1975 Australian Touring Car Championship

The 1975 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title open to Group C Touring Cars.[1] The championship began at Symmons Plains and ended at Lakeside after seven rounds.[2] It was the 16th Australian Touring Car Championship.

The Championship was won by Colin Bond driving a Holden Torana.

The 1975 championship was one of the most controversial in the history of the title with series leader Allan Grice disqualified from the fifth round at Surfers Paradise for a technical infringement. He continued racing under appeal, but the penalty was upheld and Grice lost all points gained from the final three rounds.[2] Reigning champion Peter Brock parted company with the Holden Dealer Team before the series began and raced in a privately funded Holden Torana during the season. Colin Bond, driving a Holden Torana for the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team took victory at the opening round at Symmons Plains Raceway, and end of season wins at Adelaide International Raceway and Lakeside International Raceway saw Bond move past Grice and Bob Morris on points to win the championship. 2000cc class competitor Christine Gibson, driving a factory supported Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV, led the series mid-season after taking four class wins, but had disqualification problems of her own and Bond regained the points advantage by season's end. Gibson's effort however remains to this day (2014) the best performance by a woman in Australian Touring Car Championship history.

Drivers

The following drivers competed in the 1975 Australian Touring Car Championship.

Entrant No Car Driver
Gown-Hindhaugh 1 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Peter Brock
Marlboro Holden Dealer Team 2 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Colin Bond
Ron Dickson 3 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Ron Dickson
Bob Forbes 4 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bob Forbes
Don Holland 6 Mazda RX-3 Don Holland
Citizen Watches 7 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bob Morris
Alfa Romeo Dealers Australia 8 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Christine Gibson
Allan Moffat Racing[3] 9 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Allan Moffat
Dustings of Burwood 9 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Rod McRae
Craven Mild 10 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Allan Grice
Lakis Manticas 11 Mazda RX-3 Lakis Manticas
Bob Jane 12 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bob Jane
Bob Jane 12 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Frank Gardner
Gene Cooke 13 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Gene Cook
Shell/Bob Holden Motors 14 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam Bob Holden
Charlie O'Brien 15 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Charlie O'Brien
John Stoopman 16 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 John Stoopman
Stuart Saker 17 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Stuart Saker
Shell/Motorcraft 18 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Murray Carter
John English 19 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam John English
Roadways 20 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Garth Wigston
Kevin Kennedy 21 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Kevin Kennedy
Rotary Rebuild 22 Mazda RX-3 Craig Bradtke
Alfa Romeo Dealers Australia 24 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV John French
Barry Sheales Holden 27 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Kelvin Gough
Retell Ford Mentone 28 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Ray Allford
Bernie Haehnle 30 Mazda RX-3 Bernie Haehnle
Barry Seton 31 Ford Capri V6 Barry Seton
Lawrie Nelson 32 Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 Lawrie Nelson
Murray Coote 37 Datsun 1200 Murray Coote
Leichhardt Auto Port 39 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Phil Arnull
Rod Morris 40 Fiat 128 Coupe Rod Morris
Tony Mulvihill 41 Mazda RX-3 Tony Mulvihill
Ray Gulson 42 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Ray Gulson
Peter Brown 44 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Peter Brown
Jim Keogh 45 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Jim Keogh
Bob Anderson 46 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bob Anderson
Shell/Bob Holden Motors 48 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam Lyndon Arnel
Brian Ovenden 49 Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 Brian Ovenden
Barry Nelson 50 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Barry Nelson
John Wharton 51 Mazda RX-3 John Wharton
Norm Gown 52 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Norm Gown
Ian Wells 53 Honda Civic Ian Wells
Dick Johnson 55 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Dick Johnson
Bernie McClure 58 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Bernie McClure
Milton Leslight 61 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Milton Leslight
Tony Watts 64 Morris Cooper S Tony Watts
Ian White 65 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam Ian White
John Duggan 66 Mazda RX-3 John Duggan
Peter Williamson 70 BMW 2002tii Peter Williamson
Alan Welling 71 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Alan Welling
Colin Campbell 72 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam Colin Campbell
Brian Power 73 Datsun 1200 Brian Power
Graeme Adams 74 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Graeme Adams
Robert Armstrong 75 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Robert Armstrong
Jack Thompson 76 Mini Clubman Jack Thompson
Neville Bridges 77 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Neville Bridges
Wayne Mahnken 79 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Wayne Mahnken
Graeme Blanchard 81 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Graeme Blanchard
Keith Shaw 88 Honda Civic Keith Shaw
Tom Heffernan 89 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Tom Heffernan
Ian Shields 90 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Ian Shields
Peter LeFrancke 92 Toyota Corolla Peter LeFrancke
Terry Daly 93 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam Terry Daly
John Pooley 94 Volkswagen Passat TS John Pooley
Warren Scott 95 Toyota Corolla Warren Scott
Roamer Watches Australia 97 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Ray Kaleda
Harry Stephenson 98 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Harry Stephenson
Barry Nixon-Smith 99 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Barry Nixon-Smith
Russell Worthington 100 Mazda RX-2 Russell Worthington
Chris Beards 101 Toyota Corolla Chris Beards
David Caswell 102 Honda Civic David Caswell
Eric Olsen 103 Ford Escort MkI Twin Cam Eric Olsen
Graham Parsons 125 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Graham Parsons
  Up to 2000cc class competitor

