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Race Results
natsoft.com.au
Motor Vehicle Insurance
shannons.com.au
Circuit Owner
motorsportstas.com.au
Aussie Racing Cars
aussieracingcars.com.au
MG Car Club Of Tasmania
www.mgtas.org.au
History 
- Official Souvenir Program
- GROUP’C’ Touring Car Era Baskerville 1975 –84
- Countdown to 50th Birthday
- Don Elliott
- Baskerville Raceway Celebrating 50 Years Of Motorsport
- Women For Wheels
Official Souvenir Program
Sunday, 9th February, 1958
A Brief History of the Baskerville Racing Circuit
By the generosity of Mr. Calvin Morrisby, the attainment of one of the chief objects of this Club was brought within our reach many years earlier than could be imagined when the Club was founded in 1954. Mr Morrisby made available sufficient land near his homestead of Old Beach for a first-class racing circuit
The competitors are catered for by a course which will maintain their
interest and provide never a dull moment. In the layout as designed, the
object has been to place a premium on driving skill, while at the same
time, exploit the wonderful potentialities of the ground which permits
a down hill straight of one third of a mile (½ km), together with
interesting corners and a short steep climb. 
One and a quarter miles (2km) of roadway has been constructed and sealed to a width of 10 feet (3 metres), that is two feet (60cm) wider than the Midland Highway pavement.
On either side is ten feet (3 metres) of graded and grassed strip as a safety margin for drivers, who over most of the area, may run out of road with little risk across open grazing paddocks.
The work was divided into three stages. First the formation and grading of the earth-works, together with drainage. Secondly, the graveling, compacting, and grading of the pavement. Thirdly, the sealing. For all stages of the work, many Club members volunteered their services at weekends. Others have made available mechanical equipment.
The first stage was done by Public Works equipment on contract, with Club members working on the drainage. The second stage, which included the carting, spreading and rolling of 3,500 cubic yards (3,200 cu.metres) of gravel was done by contract and the third and final stage, which was sealing and surfacing was done by the Public Works Department.
In a young Club such as this, ambition is very strong, but must be tempered
by a well considered judgment of our financial resources. It has been
thought necessary solely by reason of finance, to restrict the length
of the course to 1 ½ miles (2.4km). The Committee, in its planning,
has had many thoughts on the future and the course as planned is capable
of expansion with little or no loss of constructed roadway. 
Spectator amenities will be improved as time goes on. In fact, a Program of continual improvement is the aim of the club.
Acknowledgements
The thanks of the committee are expressed to all who have helped with their money, machines, labour or sponsorships --and all enthusiasts.
GROUP’C’ Touring Car Era Baskerville 1975 –84
Many well known mainland touring car and sports sedan front runners have come to the Baskerville race circuit over the years some of them being Bryan Thompson, Tom Naughton, John Harvey, Peter Brock, Allan Moffat, Pat Crea, Laurie Nelson and Murry Carter.
In 1975 Hobart Sporting Car Club promoted the biggest Sports Sedan race held in Australia to that time called the Tas Ten Thousand and with over 60 race car entries and $10,000- in prize money it was a great event.
In November of 1975 the the Club organised a race between Peter Brock (Gown Hindhaugh L34), Allan Grice (Craven Mild L34), Colin Bond (B&D Autos L34), Garth Wigston (Roadways L34) and Graham Parsons in his own L34.
What a thriller the finish was with Bond sideways on the dirt across the finish line, he only had to open the door and he would have beaten Peter Brock. with Peter Brock setting the lap record at 60.42.
1976 was a quieter year with only Hindhaugh, Wigston and Parsons having a little battle.
1977 saw the return of the Tas Ten Thousand for sports sedans and in December the first Winfield 25’s Touring car Meeting was held.
The entry list consisted of Peter Brock (Bill Patterson A9X), Colin Bond (Ford Dealers No 1 car), Allan Grice (Craven Mild A9X), Bob Morris (Ron Hodgson A9X 4Dr), Murry Carter (Brain Wood Ford), Jim Richards (Melford Racing), Garth Wigston (Roadways A9X), Barry Kallawk (Bill Paterson A9X 4Dr), Graham Parson (L34) and Roger Stanley in the 75 Bathurst winning L34.
After Qualifying a new innovation was tried with Indy type Hot laps (The first time used in Australia) to decide the starting grid, Peter Brock was quickest from Colin Bond. Peter Brock won from Alan Grice who set a new lap record of 59.67 just piping Brock who did a 59.76.
