1962 Australian GT Championship

The 1962 Australian GT Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title[1] for drivers of Appendix K GT cars.[2] The title, which was the third Australian GT Championship,[1][3] was contested over a single race held at the Lakeside circuit, in Queensland, Australia on 8 July 1962.[4]

Layout of the Lakeside International Raceway

The championship was won by John French driving a Centaur Waggott.

Results

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The race winning Centaur Waggott, pictured in 2007
Position[4] Driver[4] No.[4] Car[4] Entrant[4] Laps[4]
1 John French 26 Centaur Waggott GP Cars Racing Team 50
2 Tony Basile 31[5] Porsche Carrera S Sakzewski 50
3 Bill Pitt[6] 34[7] Jaguar 3.4 Litre Mrs DI Anderson 50
4 Les Howard 21[5] Austin-Healey Sprite - Ford Cosworth Howard and Sons Racing Team  
5 Brian Foley 7[5] Lotus Elite Scuderia Veloce[8]  
Under 1000cc
1 Sib Petralia[8] 51[5] Austin-Healey Sprite Chequered Flag Racing Team  
2 Terry Kratzmann[7] 30[5] Renault Floride Sqadra Sotto  
? M. Hunt[5] 6[5] Renault Dauphine    
1000cc to 1600cc
1 Tony Basile 31[5] Porsche Carrera S Sakzewski 50
2 Les Howard 21[5] Austin-Healey Sprite - Ford Cosworth Howard and Sons Racing Team  
3 Brian Foley 7[5] Lotus Elite Scuderia Veloce[8]  
? Tony Osborne[8] 16[7] Lotus Elite    
? Paul Fallu[7] 60[5] Volkswagen Karmann Ghia    
1600cc to 2600cc
1 John French 26 Centaur Waggott GP Cars Racing Team 50
2 Ken Peters 4[5] Derrington Wolseley 15/60 KA Peters  
2600cc and Over
1 Bill Pitt[6] 34[7] Jaguar 3.4 Litre Mrs DI Anderson 50
2 Dennis Geary[9] 22[7] HWM Jaguar GT Geary's Sports Cars  

Race statistics

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  • Pole position: John French (Centaur Waggott), 1m 15.6s[4]
  • Race distance: 50 laps, 75 mile[4] (120 km)
  • Number of starters: 14[4][10]
  • Number of finishers: Not yet ascertained
  • Race time of winning car: 62m 03.6s[4]
  • Fastest lap: John French, 1m 12.3s[11]

References

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  1. ^ a b 2006 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 14-6
  2. ^ Pedr Davis, The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, page 200
  3. ^ Some difference of opinion exists regarding the actual name of the title. Australian Motor Sport, September 1962 uses both "Australian G.T. championship" and "Australian Gran Turismo Championship", The Courier Mail, Monday, 9 July 1962 uses "Australian Grand Touring Championship" and the 2006 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport uses "Australian GT Championship"
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k John French wins 1962 Australian G.T. championship, Australian Motor Sports, September 1962, pages 37-39
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lakeside early days…, primotipo.com, as archived at web.archive.org
  6. ^ a b Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, page 185
  7. ^ a b c d e f Australian G.T. title to French's Centaur, Racing Car News, August 1962, Page 8
  8. ^ a b c d Keith Thallon, John French unchallenged in Australian GT Championship, Sports Car World, September 1962, pages 54 & 55
  9. ^ John Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, page 167
  10. ^ Australian Motor Sports, September 1962, pages 37-39 states that there were 14 starters in the race but only includes 12 names in its grid listing and only mentions the same 12 in the text of the race report
  11. ^ Car Wrecked at Lakeside, The Courier Mail, Monday, 9 July 1962, page 13
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