Calendar

The 1975 Australian Touring Car Championship was contested over a seven-round series with one race per round.[2]

Rd.[2] Event title Circuit[2] Location / state Winner[2] Car Team
1 Symmons Plains Symmons Plains Raceway Launceston, Tasmania Colin Bond Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team
2 Calder Calder Park Raceway Melbourne, Victoria Allan Grice Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Craven Mild Racing
3 Amaroo Park Amaroo Park Sydney, New South Wales Bob Morris Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Ron Hodgson Motors
4 Oran Park Oran Park Raceway Sydney, New South Wales Allan Grice Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Craven Mild Racing
5 Surfers Paradise Surfers Paradise International Raceway Surfers Paradise, Queensland Bob Morris Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Ron Hodgson Motors
6 Sandown Sandown Raceway Melbourne, Victoria cancelled
7 Adelaide Adelaide International Raceway Virginia, South Australia Colin Bond Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team
8 Lakeside Lakeside International Raceway Brisbane, Queensland Colin Bond Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Marlboro Holden Dealer Team

Classes

Cars competed in two classes:[1]

  • Up to and including 2000cc[1]
  • Over 2000cc[1]

Points system

Championship points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis for the first six positions in each class at each round.[4] Bonus points were awarded on a 4–3–2–1 basis for the first four outright positions at each round.[4]

Championship results

Pos.[5] Driver[5] Car[6] Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Rd 6 Rd 7 Rd 8 Total[5]
1 Colin Bond Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 1st(13) 3rd(6) Ret 2nd(9) 3rd(6) 1st(13) 1st(13) 60
2 Murray Carter Ford Falcon XB GT 2nd(9) 4th(4) 3rd(6) 3rd(6) 4th(4) 2nd(9) 3rd(6) 44
3 Allan Grice Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 4th(4) 1st(13) 2nd(9) 1st(13) DSQ DSQ DSQ 39
Bob Holden Ford Escort Twin Cam
Ford Escort RS2000[7] 		(4) (6) (6) (3) (2) (9) (9) 39
5 Christine Gibson Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV (9) (9) (9) (9) DSQ 36
6 Bob Morris Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 3rd(6) Ret 1st(13) Ret 1st(13) Ret 32
7 Peter Brock Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 Ret 2nd(9) Ret Ret 2nd(9) Ret 2nd(9) 27
8 Ray Gulson Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV (9) (3) (2) (2) (3) (6) 25
9 John French Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV (6) Ret (9) Ret DSQ 10
Peter Williamson BMW 2002 Ti (6) (9) 10
Craig Bradtke Mazda RX-3 (6) (2) (1) (1) 10
12 Bob Forbes Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 4th(4) 4th(4) 8
13 Rod McRae Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 6th(1) 5th(2) 4th(4) 7
14 Kel Gough Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 3rd(6) 6
Lyndon Arnel Ford Escort Twin Cam (6) 6
16 Ian White Ford Escort Twin Cam (4) (1) 5
17 Rod Anderson Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 4th(4) 4
John Stoopman Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 5th(2) 6th(1) 6th(1) 4
Peter Brown Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV (4) 4
John Wharton Mazda RX-3 (4) 4
Brian Power Datsun 1200 (4) 4
22 Peter Lefranke Toyota Corolla (3) 3
23 Allan Moffat Ford Falcon XB GT 5th(2) 2
Barry Nixon-Smith Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 5th(2) 2
Dick Johnson Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 5th(2) 2
Graham Blanchard Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 5th(2) 2
Neville Bridges Holden Torana GTR 5th(2) 2
28 Garth Wigston Holden Torana SL/R 5000 L34 6th(1) 1
Charlie O'Brien Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 6th(1) 1
Tom Heffernan Holden Torana GTR 6th(1) 1
Lakis Manticas Mazda RX-3 6th(1) 1
Rod Morris Fiat 128 Coupe[8] 6th(1) 1
Eric Olsen Ford Escort Twin Cam 6th(1) 1
Pos Driver Car Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Rd 6 Rd 7 Rd 8 Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third 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 practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
  Up to 2000cc class competitor

References

  1. ^ a b c d Conditions for Australian Titles, 1975 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 84 to 89
  2. ^ a b c d e f Touring Car Champs, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976 Edition, pages 38 to 55
  3. ^ Calder Raceway supplement and official program, Reprinted from "The Sun", Thursday, March 13, 1975
  4. ^ a b Official Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday 8 June 1975
  5. ^ a b c Graham Howard, Stewart Wilson, David Geenhalgh, The official history – Australian Touring Car Championship – 50 Years, 2011, page 159
  6. ^ The official history of the Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years, page 159
  7. ^ Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976 Edition, pages 52 & 55
  8. ^ Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976 Edition, page 49