including the return of past winners Nissan. Holden has the most overall victories with 34, with Ford next best on 21 and Nissan the only other multiple winner with two. Race history Phillip Island The race was originally known as the Armstrong 500. It was first held on 20 November 1960 on the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit in Phillip Island, Victoria, over a distance. The race was claimed by the organisers, the Light Car Club of Australia, to be 'the world's premier production saloon car race'. The intention was to determine which cars had the best combination of performance and reliability in five classes based on engine capacity. It was also a showcase for the Armstrong company to promote its shock absorbers and related products. Entry was limited to standard, unmodified production saloons built or assembled in Australia. All cars had to complete the first 100 miles without stopping for fuel, oil or a driver change. Any mechanical problems in that time had to be attended to by the driver with no assistance, using only the tools that came with the car. There was no official outright winner, only class winners. Frank Coad and John Roxburgh in a Vauxhall Cresta, were the first to complete the 500-mile race distance. It was the only Vauxhall in a field of 45 cars that included N.S.U.s, Simcas, Peugeots, Morris, Austins, Fords and Standard Vanguards. The race was held twice more at Phillip Island. In 1961 Bob Jane and Harry Firth, sharing an Australian assembled Mercedes-Benz 220 SE, were the first drivers to complete the 167 laps. They were over a lap clear of the Studebaker Lark driven by David McKay and Brian Foley, which in turn was a lap in front of the Vauxhall Velox of Frank Coad and John Roxburgh. Class wins were achieved by Studebaker, Mercedes-Benz, Peugeot and Renault. In 1962 the class structure changed to one based on price. Jane and Firth switched to a Falcon and once again completed the 500 miles first. Class honours went to Studebaker, Ford, Renault and Volkswagen. In those days the Phillip Island track was surfaced with a "cold mix" bitumen which could not stand up to the pounding of dozens of race cars going flat out for 500 miles. The track surface broke up and became unsafe during races. Early years in Bathurst In 1963 the Armstrong 500 moved to the Mount