Matich
Encyclopedia
The Matich name was applied to a series of sports racing cars
and open wheel racing cars
produced between 1967 and 1974 under the direction of Australian racing driver Frank Matich
.
V8 engine and was driven to victory by Matich in the 1967 Australian Tourist Trophy
, Australia’s premier sports car race of that year. Later in the year, Matich raced in both the US Can-Am series and in Australia, with two SR3s fitted with 4.4 litre Repco
V8 engines. Matich won the 1968 Australian Tourist Trophy
with a Repco powered SR3.
740 V8. Matich dominated the inaugural Australian Sports Car Championship
in that year, winning all three heats with the SR4.
regulations into Australian Formula 1
in 1971, Matich and Nehrybecki produced the Matich A50, the first single seater to wear the Matich name. Designed on a modular basis with separate front suspension, cockpit and rear end, the car was powered by a Repco Holden V8 engine. Matich drove an A50 to victory in the car’s first race, the 1971 Australian Grand Prix
and he also won the 1972 Australian Drivers' Championship
at the wheel of an A50. A total of four A50s were built during this period.
who rebuilt it as an A53 and used it to win the 1976 Australian Grand Prix
. A second A51 monocoque was built but not raced.
. The A52 had side radiators, a shorter wheelbase, shorter nose and updated suspension. After just a single race, Matich withdrew from the championship and put his cars up for sale. It was later wrecked in a testing accident.
after which he retired from racing. The car was later sold to John Goss who replaced the Repco Holden engine with a Ford unit. This proved uncompetitive and, after Goss sold the car to Mel McEwin, the Ford engine was replaced by a Repco-Holden.
During its competition life the Matich A50-53's Repco-Holden power output was around 500 bhp.
Sports car racing
Sports car racing is a form of circuit auto racing with automobiles that have two seats and enclosed wheels. They may be purpose-built or related to road-going sports cars....
and open wheel racing cars
Open wheel car
Open-wheel car, formula car, or often single-seater car in British English, describes cars with the wheels outside the car's main body and, in most cases, one seat. Open-wheel cars contrast with street cars, sports cars, stock cars, and touring cars, which have their wheels below the body or fenders...
produced between 1967 and 1974 under the direction of Australian racing driver Frank Matich
Frank Matich
Frank Matich, born 1935, was an Australian racing car driver. A highly successful motor racing competitor in the 1960s and 70s, Matich built his own range of Matich sports cars and open wheel cars, mainly to support his own career, but some cars found success with other drivers...
.
SR3
The Matich SR3 was a Group A Sports Car built for Matich by Bob Britton in 1967. It was powered by an OldsmobileOldsmobile
Oldsmobile was a brand of American automobile produced for most of its existence by General Motors. It was founded by Ransom E. Olds in 1897. In its 107-year history, it produced 35.2 million cars, including at least 14 million built at its Lansing, Michigan factory...
V8 engine and was driven to victory by Matich in the 1967 Australian Tourist Trophy
Australian Tourist Trophy
The Australian Tourist Trophy is a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for sports car drivers. The title was awarded for the first time in 1956 and then annually from 1958 until the introduction by CAMS of an Australian Sports Car Championship for 1969...
, Australia’s premier sports car race of that year. Later in the year, Matich raced in both the US Can-Am series and in Australia, with two SR3s fitted with 4.4 litre Repco
Repco
Repco is an Australian automotive engineering company. Its name is an abbreviation of Replacement Parts Company and it is best known for spare parts and motor accessories....
V8 engines. Matich won the 1968 Australian Tourist Trophy
Australian Tourist Trophy
The Australian Tourist Trophy is a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for sports car drivers. The title was awarded for the first time in 1956 and then annually from 1958 until the introduction by CAMS of an Australian Sports Car Championship for 1969...
with a Repco powered SR3.
SR4
A completely new design, the Matich SR4, was produced with designer-frabricator Henry Nehrybecki for 1969 utilising a quad cam RepcoRepco
Repco is an Australian automotive engineering company. Its name is an abbreviation of Replacement Parts Company and it is best known for spare parts and motor accessories....
740 V8. Matich dominated the inaugural Australian Sports Car Championship
1969 Australian Sports Car Championship
The 1969 Australian Sports Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group A Sports Cars, Group B Improved Production Sports Cars and Group D Series Production Sports Cars...
in that year, winning all three heats with the SR4.
SR4B / SR5
The SR4B was a sports racing car of circa 1969 which was powered by a Ford Twin Cam engine. In 1970 it was revised, renamed as the Matich SR5 and fitted with a Waggott 2.0 litre powerplant.A50
Following the adoption of Formula 5000Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
regulations into Australian Formula 1
Australian Formula 1
Australian Formula 1 was a motor sport category for open-wheeler racing cars which was current in Australia from 1970 to 1983.AF1 was introduced by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in 1970, initially restricting cars to unsupercharged engines of no greater than 2.5-litre capacity,...
in 1971, Matich and Nehrybecki produced the Matich A50, the first single seater to wear the Matich name. Designed on a modular basis with separate front suspension, cockpit and rear end, the car was powered by a Repco Holden V8 engine. Matich drove an A50 to victory in the car’s first race, the 1971 Australian Grand Prix
1971 Australian Grand Prix
The 1971 Australian Grand Prix was a race held at Warwick Farm Raceway on November 21, 1971.It was the thirty sixth running of the Australian Grand Prix. Frank Matich won his second straight AGP and like 1970, started the race on pole and also drove the fastest race lap.- Classification :Results...
and he also won the 1972 Australian Drivers' Championship
Australian Drivers' Championship
The Australian Drivers' Championship is a motor racing championship which has been contested annually since 1957 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport. Since 2005 this category has been Formula...
at the wheel of an A50. A total of four A50s were built during this period.
A51
The Matich A51 was constructed for Matich to contest the 1973 US Formula 5000 season. The car was later sold to John GossJohn Goss (race driver)
John Goss is the only Australian racing driver to win Australia's two most prestigious races, the Bathurst 1000 , and the Australian Grand Prix .-Early career:...
who rebuilt it as an A53 and used it to win the 1976 Australian Grand Prix
1976 Australian Grand Prix
The 1976 Australian Grand Prix was a Formula 5000 race held at the Sandown International Raceway and was held on 12 September.It was the forty first Australian Grand Prix and doubled as round one of the 1976 Australian Drivers' Championship...
. A second A51 monocoque was built but not raced.
A52
Matich built a revised car, the Matich A52, utilizing the second, unraced, A51 monocoque for the 1973 Australian Drivers' Championship1973 Australian Drivers' Championship
The 1973 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title open to drivers of Australian Formula 1 and Australian Formula 2 cars...
. The A52 had side radiators, a shorter wheelbase, shorter nose and updated suspension. After just a single race, Matich withdrew from the championship and put his cars up for sale. It was later wrecked in a testing accident.
A53
The Matich A53 was raced by Matich in the 1974 Tasman Series1974 Tasman Series
The 1974 Tasman Series was the eleventh in the series, beginning on 5 January and ending on 23 February after eight races. It was won by Peter Gethin of the United Kingdom, driving a Chevron B24 Chevrolet.-Races:Additional information sourced from:...
after which he retired from racing. The car was later sold to John Goss who replaced the Repco Holden engine with a Ford unit. This proved uncompetitive and, after Goss sold the car to Mel McEwin, the Ford engine was replaced by a Repco-Holden.
During its competition life the Matich A50-53's Repco-Holden power output was around 500 bhp.