1949 Australian Grand Prix

The 1949 Australian Grand Prix was motor race held at the Leyburn circuit in Queensland, Australia on 18 September 1949.[1] The race was staged over 35 laps of the 7.0 kilometre circuit, which was laid out on the runways and taxiways of a World War II airbase located six kilometres north of the town of Leyburn.[1] The total race distance was 150.5 miles (242.2 kilometres).[1]

1949 Australian Grand Prix
Formula Libre race
Race details
Date 18 September 1949
Location Leyburn, Queensland
Course Airfield circuit
Course length 6.92 km (4.3 mi)
Distance 35 laps, 242.2 km (150.5 mi)
Weather Sunny
Pole position
Driver
  • Frank Kleinig
 Hudson Special
Fastest lap
Driver John Crouch
Frank Kleinig		 Delahaye 135MS
Hudson Special
Time 2'52
Podium
First
  • John Crouch
 Delahaye 135MS
Second
  • Ray Gordon
 MG TC Special
Third
  • Arthur Rizzo
 Riley Special

The race is recognised by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as the fourteenth Australian Grand Prix.[2] It was the first Australian Grand Prix to be held in Queensland,[1] the first to feature a mass start of the entire grid [1] and the first with grid positions decided by practice times.[1] The race, which was organised by the Queensland Motor Sporting Club, attracted a crowd of approximately 40,000 people.[3]

John Crouch won the race driving a Delahaye 135MS. Ray 'Laddie' Gordon (MG TC Special) finished second ahead of Arthur Rizzo (Riley Special).

Classification
The race winning Delahaye 135MS of John Crouch at the 1949 Australian Grand Prix
Pos [1] No. [1] Driver [1] Car [1] / engine Laps [1] Time [1]
1 4 John Crouch Delahaye 135MS / Delahaye 3.6L 35 1h 49m 25.2s
2 20 Ray Gordon MG TC Special / MG s/c 1.3L 35 1h 54m 12.2s
3 8 Arthur Rizzo Riley Special / Riley 1.5L 35 1h 56m 56.8s
4 19 Peter Critchley MG TB Special / MG 1.3L 35 1h 59m 40s
5 7 Alan Larsen Cadillac Special / Cadillac 5.7L 35 1h 59m 53s
6 29 Curley Brydon MG TC Special / MG 1.3L 35 2h 00m 08s
7 38 Irwin Luke Bugatti Type 37 / Bugatti 35 2h 07m 07.4s
8 24 Theo Trevathan Ford V8 Special / Ford 3.9L 35 2h 11m 14.4s
9 40 H. McGuire MG TC / MG 1.3L 35 2h 16m 53s
10 32 Col Robinson MG TC / MG 1.3L 35 2h 20m 59.6s
11 33 Jack Wright Ford V8 Special / Ford 4.0L 35 2h 24m 36.8s
Ret 36 Vic Johnson MG TC / MG 1.3L 27
Ret 2 Dick Bland G Reed Ford Special / Ford 4.0L 26
Ret 1 Frank Kleinig Hudson Special / Hudson 4.4L 21
Ret 21 John Nind MG TB Special / MG 1.3L 20
Ret 18 Garry Coglan MG TC Special / MG 1.3L 16
Ret 34 Ken Tubman MG Magna / MG s/c 1.1L 12
Ret 10 Snow Sefton Strathpine Special 11
Ret 11 Charlie Whatmore Studebaker Special 10
Ret 23 Les Taylor MG TC Special / MG 1.3L 10
Ret 15 Keith Thallon Jaguar SS100 / SS 3.6L 10
Ret 25 Doug McDonald Bugatti / Dodge 9
Ret 9 Keith Saunders Cadillac Special 8
Ret 5 Rex Law Buick Special 8
Ret 17 Dick Cobden MG TC Special / MG 1.4L 6
Ret 3 Arthur Bowes Hudson Special / Hudson 5
Ret 6 Ross Gray GK Ford Special / Ford 4.0L 4
Ret 22 George Pearse MG TB / MG 1.3L 2

Notes
  • Fastest lap: John Crouch and Frank Kleinig – 2'52, 90 mph (144.8 km/h) [1]

Handicap award

A concurrent handicap award was won by Luke (Bugatti Type 37) with an adjusted time of 1 hour 39 minutes 7.4 seconds.[3]

gollark: Fearsome.
gollark: Surely you can just `car@cdr@car` though.
gollark: But why?
gollark: What does *that* do?
gollark: Firecubez, are *you* fearing it?

References
  1. Howard, Graham (1986). "1949". In Howard, Graham (ed.). The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix. Gordon, NSW: R & T Publishing. pp. 138–147. ISBN 0-9588464-0-5.
  2. "Australian Grand Prix Winners", CAMS Manual of Motor Sport (1980), page 55
  3. Les Vowles, The Australian Grand Prix, Australian Motor Sports, October 1949, pages 23 & 24
Preceded by
1948 Australian Grand Prix		 Australian Grand Prix
1949		 Succeeded by
1950 Australian Grand Prix
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