The Winfield 25’s meeting again retuned for 1978 with some different names appearing. Fronting for the first time was Bob Morris (Hodgson A9X), Alan Grice (Craven Mild A9X), Charlie O’Brien (A9X 4Dr), Jim Keogh (Henderson Springs Falcon). Gary Cooke (Citizen Watches A9X 4Dr), Gary Rogers (Greater Pacific Finance A9X), Murray Carter (Brain Wood Ford) and local Garth Wigston (Roadways A9X).
The one lap qualifying appeared again with Morris (58.96) beating Garth Wigston (59.36). After 2 x 8 lap events and a 9-lap final Bob Morris won from Garth Wigston with Bob Morris setting a new lap record of 59.23.
Alan Grice was also kept very busy getting tangled up in two of the races with Charlie O’Brien and ending up with a very bent Torana.
1979 was another coming of age for the club with the running of it’s first Australian Sports Cars championship and latter that year they would also conduct round eight at Baskerville race circuit...
This was a great milestone for the Club which at the end of 1978 with the help of Ian Harrington, Don Elliott and Ralph Bottomley purchased the land which the track sat on.
December was the third Winfield 25 meeting and was to be the final run for the outgoing models.
MHDT had Peter Brock and John Harvey in A9X ‘s, Alan Browne and Brain Sampson both in RE-Car A9X’s, Cooke, Wigston and Graeme Smelt all so in Torana’s,
The Ford s only cars came from Brain Wood Ford for Murry Carter and Rod Stevens.
Single lap Qualifying again and this time it rained but it was Peter Brock from Gary Rogers on the front row. Peter Brock won from John Harvey,Gary Rogers and Cooke all on equal 2nd points, with Peter Brock again setting a new lap record of 58.49
The next time the Tourers appeared was in March of 1983 after the ATCC round at Symmons Plains with only 4 cars made the trip south to Baskerville race circuit.
Harrington and Grice in the Roadways STP cars, Johnson in Red-Roo Falcon and David Parsons in his Virgin White Commodore.
Once again there was Indy style qualifying and Grice got pole from Johnson. After 2 x 7 Laps and a 10 Lap final Grice won from Harrington with a new lap record of 57.59 going to Grice.
“Definitely the Last of The Big Bangers” is how they publicised the 1984 meeting and they put on some good racing. Only 6 cars fronted but it was still a good field, Roadways had cars for Grice and Harrington, K-Mart had Warren Cullen and Andrew Harris, Nissan put a young Glenn Seton in the Bluebird Turbo and Steve Masterton fronted in his falcon.
Seton out qualified the others with a 56.84 and next was Masterton 57.05 again using single lap qualifying. Grice took the win and Masterton the Lap Record with a 56.80
This meeting was the end of an era with Touring Car rules being changed to Group’A’ the following year more in line with the European Motorsport scene.
Many of the Group C cars would go onto being changed into Sports Sedans but many survived and this popular class has now made a re-appearance in to Australian Motorsport as an historic class.
Compiled by Andrew Lamont
Sources:- Auto Action, Racing Car News, Hobart Sporting Car Club records
Countdown to 50th Birthday
26th December 1950. Speed trials and Beach Race’s at Seven Mile
beach, with a field of 30 bikes and 10 cars
Most racing and trails where conducted by the Southern Motor Cycle club
and the Light Car Club (Launceston based)
The RACT also organised events
A closed circuit was mentioned on 13 April 1954 and Kingston was thought of when Don Elliott said we should do something about racing in September 1955.
February 1954 - The formation meeting of the Hobart Sporting Car Club took place at Bob Young’s (The first treasurer) Used car yard at the old Glacierium , 5 Main Rd Moonah, where about 50 enthusiasts meet to start proceedings. By May 1955 membership had grown to 347 and the club was running about 3 events a month, Motorsport was on the up and up in Hobart.
A Commitment to develop our own circuit was made on 12 December 1955. On 24th January 1956 it was asked what was being done about Baskerville and the late Don Gorringe offered to write to England for details on Aintree Circuit
The chap who found the venue was Ron Caffin – Ron was an ardent supporter to the Club.
