1937 Phillip Island Trophy Explained

The 1937 Phillip Island Trophy was a motor race^[1] held at the then-new 3.3 mile Phillip Island "triangular" circuit,^[2] in Victoria, Australia on 15 March 1937.^[1] It was contested over 45 laps, a distance of 150 miles.^[2] Organised by the Victorian Sporting Car Club, it was staged on a handicap basis with the limit starter commencing the race 30 minutes before the scratch starter.^[2]

The race was won by Bob Lea-Wright driving a Terraplane Special. Lea-Wright also set the fastest race time.^[1]

Results

Position	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Handicap^[3]	Race Time	Laps
1	Bob Lea-Wright	6	Terraplane Special		11m 15s	2h 16m 06s	45
2	A. Barrett	21	Morris Cowley Special^[4]		25m 30s	2h 33m 12s	?
3	Les Murphy^[5]	17	MG P		23m 15s	2h 32m 38s	?
4	A. Beasley	18	MG P	D. Sowter	23m 15s		?
5	Les Burrows	4	Hudson Eight Special		03m 45s		?
6	J. O'Dea	15	MG P		23m 15s		?
7	Merton Wreford	9	Riley Imp	D. Watkins	19m 30s		?
8	G.C. Martin	12	Bugatti Type 37	L. Stone	22m 30s		?
9	Lyster Jackson	1	MG K3 s/c		00m 00s		?
10	Hugh Syme^[6]	10	MG J3		30m 00s		?
?	H. Beith	7	Terraplane Special		11m 15s		?
?	J. Gullan	22	Wolseley Special		25m 30s		?
DNF	J. Summers	14	MG Magna		22m 30s		44
DNF	Jack Phillips	5	Ford V8 Special		09m 00s		34
DNF	H. Reeve	16	MG P		23m 15s		28
DNF	Hope Bartlett	2	MG Q s/c		01m 30s		22
DNF	C.G. Williamson	8	Chrysler Special		12m 00s		21
DNF	R. Goodie^[7]	19	Riley Brooklands		24m 00s		20
DNF	H. Abbott	11	Austin Seven Special s/c		21m 00s		3
DNS	A. Aitkin		Riley Brooklands		24m 00s
DNA	John Snow		MG K3		00m 00s

Notes

• Race distance: 45 laps, 150 miles^[2]
• Format: Handicap start (Limit starter commenced 30 minutes before scratch starter)^[2]
• Limit starter: H.R Syme (MG J3)^[2] (Syme was to start his supercharged MG off 21 minutes but pre-race mechanical problems resulted in him starting, without the supercharger fitted, from a revised handicap^[8] of 30 minutes.^[2])
• Scratch starter: Lyster Jackson (MG K3)^[2]
• Starters: 19^{[2] [1] [9]}
• Fastest Time: R.A. Lea-Wright (Terraplane)^[2]
• Average speed of winning car: Approximately 66 mph^{[2] [9]}

Race name

Some sources refer to the race as the Philip Island Trophy,^{[1] [3] [10]} whilst others use various names including Victorian Sporting Car Club's 150 miles race.^{[2] [8]}

External links

• Lea Wright Wins 150-Miles Road Race, The Advertiser, Tuesday 16 March 1937, page 14, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au

Notes and References

1. John Medley, John Snow - Classic Motor Racer, page 43
2. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/205608104/19264277 150-Mile Road Race, The Age, Tuesday 16 March 1937, page 5
3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127620403/14199866 Phillip Island Trophy over 150 Miles, The Referee, Thursday 11 March 1937, page 17, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
4. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11972295/579457 Entries for Cowes Sporting Car Club Race, The Argus, Tuesday 23 February 1937, page 5
5. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11049522/579952 Phillip Island Road Race, The Argus, Tuesday 16 March 1937, page 16
6. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11045920 Sporting Car Club - Handicaps for Cowes Races, The Argus, Monday 1 March 1937, Page 11, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
7. Medley lists the No.19 Riley of R. Head as a starter but does not mention R. Goodie. The preview in The Referee, the race report in The Argus and the race report in The Age each mentions the Riley Brooklands of R. Goodie but none mention R. Head.
8. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/11049399 Trials for Cowes Car Race, The Argus Monday, 15 March 1937, page 14, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
9. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/36893993/1970990 Won by Two Miles at 66 M.P.H., The Courier-Mail, Tuesday 16 March 1937, Page 7, as archived at trove.nla.gov.au
10. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/188497372 Motoring Notes - Phillip Island Trophy 150 Miles, Cobram Courier, Thursday 1 April 1937, page 1