4 replies to this topic

[Dick Willis]

I think it was Ray Bell who sent me this pic some years ago, sorry about the reproduction !

Can Ray or anyone else fill me in with some details ;

The location

The date, I suspect it was pre war

The owner/driver

What size Flying Standard was it

What modifications it had, apart from the obvious bodywork

Did it race anywhere else

[Dick Willis]

Not much information coming forward on this but I've done some more research and believe it was taken at the Wirlinga circuit near Albury, NSW, the date, June 1938. The car had "Flying Standard" written on the bonnet sides, obviously referring to its parentage, not its capabilities. Surely someone must know who the driver was and whether it raced anywhere else etc.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, Dick, that's at the lower end of the Wirlinga-Thurgoona circuit...

The pic is from the Border Mail, I have it somewhere, but not locatable at the moment. I feel sure it has the driver's name on the back of it, and if that pic was used (I think it was) in my Motor Racing Australia 'Closed Circuits' article it would have been written in the caption.

I don't think it's from '38, possible '40, but I can't at this stage be sure. The car is here pictured just coming onto the Riverina Highway and heading for Orphanage Lane.

If you can find it, I have also posted this pic on TNF in the past. In that case I would have named the driver, I feel sure.

Yet another Standard was raced at Albany IIRC, about the same time. I think the driver's name was Smith... I spoke to him, or his riding mechanic, when I was doing the story on the Albany circuit.

[Dick Willis]

Thanks Ray, I knew you would know something about it. Unfortunately my collection of MRA's is by no means complete so I don't have the MRA Wirlinga story. If you (or anyone else ) can come across the article with the name of the driver etc. I would be most grateful.

[David Shaw]

K. R. McDonald, 1938.