1968 Australian Tourist Trophy Explained

The 1968 Australian Tourist Trophy was a motor race staged at the Mallala Race Circuit in South Australia, Australia on 29 January 1968.^[1] The race was open to Group A Sports Cars and was recognized by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as an Australian national title race.^[2] It was the twelfth Australian Tourist Trophy.

The race was won by Frank Matich driving a Matich SR3 Repco Brabham.^[3] It was his fourth Australian Tourist Trophy victory.^[4]

Results

Position^[5] ^[6]	Driver	No.	Car	Entrant	Class pos.	Class	Laps
1	Frank Matich	1	Matich SR3 Repco Brabham	Frank Matich Pty. Ltd.	1	Over 3000 cc	47
2	Geoff Vercoe	34	Cicada Ford	Trengove & Vercoe	1	1101 - 1500 cc	44
3	Ralph Boord	60	Olympus Ford	D. Smith & Sons	2	1101 - 1500 cc	41
4	Granton Harrison	52	Elfin Clubman	G. Harrison	1	1500 - 2000 cc	40
5	Noel Hurd	12	Elfin Globe Ford	Globe Products	2	Over 3000 cc	38
6	Gary Chapman	79	Honda S800	Dalton Honda Motors	1	Up to 1100 cc	38
7	G. Mobbs	102	Elfin Clubman	G. Mobbs	2	Up to 1100 cc	37
8	G. Evans	69	MGA s/c	MG Racing Team	2	1500 - 2000 cc	32
9	Charlie Tuckey^[7]	61	Nova III	Aunger Racing	3	Up to 1100 cc	20
DNF	Malcolm Ramsay	26	Elfin 300 Ford	Gilbert Motor Bodies	-	1101 - 1500 cc	25
DNF	Ian Cook	8	Elfin 400 Repco	Bob Jane Racing Team	-	Over 3000 cc	23

Race statistics

• Race distance: 47 laps, 75 miles^[1]
• Pole position: Frank Matich, 1:14.5^[8]
• Number of starters: 11^[5]
• Winner's race time: 64:37.3^[5]
• Fastest lap: 1:16.5, Frank Matich, (Matich SR3) - lap record for Sports Cars^[3]

References

1. Official Souvenir Program, Mallala Motor Races, 12th Australian Tourist Trophy, Australia Day Holiday, Monday, 29 January 1968
2. Conditions for Australian Titles, 1968 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 70 to 73
3. Fourth TT Race To F Matich, The Advertiser, Tuesday, 30 January 1968, page 12
4. Past Title Winners, CAMS Manual of Motorsport 1969, page 60
5. 12th Australian Tourist Trophy Race Meeting - Results, Eric Rainsford Library, Sporting Car Club of South Australia
6. Matich wins Tourist Trophy, Australian Motor, April 1968, page 56
7. Official Programme has C. Tuckey, official Results use C. Tuckey, race report in Racing Car News has Col Tuckey, race report in Australian Motor has Chis Tuckey, race report in Australian Motor Manual has Charlie Tuckey, track test report of the Nova III "Shoestring Racer? - Perhaps" written by Barry Catford and published in Sports Car World, March 1968, pages 32 to 34, uses Charlie Tuckey.
8. John Brownsea, Mallala: Matich still No.1, Racing Car News, March 1968, pages 78 & 79

Further reading

• Matich all the way in Australian Tourist Trophy, Australian Motor Manual, April 1968, pages 42 & 43
• Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, page 168