1977 Australian Touring Car Championship

1977 Australian Touring Car Championship
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The 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing championship open to Group C Touring Cars. It was the 18th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. The championship began at Symmons Plains Raceway on 7 March and ended at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 20 November after eleven rounds.[1] 1977 was the second and final time that the series incorporated the longer distance races which made up the Australian Championship of Makes. These races included the Sandown 400 and the Phillip Island 500K, although notably not the Bathurst 1000.[2]

Reigning champion Allan Moffat (Ford Falcon) dominated the 1977 season. In addition to his victory in the non-championship Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst, Moffat won his third Australian Touring Car Championship, leading home new Moffat Ford Dealers team mate Colin Bond for a series 1-2 result. Moffat won the first five rounds of the championship, won a total of seven out of the eleven rounds and won the title by 32 points. Bond recorded a win at Adelaide International Raceway but was put under pressure near the end of the season from Peter Brock after consecutive wins by the Holden Torana driver at Lakeside International Raceway and Sandown Raceway in the Hang Ten 400. In the end Bond finished nine points clear of Brock. The only other round win was claimed by Allan Grice (Holden Torana) at the final round at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.

In previous years the class pointscore system saw a consistent performer threaten the top of the points table. In 1977 though the best performer from the smaller cars was Ford Capri racer Lawrie Nelson who finished fourth in the points, 19 behind Brock. Holden Torana racer Bob Morris took points away from the small car class drivers by racing his Triumph Dolomite early in the series, as well as racing Lakis Manticas' Ford Capri on occasion, effectively spoiling the chances of other drivers in the under three litre class.

Drivers

Drivers that competed in the 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship included the following:

Driver Car No. Entrant
Canada Allan Moffat Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop
1
9
Moffat Ford Dealers
Australia Colin Bond Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop
2 Moffat Ford Dealers
Australia John Harvey Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Holden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X [3]
3
14
Marlboro Holden Dealer Team
Australia Peter Brock Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Holden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X [4]
05
25
Bill Patterson Racing
Australia Allan Grice Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Holden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X [5]
6 Craven Mild Racing
Australia Bob Morris Ford Capri V6
Triumph Dolomite Sprint 77 R Morris [6]
Holden LX Torana SL/R 5000 A9X [7] 7 Ron Hodgson Motors [8]
Australia Charlie O'Brien Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 8 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team
Australia Dick Johnson Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop 17 Brian Byrt Ford
Australia Murray Carter Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop
18 Brian Wood Ford
Australia John Goss Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop
22 John Goss
Australia George Adams Ford Capri V6
Australia Barry Allen Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Ferris Car Radios
Australia Lyndon Arnel Ford Escort Mk.II RS2000 49
Australia Phil Arnull Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 P Arnull
Australia Graeme Blanchard Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Graeme Blanchard Holden
Australia Neville Bridges Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1
Australia Phil Brock Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bill Patterson Racing
Australia Ross Burbidge Mazda RX-3
Australia Alan Cant Ford Capri V6 ATP Aust. Pty Ltd
Australia Roger Cartwright Ford Escort Mk.II RS2000 Roger Cartwright
Australia Ian Chilman Honda Civic Ian Chilman
Australia David Clement Mazda RX-3 DLK Clement
Australia Warren Cullen Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Holden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X [9]
Pioneer Electronics
Australia Ray Cutchie Ford Escort Mk.I RS2000 Ray Cutchie
Australia Ron Dickson Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Pioneer Electronics
Australia Ian Diffen Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Phillips Industries
Australia Robin Dudfield Alfa Romeo GT1300 Junior
Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Alfa Romeo Club
Australia Jim Duggan Mazda RX-3 Warren Torr
Australia Ray Farrar Ford Capri V6 Brian Wood Ford
New Zealand John Faulkner Ford Capri V6 Wynns Frictionproofing
Australia Ron Gillard Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Australia Peter Granger BMW 2002 TI Bob Glazier
Australia Alf Grant Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Australia Paul Gulson Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Australia Ray Gulson Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Endrust
Australia Arthur Hardwick Mazda RX-3
Australia Warwick Henderson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT Gil Gordon Alfa Geelong
Australia Peter Hopwood Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT Gil Gordon Alfa Geelong
Australia Chris Heyer Volkswagen Golf GTi Lennox Motors
Germany Rudi Dahlhauser Volkswagen Golf GTi Lennox Motors
Australia Deane Hill Isuzu Gemini [10] MJ Minear
New Zealand Peter Janson Holden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X Ipec
Australia Jim Keogh Ford XB Falcon GT HM Headers
Australia Jim Laing-Peach Triumph Dolomite Sprint
Australia Garry Leggatt Fiat 128 3P
Australia Nick Louis Mazda RX-3 Rogar Automotive
Australia John Millyard Ford Capri V6
Australia Jim Murcott Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT
Australia Wayne Negus Holden LX Torana SL/R 5000 A9X [11] Marlboro Holden Dealer Team
Australia Lawrie Nelson Ford Capri V6 Lawrie Nelson
Australia Ben Penhall Mazda RX-3 TB Penhall
Australia Matthew Phillip Honda Civic Mollison Motors
Australia Frank Porter Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT Douglas Hi Fi & Beninca Motors
Australia Brian Potts Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Mazda RX-3 Brian Potts
Australia Ralph Radburn Triumph Dolomite Sprint Ralph Radburn
Australia Brian Reed Honda Civic
Australia Gordon Rich Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
New Zealand Jim Richards Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Sidchrome Australia & Melford
Australia Graham Ryan Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Australia Barry Seton Ford Capri V6
Australia Russell Skaife Ford Capri V6
Australia Rod Stevens Ford Escort Mk.I RS2000 Brian Wood Ford
Australia Alan Taylor Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Australia Greg Toepfer Ford Escort Mk.II RS2000 Bob Holden ShellSport
South Africa Basil van Rooyen Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
Australia Geoff Wade Ford Capri V6
Australia Barry Wheeler Mazda RX-3
Australia Garth Wigston Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Roadways/Gown-Hindhaugh Engine Developments
Australia Peter Williamson Toyota Celica
Australia Graeme Wilson Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1
Australia Russell Worthington Mazda RX-3
Australia Jim Stewart Morris Mini Clubman GT Hair Affair
  Three litre class competitors

