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1955 New Zealand Grand Prix

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1955 New Zealand Grand Prix
3rd New Zealand Grand Prix
Race details
Date 8 January 1955
Location Ardmore Circuit, Auckland, New Zealand
Course Temporary racing facility
Course length 3.2 km (2.0 miles)
Distance 100 laps, 300 km (186 miles)
Weather Sunny
Pole position
Driver
  • Determined by heats
Fastest lap
Driver Thailand Prince Bira Maserati 250F
Time 1:33.0
Podium
First Maserati 250F
Second Ferrari 500/625
Third Ferrari 500/625

The 1955 New Zealand Grand Prix was a motor race held at the Ardmore Circuit on 8 January 1955. It was the third iteration of the New Zealand Grand Prix and was won by Thailand's Prince Bira. Bira won in relatively dominant fashion, lapping all but two drivers – Peter Whitehead and Tony Gaze. The need for pitstops potentially cost the Ferrari pairing of Whitehead and Gaze a shot at victory. They did however complete the podium, on the lead lap.

Having both set a time of 1:33.0, Bira and Whitehead had shared the fastest lap of the race.

Classification

[edit]
Pos No. Driver Car Laps Time
1 1 Thailand Prince Bira Maserati 250F / Maserati 2497cc 6cyl 100 2hr 40min 12sec
2 United Kingdom Peter Whitehead Ferrari 500/625 / Ferrari 2968cc 4cyl 100 + 33.0 s
3 4 Australia Tony Gaze Ferrari 500/625 / Ferrari 2968cc 4cyl 100 + 1.26.0 s
4 Australia Jack Brabham Cooper T23 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl 98 + 2 Laps
5 3 Australia Reg Hunt Maserati A6GCM / Maserati 2497cc 6cyl 97 + 3 Laps
6 New Zealand Syd Jensen Cooper Mk. VII / Norton 498cc 1cyl 91 + 9 Laps
7 12 New Zealand Fred Zambucka Maserati 8CM / Maserati 2992cc 8cyl s/c 89 + 11 Laps
8 New Zealand George Palmer Jackson-Mercury / Mercury 4118cc V8 88 + 12 Laps
9 New Zealand Ross Jensen Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl 86 + 14 Laps
10 Australia Dick Cobden Ferrari 125 / Ferrari 1995cc V12 s/c 86 + 14 Laps
11 New Zealand Arnold Stafford Cooper Mk. VII / Norton 498cc 1cyl 85 + 15 Laps
12 New Zealand Phil Neill Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl 83 + 17 Laps
13 New Zealand Peter McInally Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl 80 + 20 Laps
14 New Zealand Des McDonagh Thomas-Mercury / Mercury 4100cc V8 75 + 25 Laps
15 New Zealand John Horton HWM F1 / Alta 1960cc 4cyl s/c 55 + 45 Laps
Ret New Zealand Ron Frost Cooper Mk. VIII / Norton 498cc 1cyl 89 Gearbox
Ret Australia Lex Davison HWM F2 / Jaguar 3442cc 6cyl 88 Transmission
Ret New Zealand Ron Roycroft Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa Romeo 2905cc 8cyl s/c 58 Valve
Ret New Zealand Jon McMillan Alfa Romeo Tipo B / Alfa Romeo 2905cc 8cyl s/c 33 Retired
Ret New Zealand Bill Lee Cooper Mk. VI / Norton 498cc 1cyl 30 Retired
Ret New Zealand Les McLaren Austin-Healey 100 / Austin 2660cc 4cyl 30 Retired
Ret New Zealand Bill Culver DeSoto Special / DeSoto 3368cc 6cyl 19 Engine
Ret 26 New Zealand Reg McCutcheon Normac Special / Chevrolet 3870cc 6cyl 17 Frost Plug
Ret Australia Stan Coffey Cooper T20 / Bristol 1971cc 6cyl 16 Oil Pressure
Ret New Zealand Gordon Brown GBS / Ford 1172cc 4cyl 9 Engine
DNS New Zealand George Smith GCS / Chrysler 5600cc V8 Did Not Start
DNS New Zealand Wally Bern Triumph TR2 / Triumph 1991cc 4cyl Did Not Start
DNS New Zealand Tony Shelly Morgan +4 / Standard 2088cc 4cyl Did Not Start
DNS New Zealand Johnny Mansel Mansel Special / Mercury 3950cc V8 Did Not Start
Source: [1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Second New Zealand International Grand Prix 1955". sergent.com.au. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by New Zealand Grand Prix
1955
Succeeded by