Ron was Rep. for a Company that Calvin Morrisby dealt with, either Roberts & Co or Websters, I think. We were all looking for the “site” and after one of the Hillclimbs on the Domain, Ron had asked fellow clum member George Maguire to go out to Baskerville and meet Calvin, as he had shown interest in the Idea of a race circuit on his own property.
Ron and George headed out to meet Calvin after one of the clubs many
Hillclimbs on the Queens Domain
“We told Bill Caldwell (the President - top man at the Lands Dept)
we were going after helping clean up at the Hillclimb. He said “get
going now and you could be back before the finish here”. We did,
and were back and the whole committee finished up out there that day.
Calvin was delighted, showed us his property and Baskerville Raceway was
on its way.”
December 1955 - Most members first introduction to the Baskerville property
was at the end of a Trials Championship event which finished near the
Old Motor Cycle Scramble track (on the Baskerville property but opposite
the present race track). Owner of the property Baskerville, Calvin Morrisby
confirmed his intention to let HSCC have a 99year lease on an area of
his then nearly 200 acre property.
On 25th February 1956 a Works Committee was formed for control of Baskerville
construction. The Works Committee consisted of Chairman, Bill Caldwell,
Don Elliott, Peter Kemp, Norm Williams and Owen Graham. The total cost
to be approx seven thousand five hundred pounds. A debenture system was
discussed to provide finance.
Bill Caldwell was to see Calvin Morrisby to peg the limits of the course then Barrie Valentine was to plot it on a plane table.
The first stage was done by Public Works equipment on contact, with Club
Members working on the drainage. The second stage, which included the
carting, spreading and rolling of 3500 cubic yards of gravel was done
by contract and the third and final stage, which was sealing and surfacing,
was done by the Public Works Department
For all stages of work, many Club Members volunteered their services at
weekends. Others had made available mechanical equipment.
Elliott Bros were certainly a great help with their trucks, drivers etc but do not forget the ordinary club member’s who dug drains, ditches, any manual job. Even the ladies dug ditches etc. Every weekend was a Work day for months, many a BBQ and light entertainment racing on the grass!
Don Elliott, Jack Phillips, George Maguire all built wooden sleds and raced on them behind cars, the things young men would do!
The circuit was 1 ¼ miles in length and 20 ft wide. That would
be 2 foot wider than the then Midland’s Highway
23rd December 1957 – A committee of 3 was formed to carry out the conduct of the first meeting and formulate regulations. The committee consisted of David Graham, Owen Grahame and Denis Pooley.
10 January 1958 – The sealing was completed, the cost being $4,902 pounds bringing the capital investment in Baskerville to approx $9,500 pounds. Many members cars were used to conduct rolling of the surface before and after the sealing process
Grand opening 9th February 1958 - Tasmania’s latest motoring venture
opened with a bang. The money bags overflowed and already the organizing
club plans on expanding at the track soon” was the heading after
the first race meeting at Baskerville Raceway .
The slogan – “It’s a thrill – Baskerville”.
Baskerville opening day - and cars and buses with spectators were banked u from 9.30 till 3.00pm as far as Bridgewater and to Otago bay the other way. They were out of tickets by midday and only one entrance, the flat area and up the hill was a mass of cars, The Mercury printed photo’s of the crowd and the queue to get to the track as well. It wasn’t until 9.00pm that night when most of the committee got to leave.
1961 was a busy year at the Circuit with the completion of the Control
Tower (An old Trolley Bus), Pit Fence, semi completion of Warm-up Strip
and Toilet replacement. Lyn Archer was co-opted into Committee in September.
The club weathered the storms of 1962 and increased to over 400 again
by 1964 and before the opening of the 1964-1965 season we were able to
widen parts of the track and give it its first badly needed reseal.
.
The first Australian Championship held at Baskerville was for The Australian
Sports Car series which was won by Peter Fitzgerald in a Porsche Carrera
with John Gourlay 2nd in a Bolwell.
To be continued
Don Elliott
Baskerville 50th Anniversary
Grand Marshall
Tasmanian Motorsport Hall of Fame (Inducted 2006)
Don Elliott’s first experience in motorsport was racing a speedboat
as a 16 year-old, because he wasn’t old enough to obtain a car license.
Despite his tender age, Don turned out to be a very capable speedboat
driver.
But it was only a matter of time before he progressed to car racing, where
he soon met with considerable success.
In 1954 he raced a Jaguar ss100 and held all the Tasmanian records that
year.
