1954 Mount Druitt 24 Hours Road Race

The 1954 Mount Druitt 24 Hours Road Race was an endurance race for production cars staged at the Mount Druitt circuit in New South Wales, Australia from 31 January to 1 February 1954.[1] The race, which was organized by the Australian Racing Drivers' Club,[2] was the first motor race of 24 hours duration to be held in Australia.[3] Cars were required to be stock models, competing as purchased with no modifications permitted other than the removal of the silencer.[1] All starters finished the race, with those that had retired rejoining to cross the finish line at the end of the 24 hours.[4]

The winning Jaguar XK120 Coupe

The race was won by Geordie Anderson, Chas Swinburne and Bill Pitt driving a Jaguar XK120 Coupe.[1]

Results

Position[4] Drivers [5] No.[5] Car[1] Entrant [5] Class pos.[1] Class[1] Laps[1]
1 Geordie Anderson [6]
Chas Swinburne [1]
Bill Pitt[1] 		6 Jaguar XK120 Coupe Mrs. C. Anderson 1 Closed Cars 3001 cc and Over 573
2 Gordon Greig [1]
Bill Reynolds [1]
Peter Vennermark [1] 		4 Bristol 400 Sports Cars Pty. Ltd. 1 Closed Cars 1501 – 3000 cc 569
3 Tom Sulman [7]
Nat Buchanan [1]
J. A. Masling 		10 Humber Super Snipe T. N. Sulman 563
4 Dick Shaw [7]
J. H. Shaw
R. E. Long 		12 Holden 48/215 R. D. Shaw 547
5 John Crouch [1]
J. Dowling
David McKay[8] 		23 Peugeot 203 Harden Johnston Pty. Ltd. 1 Closed Cars 1101 – 1500 cc 546
6 R. M. Daniel
P. Spring
B. Polaine 		18 MG TC R. M. Daniel 1 Open Cars 1101 – 1500 cc 537
7 Ken Tubman [1]
Kel Ebbeck [1] 		22 Peugeot 203 K. Tubman 528
8 Doug Chivas[1]
Frank Dent [1]
Peter Lowe [1] 		20 MG TD Lowe's Service Station 491
9 John Le Foe
G. R. McColl 		9 Standard Vanguard Spacemaster[4] Marshalls Motors Pty. Ltd. 481
10 John Nind [1]
A. McAlpine 		21 MG TD J. P. Nind 441
11 W. Collins
K. French
N. Senior 		16 MG TD W. Collins 414
12 K. Harrison
B. Maher
J. Johnston 		26 Morris Minor Tourer[4] K. Harrison 1 Open Cars Under 1100 cc 406
13 Reg Lewis [7]
F. Samuels
J. H. Richards 		15 Jaguar Mark V R. Lewis 399
14 I. Boydell
M. Robinson
P. Moffitt 		25 Renault 760 I. Boydell 1 Closed Cars Under 1100 cc 396
15 N. Perkins
R. Barnard
R. A. Dixon 		17 Ford V8 (1938)[4] N. Perkins 323
16 Peter Whitehead[1]
Tony Gaze[1]
Alf Barrett [1] 		1 Jaguar XK120C P. N. Whitehead 1 Open Cars 3001 cc and Over 282
17 Bill Ford [1]
W. Hand
P. Carter 		27 Singer Nine[9] C. H. C. Engineering Co. 245
18 John Webber [1]
Ashton Marshall [1] 		28 Fiat 500C J. H. Webber 2 Closed Cars Under 1100 cc 210
19 Les Cosh [1]
Dick Cobden [10]
Stewart Moody [10] 		2 Aston Martin DB2 L. J. Cosh 170
20 Belf Jones [1]
Col James [1]
G. E. Turner 		7 Austin A90 Atlantic B. J. Jones 153
21 W. Broad
W. Clarke
S. Hall 		14 MG TD W. Broad 140
22 E. Wright
B. J. Jones
L. A. Painter 		11 MG TD E. Wright 130

Notes

  • Entries: 28[1]
  • Starters: 22[1][11]
  • Finishers: 22[11]
  • Start format: Le Mans-style[1]
  • Start time: 2pm[1]
  • Distance covered by winning car: Approximately 1,260 miles (2,029 km)[12]
  • Average speed of winning car: 53 m.p.h.[9]
  • Attendance: 15,000 [9]
  • Prize money: 3,000 pounds [9]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag Mt. Druitt 24-Hours Road Race, Australian Motor Sports, February 1954, pages 23 to 29
  2. ^ Varied Entry for Mt Druitt Race, The Sun-Herald, Sunday 10 January 1954, page 78, as retrieved from nla.gov.au
  3. ^ David McKay, Behind the Wheel, The Best Car and Sports Driver Magazine, Dec 1992 / Jan 1993, pages 104 & 105
  4. ^ a b c d e Con rods at dawn, Australian Monthly Motor Manual, March 1954, pages 910-913
  5. ^ a b c Official Souvenir Programme, The Grand Prix Circuit, Mt. Druitt, Australia Day Week-end, Jan. 30-31, Feb. 1
  6. ^ The Anderson XK120, www.jagqld.org.au as archived at web.archive.org
  7. ^ a b c Woman Driver's Victory With Borrowed "Spare", The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 2 Feb 1954, Page 6, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
  8. ^ David McKay, Australia's First Twenty Four Hour Race, Anniversary Day 1954, The Best Car and Sports Driver Magazine, Dec 1992 / Jan 1993, pages 104-105
  9. ^ a b c d Woman Wins First 24 Hour Race, Wheels, March 1954, pages 800 to 803
  10. ^ a b Tricky circuit limits top speed, The Sun-Herald, Sunday 24 January 1954, page 77, as retrieved from nla.gov.au
  11. ^ a b The AMS report says there were 22 starters and lists results for 22 cars. The Motor Manual report says 24 starters but lists results for 22 cars. The Motor Manual report also says that all cars finished.
  12. ^ Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, pages 142-143