Cec Warren class winner, and perhaps the rightful outright winner of the Cowes 200 Mile Race aka the 1931 Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island.
Tony Johns picks up the story, ‘This unsupercharged Ulster was one of three imported by Austin Distributors for the 1930 AGP. In that race, it was driven by Harry Burkell. The #1 team car driven by Cyril Dickason is still in Melbourne.” The controversial elements are dealt with here: https://primotipo.com/2023/02/18/carl-junker-cyril-dickason-and-the-controversial-1931-australian-gp/
Melbourne racer/raconteur/engineer/mechanic Greg Smith put these three shots up on his ‘Pre-1960 Historic Racing in Australasia’ Facebook page – very highly recommended – a while back. He is the custodian of Cec Warren’s photo archive.
For those with an interest in Austin 7 racing in Australia, Tony John and Stephen Dalton’s The Nostalgia Forum thread on same is the place for your enjoyment: https://forums.autosport.com/topic/215085-austin-seven-racing-in-australia-from-1928/?hl=%20austin and a book coming very soon.
The 1933 200 Mile Race aka the Australian Grand Prix. EG Mackay Bugatti T39, Cec Warren, Bugatti T37 and Mert Wreford, Bugatti T39.
Two 1.5-litre straight-eight unsupercharged, three-valve, SOHC 80-90bhp Type 39s, sandwiching a 1.5-litre four cylinder, unsupercharged, three-valve SOHC 60bhp Type 37. The race was won by Bill Thompson’s Riley Brooklands.
Interestingly, perhaps, The Argus started its coverage of the race on March 24, 1933, with the headline, ‘Australian Grand Prix’, then went on to describe it as the Victorian Light Car Clubs 200-mile race – the Fourth Australian Grand Prix. They really weren’t too sure what to call the thing.
Cec Warren, Bugatti T37, on his way to winning the Invitation Handicap on the short-lived Richmond Racecourse Speedway, Melbourne track in 1932.
For you Melburnians, the track was primarily a horse racing facility owned by the ‘colourful legendary’ John Wren, which was located on land abutting the Yarra River between Bridge Road and Swan Street as far west as Stawell Street.
Credits…
Cec Warren Collection via Greg Smith
Finito…
primotipo... 