Editing Albert Park Circuit (section)

==History==
===Albert Park Circuit (1953–1958)===
Prior to World War II, attempts were made to use Albert Park for motor racing. The first was in 1934 but failed due to opposition, and a second attempt for a motorcycle race in 1937 similarly failed. Finally in 1953 the [[Light Car Club of Australia]] were able to secure use of the circuit for that year's Australian Grand Prix.<ref name="Walker">{{cite book |last1=Walker |first1=Terry |title=Fast Tracks |date=1995 |publisher=Turton & Armstrong |location=Sydney |isbn=0908031556 |page=10}}</ref>

[[File:1953 Australian Grand Prix start.jpg|thumb|Start of the [[1953 Australian Grand Prix]].]]
Albert Park is the only venue to host the Australian Grand Prix in both World Championship and non-World Championship formats with an earlier configuration of the current circuit used for the race on two occasions during the 1950s. During this time racing was conducted in an anti-clockwise direction<ref name=Sykes>Stuart Sykes, ''It was - and still is - a great place for a race'', Racing into History, A look back at the 1953 Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park, 2013, page3 & 4</ref> as opposed to the current circuit which runs clockwise.

Known as the Albert Park Circuit,<ref name=Programme-1953>Official Souvenir Programme, XVIIIth Australian Grand Prix, Albert Park Circuit, 21 November 1953, front cover</ref> the original {{Convert|3.125|mi|km|abbr=on}} course hosted a total of six race meetings:<ref name=50-race>''1953'', The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, pages 182 to 191</ref>
* 21 November 1953<ref name=Programme-1953/> – featuring the [[1953 Australian Grand Prix]], won by [[Doug Whiteford]]<ref name=50-race/> ([[Talbot-Lago T26C]])
* 26 and 27 March 1955<ref>Official Programme, Argus Moomba Motor Car Races, Albert Park Circuit, 26 & 27 March 1955, front cover</ref> – the first Moomba meeting, which involved an alliance with the [[Moomba Festival|Moomba festival]] and [[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] newspaper,<ref name=50-race/> featuring the [[1955 Moomba TT|Moomba TT]], won by [[Doug Whiteford]] ([[Triumph TR2]])<ref>''Argus Moomba Motor Races'', Australian Motor Sports, April 1955, pages 137 - 142</ref> and the [[1955 Argus Trophy|Argus Trophy]], also won by [[Doug Whiteford]] ([[Talbot-Lago]])<ref>''Thrills for 250,000'', The Argus, Monday, 28 March 1955, page 1</ref>
[[File:Albert Park circuit main straight, pictured from above teams' garages in 2022.jpg|thumb|Albert Park circuit main straight, pictured from above teams' garages in 2022]]
* 11 March and 18 March 1956<ref name=Horman>JR Horman, Albert Park, Australian Motor Sports, April 1956, pages 136 to 143</ref> – the second Moomba meeting,<ref name=50-race/> featuring the [[1956 Moomba TT]] won by [[Tony Gaze]] ([[Hersham & Walton Motors|HWM]] [[Jaguar XK6 engine|Jaguar]]), and on the second weekend the [[1956 Argus Trophy]], won by Reg Hunt ([[Maserati 250F]])<ref name=Horman/>
* 25 November & 2 December 1956<ref name=progcover.com>[http://www.progcovers.com/motor/melbourne.html ''Albert Park'', www.progcovers.com] Retrieved on 10 July 2014</ref> – featuring the [[1956 Australian Tourist Trophy]], won by [[Stirling Moss]] ([[Maserati 300S]]), and on the second weekend the [[1956 Australian Grand Prix]], also won by Stirling Moss ([[Maserati 250F]])<ref>''1956'', The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, pages 218 to 226</ref>
* 17<ref name=1957_VTT_Programme>Programme, Victorian Tourist Trophy, First Day: 17th March 1957</ref> and 24 March 1957 – the third Moomba meeting<ref name=50-race/> – featuring the [[1957 Victorian Tourist Trophy|Victorian Tourist Trophy]]<ref name=1957_VTT_Programme/> won by [[Doug Whiteford]] ([[Maserati 300S]]),<ref>AC Russell, Albert Park - Victorian Tourist Trophy Meeting, Australian Motors Sports, page 131</ref> and the Victorian Trophy,<ref>Victorian Trophy, Australian Motor Sport, May 1957, pages 174 to 176</ref> won by [[Lex Davison]] ([[Ferrari 500]]).<ref>John B Blanden, Historic Racing Cars in Australia, 1979, pages 146 & 147</ref> The Victorian Trophy was retrospectively designated as the second round of the [[1957 Australian Drivers' Championship]]<ref>Graham Howard, Lex Davison – larger than life, page 117</ref>
* 23 and 30 November 1958<ref>Official Programme, 1958 Melbourne Grand Prix / Victorian Tourist Trophy, Albert Park Circuit, page 3</ref> – featuring the [[1958 Victorian Tourist Trophy]], won by [[Doug Whiteford]] ([[Maserati 300S]]),<ref name=McKay>David McKay, ''Quick money for Moss'', Modern Motor, February 1959, pages 35, 36, 37 & 76</ref> and, on the second weekend, the [[1958 Melbourne Grand Prix]], (a round of the [[1958 Australian Drivers' Championship]]), won by [[Stirling Moss]] ([[Cooper Car Company|Cooper]] [[Coventry Climax]])<ref name=McKay/>

The November 1958 meeting was the last on the original incarnation of the circuit, as it closed shortly after.<ref name="Walker"/>