Australian 24hr Race history

[terrine]

i was watching the 24 hr race start yesterday and they mentioned there hadnt been a 24 hr race in oz for over 40 years. and i remembered an article i had read and now located...Australian Jaguar Magazine edition 63 1995.....

....early in 1954 in a Jaguar XK 120 FHC

Geordie (Doris) Anderson
Charles Swinburn
and Bill Pitt

won australia's only 24 hr race.

Bill Pitt went on to be the 1961 ATCC in a Mk1
Pitt and Mrs Anderson also finished 7th behind 6 volkswagens in the 1957 Mobil round australia Trial in MkV111 auto to take class D

come on you old timers...anyone got any info on the history of 24 hr racing in Australia

[diecastdude]

I cannot be 100% acurate with the years but I believe that the last 24 hour race was held about 40 years ago at a now closed down track that use to be at Mt Druitt in Sydney. The last 24 hour race prior to the Mt Druitt race was at Bathurst and possibly in the late 30's to early 40's.

[terrine]

according to jaguar..that is

from the jaguar drivers club of qld website

The Anderson XK120

......That first contact through the purchase of the Manx Norton engine (BY BILL PITT) led to Cyril's inviting Bill and Charlie Swinburn to partner Geordie in their XK120 Fixed Head Coupe (their earlier aluminium XK120 had been destroyed in a workshop fire) which he had entered in the first, and ONLY 24 hour race in Australia, to be held at Sydney's Mt Druitt circuit (31-Jan-1954).

Despite having to replace a cracked carburettor with one from a spectator's car, their XK120 went on to win the race against entries which included a Jaguar C-Type, Aston Martin DB2, aluminium XK120, Bristol 400, Alfa Romeo 6C. This win gained an enormous amount of publicity for Jaguar, Westco Motors and the three drivers.

r/peter