Report Back to Port Wakefield.
We had the opportunity to meet some of the local characters as well as a number of drivers who had actually driven at Port Wakefield between 1953 and April 1961 (when South Australian motor racing was moved to Mallala).
Jack Brabham actually won the 1955 event having come from behind in his rear engined Cooper-Bristol to beat Reg Hunt in his Maserati A6 GMC by 3 seconds. This was to be the first of many wins by Jack (later Sir Jack; Knighted in 1966) Brabham. He subsequently went on to win three world Championships and twice win both the drivers and manufacturers championships.
John Ellis now is the owner of the Tillett TC Special. Although he was unable to take the TC up to Port Wakefield himself he was very keen for the car to be on display given that it was still here in Adelaide and was still going. Many of the cars involved in the race were from interstate plus a number have disappeared over time.
Listed below is the Starting Grid on the day; & I am sure you will remember some of the names.
Stan Jones – Maybach Reg Hunt – Maserati A6 GCM
Jack Brabham – Cooper Bristol Tom Hawkes – Cooper Bristol
Keith Rilstone – Rilstone Special Kevin Neil – Cooper Bristol
Murray Trenberth – Vincent 1000 Eldred Norman – Zephyr Special
Bill Craig – Alta Holden Doug Whiteford – Largo Talbot
Bill Wilcox – Ford Special Bill Patterson – Cooper Jap
Greg McEwin – Austin Healey 1000 Charlie Whatmore – Jaguar Special
Jack Johnson – MG TC Special Murray Rainey – Cooper Mk 9 Norton
Steve Tillett – MG TC Special Clem Smith – Austin Healey 1000
Bob Burnett-Read – MG K3 Stan Coffey – Cooper Bristol
C Norris – AC Ace Bruce Walton – Walton JAP
Both Jack Brabham and Reg Hunt achieved the fastest time of the day of 1 min 03 seconds, which over the 1.3 miles circuit was an average of 74.28 mph (or 119.5 kph). The race was of 80 laps covering 104 miles. (176.3 Kms.) Names underlined were present 50 years on!
According to the Sporting Car Club results on the day, Doug Whiteford in his Largo Talbot was only one & a half seconds behind with 15 cars finishing the race.
One must include the fact that there was a huge difference in the engine capacities then, compared to the Grand Prix cars of today. Stan Jones’s Maybach was a healthy V8 compared to the XPAG 1275 cc engines of the MG TC’s of the day! All remember the heat the dust and the flies! Well the flies are still there!
I arranged to pick up trailer from Martin Barrett and the Tillett TC Special from John Ellis on the Thursday afternoon and managed to swap cars around in my carport and garage so that I could take the trailer off the Ute, turn them around and back the Ute in, hook on, ready to take off midday Friday. There is no way I can back a trailer into my drive on Grange Road quickly!
An uneventful drive up the Port Wakefield Road had us in Port Wakefield well before 4 pm so we headed off to the Kipling Bakery for the required Latte and Hot Chocolate.
The late “Possum” Kipling is a legend in the town having built some of it including the original roadhouse, the Bakery and the Motel. He also drove with great success in the first Redex Trial in an FX Holden. His son John continues to be a major influence in the town’s direction.
Possum did drive that day as his name was in the top billings, no doubt in support races driving his FC Holden.
I had arranged to store the Tillett TC Special in the garage of the Motel owners, Peter and his wife Luxmme. Therefore, after releasing the TC from its tie-downs and following John Ellis’s instructions on starting I drove the TC into the garage right opposite the service station where Possum started his roadhouse in the main street of Port Wakefield (now part of Highway 1)
That evening Jan and I walked over several streets to the Rising Sun Hotel for a meal, (recommended for good country type meals) we were treated like royalty once the word spread that we had brought the Tillett TC Special up excellent grape vine telecommunications networking - you know; who are those strangers in town?
Anyway, I had a long chat with John Kipling, (son of “Possum”) and his wife who were at the next table and a real character in Ros Nankivell who I had met when I went to find out how and where to go next day at the Port Wakefield oval, before our meal. Ros told me she would be fine once she had has a glass of white and then a couple of reds! The stress was evident. However, country folk are able to get help from anyone in the district when asked.
We also met the new owners of the pub, Andrew & Susie Fontaine who did most of the catering for the guests at the Anniversary luncheon next day. And the food was great!
A bit of logistics needed to be put in place given Jan’s stroke, but I drove us both to the oval and parked the Ute under a pine tree beside the main entrance through the Memorial Gates and walked back about 08.30 to the Motel to get the TC. Again, I followed John Ellis’s instructions and the EXPAG engine fired up and ran sweetly! A well-known car developed by Tony Ohlmeyer many years ago.
It was quite a different story trying to drive the car the few streets to the oval slowly and quietly! I am sure the only way the car likes to go is FAST! A Wonderful experience and I apparently alerted some of the locals along the way who no doubt went to the races those 50 years previously.
The oval was starting to resemble a real event, more racecars came in, Philip, and Peter Bradey, Ian Brock and others, see photos. Plus all the stands were being set up and included plants, food, cakes, and the trestles loaded with all grandmas’ stuff out of the shed/ garage etc.
At about 10.30, Sir Jack and Lady Margaret arrived and many other drivers of those days came to talk and remember.
Some of the drivers I met were Tom Stevens who drove up with Martin Barrett; Henry Short who I had not seen since his Organic Orchard days at Lower North East Rd Dernancourt and Gavin Sandford-Morgan drove up in his lovely Green Jaguar tourer.
Other MG friends were Don Offler, Ian Curwen-Walker, Jill & Graham Clark, and Paul Oliver. Plus Barry and Christine Tilley who were instrumental in our being there!
Also Tony Case was there and several other members of the Sporting Car Club.
At about 12.30 we were invited to have a buffet lunch and a cup of tea before the formal speeches, cutting of the cake and then the unveiling of the plaque.
Under the guidance of the members of the Sporting Car Club research team a lot of information about the day was obtained and many wonderful photos were on display other memorabilia was also available.
A very good representation of members attended from the Austin 7 Club both of cars but more importantly the original time clock use for the event before its being relocated to Mallala. There were a number of other classic cars on display on the oval.
Sir Jack as far as I can tell is a man who says just enough, with out going on, and as mentioned by one of the MP’s who spoke was right on the button when he said he is a living legend and has done what no doubt will never be repeated.
It was a pleasure to be there to witness this event; sorry more Club members could not join us.
Mike Greenwood & Jan Dinan
Forground, #18 is Tillett TC Special; Blue MG is Phil Bradey's K3 which was in the hands of Bob Burnett-Smith in 1955, these were the only car actually present today which had raced in 1955 at Pt Wakefield