1955 South Pacific Championship for racing cars

Track map of the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit (1953-1961)

The 1955 South Pacific Championship for racing cars was a motor race staged at the Gnoo Blas Motor Racing Circuit at Orange in New South Wales, Australia on 31 January 1955.[1] The race, which was a Formula Libre event open to racing cars and stripped sports cars,[2] was contested as a scratch race which also incorporated a handicap award.[3] It was held over 27 laps[1] of the 3¾ mile circuit[4] for a total distance of 100 miles.[1] The race, which was the first South Pacific Championship for racing cars,[1] was won by Englishman Peter Whitehead driving a 3 litre Ferrari.[4]

The championship meeting, which was conducted by the Australian Sporting Car Club,[2] was the first FIA sanctioned international race meeting to be staged in Australia.[5]

## Race results[edit]

Peter Whitehead won the championship driving a Ferrari 500, similar to that pictured above. Position[6] | Driver[6] | No.[6] | Car[6] | Laps[1] | Remarks

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1  | Peter Whitehead | 2[1] | Ferrari 500[7] | 27  | 1h 5m 1s, 93 m.p.h.[8]
2  | Jack Brabham | 5  | Cooper Bristol |  |
3  | Tony Gaze | 4  | Ferrari 500[7] |  |
4  | Jack Murray[9] | 56 [9] | Allard Cadillac[3][10] |  |
5  | Tom Sulman  | 14 [9] | Maserati |  |
6  | Curly Brydon  |  | MG TC Special |  |
7  | G Grieg  |  | Alfa Romeo Alvis |  |
?  | John MacMillan  | 10  | Alfa Romeo |  |
?  | Noel Barnes  |  | MG Special |  |
DNF [9] | Jack Robinson  |  | Jaguar XK120 Special | 23 [9] |
DNF [9] | Dick Cobden [9] |  | Ferrari[9] | 2 [9] |
DNS  | Prince Bira |  | Maserati |  | Engine failure in practice [9]
DNS [9] | Prince Bira[9] |  | O.S.C.A.[9] |  | Fuel feed problems in preliminary race [9]
DNS [9] | Reg Hunt [9] |  | Maserati[9] |  | Brakes [9]
DNS [9] | Ian Mountain [9] |  | Peugeot Special [9] |  | Fatal accident in preliminary race [9]

### Handicap results[edit]

Position[6] | Driver[6] | No.[6] | Car[6] | Laps[1]

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1  | Jack Brabham | 5  | Cooper Bristol |
2  | Jack Murray[9] | 56 [9] | Allard Cadillac[3][10] |
3  | Tom Sulman  |  | Maserati |
4  | Peter Whitehead | 2[1] | Ferrari 500[7] | 27

Notes:

* Attendance: 30,000[1]
* Number of starters: unknown
* Number of finishers: unknown
* Winner's race time: 65 minutes 1 second[1]
* Winner's average speed: 95 mph[1]
* Fastest lap: Peter Whitehead, Ferrari 500, 2 minutes 21 seconds[6]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Whitehead wins at Orange, Modern Motor, March 1955, page 29
2. ^ a b Big races for Orange on 31st, Wheels (magazine), February 1955, page 30
3. ^ a b c Orange car races, Australian Motor Sports, January 1955, page 25
4. ^ a b Sidelights on Orange, Australian Motor Manual, 1 March 1955, pages 41 & 47
5. ^ Gnoo Blas Classic, www.gnooblas.com, as archived at web.archive.org
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i South Pacific Road Racing Championships, Australian Motor Sports, February 1955, pages 60 to 64
7. ^ a b c John B Blanden, 1952 Ferrari Type 500, Old Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, page 146
8. ^ South Pacific Championship, Motor Manual's Motor Racing Year Book No. 6, pages 10 to 13
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Whitehead's Big Win, Cars, April 1955, pages 20 to 23 + pages 61 to 62
10. ^ a b Race driver, spectator die in crash, Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday, 1 February 1955, page 3