Calendar

The 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship was contested over eleven rounds.[1]

Rd.[1] Race / Circuit [1] City / State Date [1] Format Winner [1] Car Team Report
1 Symmons Plains Raceway Launceston
Tasmania
7 March Two heats Allan Moffat Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
2 Calder Park Raceway Melbourne
Victoria
20 March One race Allan Moffat Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
3 Oran Park Raceway Sydney
New South Wales
27 March One race Allan Moffat Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
4 Amaroo Park Sydney
New South Wales
10 April One race Allan Moffat Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
5 Sandown International Raceway Melbourne
Victoria
17 April One race Allan Moffat Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers [12]
6 Adelaide International Raceway Adelaide
South Australia
5 June One race Colin Bond Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
7 Lakeside International Raceway Brisbane
Queensland
26 June One race Peter Brock Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bill Patterson Racing
8 Hang Ten 400
Sandown International Raceway
Melbourne
Victoria
11 September 1 x 500 km race Peter Brock Holden LX Torana SS A9X Bill Patterson Racing report
9 Rothmans 250 [13]
Adelaide International Raceway
Adelaide
South Australia
23 October 1 x 250 km race Allan Moffat Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
10 Rothmans 300 [14]
Surfers Paradise International Raceway
Surfers Paradise
Queensland
6 November 1 x 300 km race Allan Moffat Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop Moffat Ford Dealers
11 Ready Plan Insurance Phillip Island 500K
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Phillip Island
Victoria
28 November 1 x 500 km race Allan Grice Holden LX Torana SS A9X Craven Mild Racing report

Classes

For points-scoring purposes, cars competing in the Australian Touring Car Championship were classified into one of two classes defined by engine capacity.[15]

Points system

Australian Touring Car Championship points were awarded to drivers as follows:

Pos 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th
All Rounds
Outright [15]
4 3 2 1
Rounds 1-7
each class [15]
9 6 4 3 2 1
Round 8-11
each class [15]
12 8 6 4 2 1

Only the best six scores from the first seven rounds and the best two scores from the last four rounds counted towards the championship totals.[15]

Points were awarded only where a car completed 75% of race distance and was running at the completion of the final lap.

Results

Results of the 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship were as follows:

