1951 Experts Trial

The Experts Trial was organised by the Light Car Club and was almost certainly held in July. The directors were again Roy Linden and Alan Watkin.

This year’s Experts was generally on good roads, but foul weather ensured that the event was challenging. The format was two days, with all competition in daylight and an overnight stop in in Cowes on Phillip Island.

Prior to the stopover there was a “non stop” section through a muddy lane beside the Cowes golf course where Harry Firth was penalised 50 points for stopping!

The overnight rain during the stopover caused the cancellation of a novel sub-event, namely a sprint along Summerlands Beach. But it also ensured that the first section around The Nobbies Road was a quagmire. The event then headed back onto the “mainland” and through some great roads in South Gippsland. A 2 foot deep ford near Woolami Station caused many smaller cars to be delayed.

The event was won by Stan Jones in a Holden, navigated by both Jim Hoy and Maurie Monk. Second was Frank Sinclair in an MG TD with Phil Irving reading the maps. Graham Hoinville finished third in his Singer, navigator not mentioned! 

A report appeared in Australian Motor Sports.

 
 
In The Herald

Results and entry list

The following table include ALL finishers.

PlaceDriverNavigatorCarPoints
1Stan JonesJim Hoy/ Maurie MonkHolden1056
2Frank SinclairPhil IrvingMG TD1024
3Graham HoinvilleSinger 91013
4Lex DavisonJaguar XK-120968
5Owen JohnRiley 2.5911
6Arnold TerdichMG905
7D. BeanSinger 9831
8R. StevensSinger 9830
9=J. YoungMorris-Ford824
9=O. BaileyHolden824
11A. TopeAustin A40817
12Harry FirthMG805
13Ern AbbottMorris Moinor790
14Cec WarrenAustin A40770
15E. CampbellStandard Vanguard750
16C. SmitheramAustin A40739
17R. PilkingtonPeugeot 203724
18E. (Geoff?) BrothertonAustin A40702
19A. FergusonFord 10614
20G. MulderAustin A40611
21J. WardJavelin598

From The Age

Route

Day One: Hallam, Lisbaun, Catani, Anderson and on to the Cowes golf course.

Day Two: Nobbies, Forest Caves, San Remo, Anderson, Kilcunda, Glen Forbes, Almurta, St Hellier, Lang Lang, Pakenham South, Officedale, Harkaway, Black Flat (Mount Waverley) and to the finish at the clubroom in Eastern Hill

Other event documents

not available yet