1935 Centenary 300
The 1935 Centenary 300 was a motor race staged at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 1 January 1935.[1] It was contested over 46 laps of the 6.569 mile course, a total distance of 302.174 miles.[2] At the time, it was claimed to be the longest race of the kind ever held in Australia.[1] The race, which was conducted on a handicap basis, was limited to cars with a piston displacement of not more than 2500cc.[1] The race meeting was organised by the Light Car Club of Australia and was held under licence from the Australian Automobile Association and in accordance with the International Sporting Code governing car racing.[3]
The race was won by Les Murphy driving an MG P.[4]
Results
![](../I/m/MG_J3_of_Bernie_Horsley_(1935_Centenary_300).jpg)
Position | Driver [1] | Car [1] | No. | Acceptor [1] | Handicap [1] | Time [5] | Speed (mph) [5] | Laps |
1 [6] | Les Murphy | MG P-type [2] | L. Murphy | 53m 40s | 4h 32m 51s | 66.44 | 46 | |
2 [6] | W. Williamson | Riley Imp | Cohen and Cameron | 19m 56s | 4h 8m 56s | 72.83 | 46 | |
3 [6] | Les Jennings [6] | MG Magna | L. Jennings | 31m 26s | 4h 21m 39s | 69.307 | 46 | |
4 [6] | Lyster Jackson [6] | Singer Le Mans | L.G. Jackson | 59m 48s | 4m 55s 38s | 61.32 | 46 | |
FO [2] | Norman Putt [7] | Singer Le Mans | N.F. Putt | 59m 48s | ||||
FO [2] | Cec Warren [8] | MG Q s/c [2] | C.R. Warren | 4m 35s | ||||
FO [2] | R. McKay | MG P-type [2] | R. McKay | 53m 40s | ||||
FO [2] | J.E. Norman | Ballot 2 Litre [2] | J.E. Norman | 31m 26s | ||||
DNF [9] | R. Burton | MG Magnette Type N [2] | R. Burton | 32m 12s | ||||
DNF [9] | E. Nichols | Bugatti 2 litre [2] | E. Nichols | 38m 20s | ||||
DNF [9] | L. Terry [2] | Bugatti 2 litre [2] | L. Terry [2] | 56m 48s [2] | ||||
DNF [2] | Mert Wreford [4] | Riley Brooklands | G. Cohen | 52m 8s | 39 [2] | |||
DNF [2] | Jack McCutcheon [2] | Bugatti Type 37 [2] | K. Macmeikan | 27m 35s | 36 [2] | |||
DNF [2] | A.J. Terdich | Bugatti Type 37 s/c [2] | A.J. Terdich | 17m 38s | 31 [2] | |||
DNF [2] | Bob Lea-Wright [10] | Singer Le Mans | 26 [10] | R.A. Lea-Wright | 55m 58s | |||
DNF [6] | Campbell Graham [6] | MG P-type [2] | 25 [6] | C. Graham | 53m 40s | 24 [2] | ||
DNF [2] | V.A. Maloney | MG Magna | V.A. Maloney | 44m 28s | 17 [2] | |||
DNF [2] | H. Drake-Richmond | Bugatti Type 37 [2] | 15 [4] | H. Drake-Richmond | 35m 16s | 15 [2] | ||
DNF [6] | Bill Thompson [8] | MG K3 Magnette [2] | 1 [8] | R.T. Lane | 4m 35s | 10 [6] | ||
DNF [11] | Bernie Horsley [11] | MG J3 s/c | 14 [11] | J.L. & W.B. Horsley | 32m 58s | |||
DNF [2] | R.G. Watson | Wolseley Special Sports [2] | Kellow-Falkinar Pty Ltd | 52m 8s | 0 [2] | |||
DNS [12] | E. Summerfield | Morris Special | E. Summerfield | 63m 28s | ||||
DNS [13] | E.J. Buckley | Kirby Deering Special | E.J. Buckley | Scratch | ||||
DNS [13] | W.H. Galpin | Riley Brooklands | 6 [8] | W.H. Cameron | 25m 18s | |||
DNS [13] | J.W. Fraser | Bugatti Monza | H.W. Edwards | 26m 50s | ||||
DNS [13] | O.B. Last | MG J3 s/c | O.B. Last | 32m 58s | ||||
DNS [13] | R. Kent | MG P | M. Maxwell | 38m 20s | ||||
DNS [13] | W. Barton | Lombard | W. Barton | 48m 15s |
Notes
- Entries: 28 [14]
- Starters: 21 [15]
- Non-starters: 7 [16]
- Finishers (within five hour time limit): 4 [2]
- Flagged Off (exceeded five hour time limit): 4 [2]
- Attendance: 20,000 [6]
- Fastest time: W Williamson, 4h 8m 56s [13]
- Fastest lap: Bill Thompson, MG Magnette, 4:48.6 [8]
The car driven by Campbell Graham crashed on the 34th lap of the race.[6] Both Graham and his riding mechanic John Peters died as a result of their injuries.[6]
Notes & references
- Cowes race to-day - Centenary 300, The Argus, Tuesday 1 January 1935, page 4, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 9 January 2017
- Consistent Steadiness Wins Centenary 300, The Referee, Thursday, January 3 1935, page 24, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 26 July 2020
- Centenary 300-Mile Race, The Sydney Morning Herald, Tuesday 8 January 1935, page 5, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 9 January 2017
- Souvenir Programme, Phillip Island Auto Racing Club, Grand Opening Meeting (1956), page 5
- Cowes Race, The Argus, Monday 7 January 1935, page 12, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 10 January 2017
- Motorist Killed, The Argus, Wednesday 2 January 1935, page 7, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 9 January 2017
- Centenary Grand Prix, The Daily Telegraph, Thursday, December 6, 1934, page 6, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 26 July 2020
- Kent Patrick, Bill Thompson, Australian Motor Racing Champion, pages 242 to 245
- Burton, Nichols & Terry are not mentioned in referenced reports as retirements but are assumed to have retired as they are not listed in The Referee report of Thursday, January 3 1935, page 24 among the four finishers or the four drivers who were flagged off.
- Lea-Wright - Big man in small cars, Wheels (magazine), April 1955, pages 50 & 51
- prewar.mgcc.info Archived 2017-01-10 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 9 January 2017
- Summerfield is not listed as a starter in the race report in The Referee of 3 January 1935, page 24
- Motor racing - 300-Miles Centenary Event, The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday 2 January 1935, page 6, via trove.nla.gov.au Retrieved 9 January 2017
- 27 entries are listed in The Argus, on Tuesday 1 January, page 4 and L. Terry is an additional name listed in The Referee, Thursday, January 3 1935, page 24
- The Referee, Thursday, January 3 1935, page 24 states that there were twenty starters but lists twenty one names. L. Jackson is listed twice.
- The report in the Sydney Morning Herald of 2 January lists six non-starters by name. Summerfield was an additional non-starter.