phillip Island during the 1961 Armstrong 500, Australia’s growing obsession with Touring Cars underway…
The race was held at the Phillip Island on 19 November 1961 over 167 laps of the 3.0 mile circuit, a total of 501 miles (807 km).
It was the second event held in the combined history of the Armstong 500/Bathurst 500/Bathurst 1000 which began in 1960 with the first Armstrong 500.
Jane/Firth take the chequered flag. Jaguar dominated the local prestige market in Oz then…but not for too much longer, the German onslaught began about here!? (autopics)
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 in Jane’s ‘Autoland’ Mercedes Benz 220SE. Mind you, the concept of an outright race win was not be officially recognised until 1965- Mercedes, Studebaker and Renault each took class wins.
(Kevin Drage)
Fabulous Phillip Island day! Len Lukey’s airstrip in the foreground, this shot is of the cars coming out of Siberia- top shot towards Bass Straight through the flat out right handed towards ‘Lukey Heights’. And below Ms Phillip Island coping very well with the Bass Straight ‘breeze’ whilst touring car aces Harry Firth and Bob Jane look suitable pleased with their days work. Their are plenty of race wins and championships to come for these two fellows.
(Kevin Drage)
The pitlane shot shows the Class D winning Renault Gordini of Jim Gullan, Brian Sampson and John Connelly, whilst the grey car is the Class A winning Studebaker Lark of David McKay and Brian Foley.
(autopics.com.au)
Harry Firth, by the look of that crouch behind the wheel of the winning Mercedes- he is just entering the left hand rise ‘Lukey Heights’ before the drop into ‘MG’, Mercedes 220SE.
(Kevin Drage)
David McKay and Brian Foley- champions both and below the Studebaker Lark entered by York Motors they raced to second place.
(Kevin Drage)
Credits…
Kevin Drage, autopics.com.au
primotipo... 
Good to see that the “outright victory” by Jane & Firth has been acknowleged in the story as unofficial, something that is usually overlooked in articles on these early Armstrong 500s.
You may like to add Peugeot to Mercedes, Studebaker and Renault as class winners for 1961 as a 403 took the top prize in Class C (1001 – 1600cc). Also, there appears to be a typo in “…… which began in 1962 with the first Armstrong 500” as the first race was of course held in 1960.
Cheers,
Rob
Cheers Rob, got the sentence right but date wrong! M
Any idea if the blue Gordini is number D4, the Beechey / March car? Insights into whether it was a 3 car team, colour ‘coded’ ?
Martyn,
It appears as tho each of the three Gordini’s were individual entries.
D4 probably is the Beechey/March car. A simple google search shows Les Park racing a maroon Gordini at Bathurst in ’63- so I’m guessing his car was the same @ P Island- therefore the blue car is D4…Maybe!
Mark
Mark,
According to the Official Programme for the 1961 Amstrong 500:
D2 was entered by Ian W. Robertson for Les Park, Stan Martin & Rex Broadhead
D3 was entered by Monash Service Station for John Connolly, Brian Sampson & Jill Gullan
D4 was entered by W. McB. March for Bill March & Norm Beechey
No colors given.
Cheers,
Rob
Thanks Rob,
Same info is on Wiki- my guess on the cars is a bit of ‘deductive reasoning’ it may not be right. The first of many ‘500’s’ for Sambo!
Mark
It’s a long shot and digging up an old post here, but does anyone know if a colour photo exists of the winning car/Kevin took a colour photo of the winning car?
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