He won the Tasmanian Hill Climb Championship in 1955 and 1957 in the Jag
and in 1958 in a Holden Special.
Don was a founding member and committee member of the Hobart Sporting
Car Club and helped the club enormously in its formative years.
When Donald Gorringe needed the spectator bridge from the old Longford
Grand Prix circuit moved to Baskerville, Don Elliott used his trucks and
men to transport it to Baskerville and help erect it.
And in 1984, it was Don who along with Ian Harrington and Ralph Bottomly
purchased the Baskerville circuit to assist the HSCC in keeping the track
alive.
Don also competed in trials and raced in many events including the first
Redex Round-Australia Trial in 1953, competing in an Armstrong Siddeley
Sapphire.
He won his class in the 1957 Mobilgas Round-Australia Rally – this
time in a Morris 1000.
In 1958 he and navigator Peter Kemp won every major trial in Tasmania,
completing the Ampol Trial amazingly without the loss of a single point.
Don was also very quick on the circuits and won the 1959 Tasmanian road
racing championship and at various times held lap records at Baskerville.
Don finished competitive driving at the end of 1964 when he took over
the reigns at Elliott Cranes. But he couldn’t stay away from motorsport
for long and took on the role of team owner-manager, assisting firstly
Robin Pare and then Tony Edmondson with their racing careers and later
Mark McLaughlin.
Tony Edmondson(who has also been inducted into the Tasmanian Motorsport
Hall of Fame ) went on to win back to back Australian Sports Sedan Championships
in 1980 and 1981.
Mark McLaughlin went on to be runner-up in the Australian Formula Two
Championship in 1986 and 1987.
Don Also purchased Elfin Sports Cars in 1983, installing Tony Edmonson
and Jon Porter as managers.
In 1993 the last of Elfin was auctioned off.
Many fine race cars have past through the Elliott stable including an
SS100 Jaguar, Repco Holden Special, Cortina GT and Lotus, Anglia Super,
Mustang, the ex-Bryan Thompson Cameron, Elfin ME5, a Repco- V8 powered
BMW 2002, the John McCormack-built Charger, an Alfetta GTV-V8, Trowbridge
Vee, and Elfin 852 Golf to name a few.
(Profile by Andrew Lamont)
Baskerville Raceway
Celebrating 50 years of Motorsport
The Hobart Sporting Car Club celebrated Baskerville’s 50th anniversary in style with a 2 day race meeting for Cars and Bikes on the 1st and 2nd of March 2008.
The 1st round of the Tasmanian Super Series for 2008 was held for Formula Vee, Sports Sedan, HQ Holden, Historic Touring Cars, Improved Production and Targa Class. As part of the 50th celebrations events were held for Historic Regularity and also Modern and Historic Bikes. Bike racing had been held in conjunction with the first race meeting and for many years after that but regulation changes meant a 2+4 meeting had not been seen for approximately 20 years. With 101 cars and 20 bikes some close racing was held over the 2 days of celebrations.
A fine display of old race cars was on hand with some of them turning in some spirited laps, while others sat statically, some in an unfinished part of restoration others to nice to be thrashing around a race track these days.
A large display of memorabilia including pictures, old programs, advertising posters, trophies and some old film footage of the first days of race track construction had every one reminiscing and telling stories late into the evening.
Former racer and team owner Don Elliott was bestowed with the honor of Grand Marshall for the 50th celebrations, Don had been involved in the formation of the HSCC and the construction of the Baskerville circuit (see story elsewhere on Don’s history). A special presentation was made to Don before he completed a slow lap in the immaculately restored Mustang that he formally owned. The Mustang now owned by former Tasmanian Speedway Champion Chas Kelly was raced by Robin Pare out of the Elliott racing stable, Chas has also restored one of the old trucks that used to transport the Elliott cars around the state.
Cams made a presentation to the Baskerville circuit for being the Longest continually licensed race track in Australia.
The HSCC will continue Baskerville’s 50th year celebrations through out the year when it holds the 20th Anniversary HQ Nationals on the 27th and 28th of September. As many as 60 HQ Holdens are expected to converge on Baskerville which was the birth place of the class 20 years ago. The Brainchild of a few Tasmanian’s this class has grown to be 500 strong Australia wide with about 100 cars registered for racing in New Zealand as well.
Robin Pare trying the outside line in the Don Elliott owned Ford Anglia - 1966
