Australian motorsport enthusiasts were saddened to hear of the death of 1949 Australian Grand Prix winner John Crouch on May 30 at the age of 84. Passionate about cars, John counted the days until his 17th birthday, when he obtained his driver’s license and went straight out and bought a used MG TA. Within weeks John and the TA were seen on Sydney’s speedway tracks and then, with a new TA, he had a crack at the 1938 Australian Grand Prix at Bathurst, finishing 5th.
After WWII, John became a founding member of the New South Wales Sporting Car Club and the Vintage Sporting Car Club. His close involvement with car clubs resulted in his playing a part in the formation of the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport (CAMS) that continues to oversee Australian motorsport to this day.
John went on to compete in a further five Grands Prix through to 1952, and in 1949 successfully won the event driving a Delahaye at Leyburn, Queensland.
In amongst all this John still found time to run a successful motor dealership in the heart of Sydney. As an agent for Cooper, and later Austin-Healey, John Crouch Motors became the mecca for enthusiasts who were looking for a sporting or racing car or just wanted to chat about last weekend’s racing.
John retired early and traveled widely before moving to the country. He had not enjoyed the best of health recently, but was able to enjoy the company of fellow enthusiasts at a special lunch just two weeks before his death.
Submitted by Patrick Quinn
