13 replies to this topic

[SeaMonkey]

This is a bit trivial...

Most maps of the original Albert Park circuit show the corners with the same names as those listed in 'The 50 Race History of the AGP'. I've got a map from a 1953 newspaper though that has them all labelled differently. Were the naming rights to corners simply sold to the highest bidder?

[Ray Bell]

Are the names those of newspapers? If so, it's likely the papers were backing the events.
Unfortunately, I can't at present find my Fast Tracks book, by the same cartographer, and it might well show different names...
Otherwise I would say that people contributing to the success of the meeting, monetary or otherwise, would have a prospect of getting a corner named for them.

[SeaMonkey]

I don't have it in front of my right now, but all corners were named after motoring companies, which is why I'm guessing that there was some kind of sponsorship deal going on. I don't remember all of the names, but the left-hander leading to pit straight (that all the other maps show as 'Jaguar Cnr') was labelled Dunlop, and the one at the end of the straight (Melford Cnr) was Repco.

I thought that maybe the corners were renamed for the 1956 GP, but none of my 1953 race reports mention any of the corners by name so I can't check!

Of coure, it could also be that these companies had advertising banners at those corners and the newspaper simply got confused.

[Ray Bell]

If I had my Fast Tracks book at hand I could answer more completely. I know that Terry frequently discussed corner naming and changes in the book, and his corner names as laid down are given at a certain date... sorry, can't find it at the moment.

[HistoricMustang]

Ray and others. Is this the circuit?

More information and photographs if possible................please.

Henry

[Terry Walker]

That's Albert Park as it now is. "Old" Albert Park was much simpler. I have an air photo from the olden days somewhere, but I'm off to a BBQ shortly so I can't scan it and put it up today.

[Derek Pitt]

As best as I can remember the corners on the old Albert Park circuit went thusly:

(Anti-clockwise direction of racing remember)

First corner at end of straight : Lucas Corner - name reason obvious
Next corner after short straight: Lanes Corner- new car distributor -later Mercedes Benz not sure earlier
Next corner : Powerhouse Corner - named after Powerhouse Rowing Club- clubrooms adjacent to the corner
Next corner after a curved straight: Golf Links Bend - adjacent to the Albert Park Public Golf Links
A sweeping straight past the South Melbourne Football Ground to: Jaguar Corner - name reason obvious

I wasnt aware that the corner names were altered, even though the Argus newspaper was a sponsor of some of the early Moomba Car Races.

Also, I may have the first two mixed up

Hope this helps
Derek

[David Shaw]

In the fifties I believe that Lanes sold MGs.

[Terry Walker]

This is the source of the names I used in "Fast Tracks": Australian Motor Sports Review 1958-59, published by the Wylie Publishing Co:

[cooper997]

Just digging up this old thread because of the title.

 

There was  a lucky find today with several interesting race programmes and the like. Some formerly owned by an Aussie MG & Maserati tuner

 

Glancing through them and there was a set of Final Supplementary Regulations for an Albert Park meeting with Melbourne GP and Australian TT plastered across the top. It didn't register to begin with, until I later looked at the date - November 24 & December 1, 1957.

 

This was when Albert Park was getting to be political and ultimately didn't happen. but it's a curiosity that things got as far as Final Supp Regs.

 

Stephen

Edited by cooper997, 12 March 2018 - 09:59.

[Michael Ferner]

Unfortunately, you're a year and a month late in resurrecting this thread.

[Ray Bell]

Okay, I'll bite...

How so?

[Richard Townley]

This is a bit trivial...

Most maps of the original Albert Park circuit show the corners with the same names as those listed in 'The 50 Race History of the AGP'. I've got a map from a 1953 newspaper though that has them all labelled differently. Were the naming rights to corners simply sold to the highest bidder?

I spoke with TC/4134 (the Patterson Brydon MG TC Special) this morning and was told the corner names shown for the 1953 race are actually incorrect in 'The 50 Race History of the AGP' as these are the names for the 1956 race.

1953 corner names, from start/finish were Redex Corner, South Corner, Kemtone Corner, Kiel Corner and Dunlop Corner. The race direction was then anti-clock wise.

Lots of detail can be read in the "2013 OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAM". This '60 year anniversary' booklet was a free publication from the AGP Corporation 

 

 

Edited by Richard Townley, 12 March 2018 - 23:08.

[Michael Ferner]

Okay, I'll bite...

How so?

If a thread starts with four posts on Feb 5, 2001, then picks up with five posts on Feb 1, 2009, is it too much to expect six posts on Jan 28, 2017?



Ah, never mind...