One row of the 28 starters of the 35 lap, 150 mile, 1949 Australian Grand Prix – or more likely the supporting F2 race – at Leyburn, Queensland, await the drop of the flag on September 18.
The first two cars are MG TCs, Col Robinson’s #32, and J Hillhouse in #30. #17 is the more focused TC Spl of Dick Cobden, then Peter Critchley’s fourth placed ex-Alf Najar MG TB Spl, and on the far side, Arthur Rizzo’s Riley Spl, who finished third on the RAAF airfield track
A race day crowd estimated at 30,000 people saw John Crouch’s Delahaye 135S win from Ray Gordon’s TC Spl.
The front row, away from the start is Alan Larsen, Cadillac Special ‘SoCal’, #15 Keith Thallon, Jaguar SS100, #4 the winning Crouch Delahaye 135S, #8 Arthur Rizzo’s third place Riley Special, and on the far side, Frank Kleinig, Hudson Special. The next row includes #3 Arthur Bowes’ Hudson Spl, #2 Dick Bland, George Reed Special, #25 Doug McDonald, Bugatti Dodge and #18 Garry Coglan, MG TC Spl.
John Snow imported the 1936 3.6-litre, six-cylinder Delahaye (chassis # 47190) from France to Australia in time for the 1939 AGP at Lobethal, with the talented Crouch finally realising its potential.
For so long the fire-and-brimstone Frank Kleinig had been an AGP favourite. 1949 was really his last chance to do well as the quality of our fields improved and his oh-so-fast Kleinig Hudson Spl slipped down the grids. Its development potential by then having pretty-much peaked.
Kleinig led Crouch for seven laps – they shared the fastest lap of the race 2’52 seconds/90mph – but then had the first of three pitstops which led to his retirement after completing only 21 laps.
Dick Cobden’s shapely, quick, Gordon Stewart built, Bob Baker bodied, 1946 MG TC (#3306) ‘Red Cigar’ single-seater (below) was out early after only six laps with undisclosed dramas.
Thanks to Terry Sullivan for pointing out this interesting article about the machinations and difficulties associated with the staging of this race; The AGP When Any Airfield Would Do – The Race Torque
John Crouch deals with the rigours of the day in typical Australian fashion.
Frank Kleinig on the hop, see more for this ever evolving, famous Oz racing car; https://primotipo.com/2019/12/06/frank-kleinig-kleinig-hudson-special/
Etcetera…
The Brisbane Telegraph caption of this pre-AGP promo piece reads, “Teamwork counts and here are seen NSW motorists, Alf Najar (left) who will be relief driver of Peter Critchley’s (ex-Najar 1946 NSW Grand Prix winning) MG TB Spl (second from right) the winner of the 1948 NSW Grand Prix (at Bathurst), Arthur Rizzo, and their mechanics.”
Kleinig again, #2 Dick Bland in the George Reed Ford V8 Special, #7 Alan Larsen, Cadillac Spl and the rest – #29 Brydon’s MG TC Spl and #33 at the very back is the Ford V8 Spl raced by Jack Wright.
Credits…
Wikipedia, racerviews.com, Rob Bartholomaeus, Stephen Dalton, Dick Willis, Brisbane Telegraph, Norm Pleasance Collection-Warwick Daily News via Daniel Kleinig
Tailpiece…
Racers both: Charlie Smith and John Crouch at the launch of Alec Mildren’s biography at Frank Gardner’s Norwell, Gold Coast facility on April 18, 1999.
Finito…
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