Pos.[16] Driver [16] Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Rd 6 Rd 7 Rd 8 Rd 9 Rd 10 Rd 11 Pts [16]
1 Allan Moffat 1st(13) 1st(13) 1st(13) 1st(13) 1st(13) 2nd(9) Ret 3rd((8)) 1st(16) 1st(16) 106(114)
2 Colin Bond 2nd(9) 2nd(9) 8th 2nd(9) 2nd(9) 1st(13) 2nd(9) 5th(5) 2nd(11) Ret 5th((2)) 74(76)
3 Peter Brock 3rd(6) 3rd(6) 3rd(6) 7th 4th(4) 3rd(6) 1st(13) 1st(16) 9th 3rd(8) Ret 65
4 Lawrie Nelson (9) (4) (9) 10th(6) 6th(12) (6) 46
5 Bob Morris (6) Ret (9) 10th(9) Ret (9) Ret 2nd(11) 44
6 John Harvey 8th 4th(4) 2nd(9) Ret 3rd(6) 5th(2) 3rd(6) Ret 3rd(8) 4th(5) 40
7 Allan Grice Ret Ret 5th(2) 3rd(6) 4th(4) 2nd(11) 1st(16) 39
8 Rod Stevens 10th(9) (6) Ret 10th(12) 27
9 Ray Gulson (4) (6) 10th(8) 18
Frank Porter 9th(6) 9th(12) 18
11 Peter Janson Ret 10th Ret 5th(2) 2nd(11) 13
12 Barry Seton 7th(12) 12
13 Jim Richards Ret Ret 6th(1) 5th(2) 3rd(8) 11
Nick Louis 9th(9) Ret (2) 11
15 Murray Carter 4th(4) 6th(1) 8th 8th 6th(1) 4th(4) Ret 7th 10th 10
Charlie O'Brien 6th(1) 5th(2) 4th(4) 5th(2) 6th(1) Ret 8th 10
Ray Farrar 18th (6) (4) 10
Russell Worthington 8th(6) (4) 10
19 Lyndon Arnel Ret (8) 8
Paul Gulson (8) 8
John Duggan 7th(8) 8
22 Dick Johnson Ret 5th(2) Ret Ret 4th(5) 7
Warren Cullen 8th 9th 6th(1) 6th(1) 4th(5) 7
Arthur Hardwick (3) (4) 7
25 John Millard (6) 6
Alan Cant (6) 6
Russell Skaife (6) 6
28 John Goss 4th(4) Ret 8th 6th(1) 5
Peter Granger (3) (2) 5
Roger Cartwright (4) (1) 5
31 George Adams (4) 4
Ray Cutchie (4) Ret 4
Deane Hill (4) 4
Ralph Radburn 10th(4) 4
35 Jim Laing-Peach (3) Ret 3
David Clement (3) 3
37 Ian Diffen 5th(2) 7th 2
Ron Dickson 9th 9th 7th 5th(2) 2
Graeme Blanchard 5th(2) 2
Ron Gillard (2) 2
Ben Penhall (2) Ret 2
Warwick Henderson (2) 2
Peter Hopwood (2) 2
Ross Burbidge (2) 2
John Faulkner (2) 2
46 Garth Wigston 7th 6th(1) 7th 7th 1
Neville Bridges 6th(1) 1
Wayne Negus Ret 6th(1) 1
Gordon Rich (1) 1
Chris Heyer (1) 13th 1
Brian Potts 9th (1) 1
Jim Stewart (1) 1
Alf Grant (1) 1
Pos Driver Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Rd 6 Rd 7 Rd 8 Rd 9 Rd 10 Rd 11 Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver 2nd place
Bronze 3rd place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not participate (DNP)
Excluded (EX)
  Three litre class competitors

Note: South African driver Basil van Rooyen placed fourth at Round 8 (the Hang Ten 400 at Sandown) but was not eligible to score points.[16]

Australian Championship of Makes

The 1977 Australian Championship of Makes was awarded on the results of the final four rounds of the 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship.[15] It was the seventh circuit racing championship for manufacturers to be awarded by CAMS and the second to carry the Australian Championship of Makes name.

Classes

For pointscoring purposes, cars competed in four classes defined by engine capacity [15]

Points

Points were awarded for the six best placed cars in class in each of the four rounds on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis with only the highest scoring car of each make attracting points.[15]

Results

Position Make [17] Points [17]
1 Ford 87
2 Alfa Romeo 37
3 Honda 30
4 Holden 28
5 Mazda 12
= Datsun 12
= Leyland 12
8 Fiat 10
9 Toyota 3
10 Volkswagen 2

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 edition
  2. Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart (1986). "1977: Falcons' clean-sweep". Australian Touring Car Championship 25 fabulous years. R&T Publishing. pp. 178–186. ISBN 0-9590378-2-9.
  3. Images in Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 Edition, indicate that Harvey drove a Torana SS 5000 A9X in the endurance races
  4. Images in Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 Edition, indicate that Brock drove a Torana SS 5000 A9X in the endurance races
  5. Images in Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 Edition, indicate that Grice drove a Torana SS 5000 A9X in the endurance races
  6. Official Programme, The Marlboro Cup, ATCC Round 5, 17 April (1977)
  7. Touring Car Title to Moffat, The Courier Mail,Monday 7 November 1977, page 19 states that Morris drove a "Torana A9X 4-door" at the Rothmans 300
  8. Touring Title to Moffat, The Courier Mail, Monday, November 7, 1977, page 19
  9. The image on page 64 of Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 Edition, indicates that Cullen drove a Torana SS 5000 A9X at the Rothmans 250
  10. Hill's Gemini is not listed in the 1977 ATCC race results in The Official Racing History of Holden (1988), so is assumed to have been an Isuzu rather than a Holden.
  11. Image on page 71 of the Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 Edition, indicates that Negus drove a Torana SL/R 5000 A9X at the Phillip Island round
  12. 1977 ATCC Rd.5 - Sandown
  13. Jennings, Bob (24 October 1977). "Moffat leads Falcons home". The Advertiser.
  14. Touring Title to Moffat, The Courier Mail, Monday, 7 November 1977, page 19
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Conditions for Australian Titles, 1977 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 86-91
  16. 1 2 3 4 Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart; Geenhaigh, David (2011). The official history - Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years. p. 178.
  17. 1 2 "Championship of Makes" Final Pointscore, Racing Car News, January 1978, page 29

External links

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