The Federation 500

The story itself reads: The Federation of Automotive Products’ Manufacturers may sponsor a 500-mile reliability trial next year for unimproved touring cars.
A four-man committee has been set up to examine all aspects of the proposal.
The federation’s director Mr J L McNamara announced this at the sixth annual convention of the federation in Canberra recently.
The prize money would be contributed by more than 100 members of the federation, Mr McNamara said.
This plus the interest that would be shown by car manufacturers would be a good way for manufacturers to prove to the public the quality of their products.
The contest would probably be known as the ‘Federation 500’, Mr McNamara said.
It would be held in a competitive atmosphere, sponsored by a group of all parts manufacturers in Australia and organised by recognised Australian motor sport authorities.
The federation believed the event would attract international interest to a point where it would become a world classic in motor sport.
This all sounds well and good, except for one small matter: there was already such an event on the racing calendar.
No fewer than five Armstrong 500s had been held to that point, the first three at Phillip Island (above), before it moved to Mount Panorama and subsequently proved to be, ahem, quite a success. What’s more, the established event was conceived by the shock absorber company and was sponsored by other automotive product suppliers...
What’s even more, the FAPM’s announcement came just weeks before the running of a similar event, the inaugural Sandown 6 Hour International (this event later evolved into the Sandown 500).
Therefore it’s fascinating to ponder the FAPM’s motives for announcing a third production car enduro. Was it a case of simply jumping on the bandwagon of a good idea, or were there, in the finest traditions of announcements emanating from Canberra, politics in play behind the scenes? The SMH provides no clues. Regardless, the Federation 500 was stillborn.