Sydney Mail and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1871 - 1912), Wednesday 28 April 1909, page 26
THE 15-H.P. TALBOT CAR; R.A.C. RATING 20.1-H.P.
Winner of the Motor Contest Sydney to Nowra and back. The Automobile Club's two-day motor reliability trial from Sydney to Nowra and back, a distance of 229 miles, terminated on Saturday at the clubrooms, Challis House. The competition started at 8 a.m. Friday, and finished on Saturday afternoon at 5 o'clock. Altogether 15 cars out of 17 nominations took part in the trial. The competing vehicles were divided into classes, according to horse-power, etc. B class was restricted to motors whose power did not exceed 12-h.p., C class to cars under 20-h.p., and D class to automobiles over 20-h.p. In B class there were four starters, in C class three competitors, and in D class eight participants in the test. A special prize was offered for the finest performance, and also a gold medal to the motorist whose car did best in his respective class. As a result of the trial, which on all sides is regarded as one of the most successful yet held by the promoting body, Mr. I. Phizackerley, on a 20.1-h.p. Talbot car, secured premier place, winning the trophy for the best run in most meritorious fashion. Major W. R. Watson, on a 13.7-h.p. Brazier, was second, only 6 points behind, and Mr. W. Gordon Dixon, on a 27.6-h.p. Talbot, third,10 points behind the winner's score. The event started on Friday from the clubrooms at Challis House at 8 a.m. The weather was perfect, and a large crowd witnessed the departure of the respective vehicles. Mr.J. Nangle, on a 11.3-h.p. Star car, got away first, all the other members in this section, excepting Mr. Sherwood, whose car could not compete owing to a broken spring, following almost immediately. In Class C the vehicles left almost all together about 9.30 a.m. Mr. Mark Foy was the only absentee. Class D cars left between 10.30 and 11 a.m., the last to set out being Mr. Smidmore's 35-h.p. Talbot, with seven people on board. The course over which the two days' trial took place was far from being an ideal one. Of an undulating nature, there were always plenty of sharp turns en route, as well as rough patches of ground. Up the Cambewarra Mountain, in the Kangaroo Valley, on the Barrengarry Mountain, and crossing Razorback the motorists had most trying times. Gradients of various kinds were met with sufficient to test the capabilities of the best cars. The greatest draw backs to the motorists in the run perhaps were the V-shaped culverts and creeks encountered en route.
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