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was the name of two motor racing organisations, both associated with South
Australian racing driver and engineer Malcolm Ramsay. From 1971 to 1978 Birrana constructed a series of successful open-wheel racing cars under the Birrana name. It also constructed a
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team. Later that year he was killed in a plane crash which also took the lives of Hill and four other
Embassy Racing team members. There were three 374’s made by the team all that were very successful on track
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his first racing experience of wings and slicks open-wheeler racing. As
Formula Holden started to wither, Birrana moved into V8 Supercar with Wills. Ramsay reduced his involvement as the team morphed into
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and was leading the series when it was cancelled. The A78, which was the last model to carry the
Birrana name, was later sold to John Holmes of Queensland as were all Birrana patterns, jigs and dies.
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Birrana Racing Cars Pty Ltd was formed later in 1972 by Alcock and Ramsay and construction of racing cars was undertaken in a former service station in suburban
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The S74 was a speedcar built to run at the
Adelaide International Raceway half-mile bitumen oval. It utilised a mid-engined configuration.
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The
Birrana A78 was built by Malcolm Ramsay using 273 and 274 components for Ramsay to contest Rothmans Series events in
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Birrana Racing Cars Pty Ltd was closed in 1974. Bob and Marj Brown took two
Birrana 273s and Tony Alcock to
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car for 1974 with
Malcolm Ramsay announcing plans to build an initial batch of six cars. A 274 was used by
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also drove an ex-Leo
Geoghegan Birrana 273 during the 1973 Australian F2 Championship, finishing second at
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from Enno
Busselman in a 273 entered by Bob & Marj Brown. Graeme Crawford also drove a 273 to win the
84:. Today Ramsay continues the Birrana name as a mechanical engineering firm servicing the mining industry.
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Peter Oliver, Pit Talk, Official Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, 7 October 1973, page 5.
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Ramsay brought the Birrana name back to motor racing in the 1990s running a series of
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claimed that he let Brock race the Birrana to get formula cars out of his system.
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150:. "Birrana" is an Australian aboriginal word meaning "throwing stick".
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John Player (British) Formula Atlantic Series Race - Mallory Park
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Pedr Davis, The Macquarie Dictionary of Motoring, 1986, page 46
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Australian Competition Yearbook, 1977 Edition, pages 128-131
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Australian Competition Yearbook, 1975 Edition, pages 84-101
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Australian Competition Yearbook, 1974 Edition, pages 78-97
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Retrieved from www.austin7clubsa.com.au on 10 April 2011
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design. Richard Carter drove an F73 to victory in the
209:. The company would go on to sell a total of 16 cars.
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Retrieved from www.oldracingcars.com on 10 April 2011
221:, the F72 produced in 1972 for Steven Drewhurst of
455:Barry Frost, Austin 7 Club SA 50 Years, Chapter 5
217:The first car sold by Birrana Racing Cars was a
189:, and subsequently won the opening round of the
173:racing driver Malcolm Ramsay. The 272 won the
293:1976 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series
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538:Birrana 273 image at www.autopics.com.au
533:Birrana 272 image at www.autopics.com.au
506:Birrana 374 at www.motorsportarchive.com
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378:in 1978. Ramsay finished second in the
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243:1973 Australian Formula 2 Championship
191:1973 Australian Formula 2 Championship
97:1974 Australian Formula 2 Championship
183:1972 Australian Drivers' Championship
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346:series. Later, Tony Alcock joined
241:used a factory team 273 to win the
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122:built by Tony Alcock in 1971 for
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185:in April. It was later sold to
303:The 274 was the company's new
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319:took a 274 to victory in the
201:Birrana Racing Cars Pty Ltd
91:The Birrana 274 with which
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177:class on its debut at the
23:For the spider genus, see
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40:for Ramsay to compete in
315:from Bob Muir in a 273.
118:The first Birrana was a
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16:Not to be confused with
342:to compete in the 1975
508:Retrieved 9 April 2010
158:The Birrana 272 was a
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388:Malaysian Grand Prix
333:Australian Formula 3
305:Australian Formula 2
267:engine, and later a
235:Australian Formula 2
175:Australian Formula 2
163:Australian Formula 2
114:Birrana Formula Ford
384:Selangor Grand Prix
38:Holden Kingswood HQ
273:Holden Dealer Team
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99:, pictured in 2010
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49:Reynard Motorsport
380:Penang Grand Prix
128:Elfin Sports Cars
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25:Birrana (spider)
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109:Early designs
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82:Team Dynamik
65:Paul Stokell
61:Jason Bright
53:Formula 3000
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370:Birrana A78
362:Birrana S74
355:Formula One
348:Graham Hill
327:Birrana 374
311:to win the
299:Birrana 274
283:Birrana F73
277:Harry Firth
253:Peter Brock
229:Birrana 273
213:Birrana F72
187:Peter Brock
154:Birrana 272
104:Racing cars
77:Mark Webber
73:Simon Wills
394:References
69:Rick Kelly
257:Oran Park
223:Melbourne
160:monocoque
124:John Goss
44:racing.
547:Category
382:and the
376:Malaysia
207:Adelaide
167:Adelaide
140:Cosworth
134:and for
132:Adelaide
95:won the
18:Bhirrana
340:England
179:Sandown
144:McLaren
136:Brabham
33:Birrana
261:Amaroo
148:Cooper
51:built
335:car.
275:boss
237:car.
269:Hart
265:Ford
169:for
146:and
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