Start: Sydney, Sunday July 15th
Finish: Sydney, Sunday July 29th
With no REDex Trial planned for 1956, two competing proposals emerged for similar style events. Perhaps not surprisingly, these came out of Sydney (the Ampol Trial) and Melbourne (the Mobilgas Trial). CAMS in its wisdom decided that there should only be one “round Australia” trial each year, and perhaps with a bias towards Melbourne, auspiced the Mobilgas Trial. The Ampol Trial was denied a permit and threatened any entrants to a “rebel” event would have their licences cancelled.
The Ampol Trial proceeded and was organised by a Committee of the Combined Council of Motor Clubs which included Al Wark, Evan Green and Dave Bartlett. The lack of CAMS approval lead to a breakdown in relationships with the supposed governing body and many car clubs in NSW in particular.
The1956 Ampol was a “half” round Australia, not visiting WA (not Tasmania). It went in a clockwise direction and went as far west as Alice Springs and as far north as Cairns. The route was approximately 10,000 km.
The event attracted a field of 120 cars. It was won by Wilf Murrell and Allen Taylor in a Peugeot 403
