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Which car had the most number of entries at Bathurst?


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#1 Richard Townley

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Posted 23 November 2010 - 11:24



The question......“What race car has the most number of entries at Bathurst” events before the final “historic” event in 1973, is prompted by my ongoing research on the race history of the Patterson-Brydon MG TC Special.

http://www.vhrr.com/...hread.php?p=318

The Patterson-Brydon MG TC Special was entered 16 times in the 21 Bathurst meetings between 1950 and 1962 and in 17 of the 32 meetings from 1950 until the last one in 1973, at total of over 260 completed race laps.

While it may not be the most successful TC Special that ran at Bathurst (2 x 1sts and 3 x 2nds were the best results) the TC ran over a 23 year period with 8 different drivers, 9 if you include my lap a few years ago towing it around the circuit on the trailer.

Easter 1950 Bill Patterson
October 1950 Bill Patterson
Easter 1951 Curley Brydon
October 1951 Curley Brydon
AGP 1952 Curley Brydon
Easter 1954 Curley Brydon (DNS)
Easter 1955 John Roche
October 1955 Peter Lowe
Easter 1956 John Martin
October 1956 John Martin
October 1957 Greg Hunt
October 1959 Keith Russell
Easter 1960 Keith Russell
October 1960 Keith Russelll
October 1961 Keith Russell (DNS)
Easter 1962 Keith Russell
Easter 1973 Mike Kable

Statistic for the drivers can be calculated ( which I have not done....another forum topic? ) using the index in John Medley’s wonderful book “ Bathurst - The cradle of Australian Motor Racing”, but the race cars entries are another matter.

Hopefully, collectively, a list can be produced to show the most number of entrants, race cars and drivers, that ran at Bathurst up to 1973.





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#2 Ray Bell

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Posted 23 November 2010 - 13:04

Well, Richard, nice to see you here... I didn't realise you were a member...

What about the infamous Les Burrows Hudson?

1938, both 1939 meetings with Les at the helm.

Then came Bill Murray in '46.

Bill Ford in '48, '49, Easter '50, '52, '54, Oct '55, Easter '56, Oct '56,

Peter Wallace in '67

Peter Hitchin in '73

Only 13. Actually, it surprised me how few times Bill Ford entered the car.

Someone will have to count the Collerson MG some time.

#3 David McKinney

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Posted 23 November 2010 - 21:14

OTTOMH I would have thought a Jaguar Special or two might be up there somewhere, and surely at least one of the other MGs

#4 Ray Bell

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Posted 30 November 2010 - 10:21

We've got to get on with this one...

Collerson's MG is too hard for me, but I reckoned that the White Car, otherwise known as Skate III or the So-Cal Special, one of George Reed's creations, would have to have a chance:

1949 - debut with George driving himself
1950 - Easter meeting driven by Dick Bland
1950 - October to Tom Griffiths who competed two more times in it:
1951 - Easter
1951 - October
1952 - Easter driven by Jesse Griffiths
1954 - in the hands of Frank Walters, who subsequently drove it at the following:
1955 - Easter
1955 - October
1957 - Easter
1958 - Easter
1958 - October
1959 - Easter
1959 - October
1960 - October
1961 - Easter
1963 - Easter
1965 - Easter
1968 - Easter

19 entries, I think there was one DNS, but that's not an issue here. Strangely enough it wasn't there for the Historic races of the 1973 Easter meeting. In fact, I don't know where the car was (ie. in whose hands) at that time. Eric Worner was the next to appear with it, IIRC, some time in the nineties.

Has it run at any of the recent events?

#5 Richard Townley

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Posted 13 January 2011 - 23:41

Can anyone add a little more to help to answer this question...............

"What race car has the most number of entries at Bathurst"

#6 Ray Bell

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Posted 14 January 2011 - 00:57

Richard, I think you'd be hard pressed to find one to outdo the So-Cal...

Are there any others you can think of that might? I'm happy to check them out if you think there are.