1979 Australian Sports Sedan Championship

The championship was won by Allan Grice (left)

The 1979 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title for drivers of Group B Sports Sedans.[1] It was the fourth Australian Sports Sedan Championship.[2]

The championship was won by Allan Grice driving a Chevrolet Corvair.[3]

Calendar

The championship was contested over a nine round series.[3]

Round[3] Name Circuit[3] State Date[3] Format[4] Round winner[3] Car[3]
1   Lakeside Queensland 1 April Two heats Jim Richards Ford XC Falcon
2   Oran Park New South Wales 29 April One race Allan Grice Chevrolet Corvair
3 The Advertiser Sports Sedan Challenge[5] Adelaide International Raceway South Australia 3 June One race Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Repco Holden
4 Wanneroo Park Western Australia 10 June Two heats Allan Grice Chevrolet Corvair
5   Calder Victoria 8 August Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Repco Holden
6   Surfers Paradise Queensland 26 August Two heats Phil Ward Holden HQ Monaro
7   Symmons Plains Tasmania 16 September Two heats Allan Grice Chevrolet Corvair
8   Baskerville Tasmania 7 October Two heats John Briggs Chevrolet Monza
9   Sandown Park Victoria 9 December Two heats Ron Harrop Ford TD Cortina

Points system

Championship points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the first six placegetters at each round.[6] Only the best eight round results could be retained by each driver.[7]

For rounds staged over two heats, points were allocated on a 20–16–13–11–10–9–8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the first 14 finishers in each heat. These points were aggregated to determine the first six placegetters for the round. In the event of two or more drivers attaining the same total, the relevant round placing was awarded to the driver who place higher in the final heat.[8]

Points table

Position Driver Car Entrant[5] Lak Ora Ade Wan Cal Sur Sym Bas San Total[9]
1 Allan Grice Chevrolet Corvair Craven Mild Racing 6 9 6 9 3 4 6 9 – 52
2 Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Repco Holden Donald Elliott 4 2 9 6 9 6 – – – 36
3 Jim Richards Ford XC Falcon
Chrysler VH Valiant Charger
Chevrolet Monza 		Jim Richards Motor Racing
Clem Smith
Rotax Monza[9] 		9 6 3 – – – 3 – 2 23[10]
4 Phil Ward Holden HQ Monaro Channel 10 – NSW Building Society – 4 – – 6 9 – – – 19
5 John Briggs Chevrolet Monza Computa Car – – 4 – – – 9 – – 13
6 Ron Harrop Ford TD Cortina Pat Crea[9] – – – – – – – – 9 9
7 Darryl Wilcox Holden Torana   – – – – – – – 6 – 6
Les Swallow Chevrolet Corvair Les Swallow[9] – – – – – – – – 6 6
Allan Moffat Chevrolet Monza Allan Moffat Racing[9] – 3 – – – – – – 3 6[10]
10 Gordon Mitchell Morris Marina Rover Go-Gear[11] – – – 4 – – – – – 4
Ken Hastings Volkswagen Karmann Ghia Ken Hastings – – – – 4 – – – – 4
John Pollard Chevrolet Monza Gary & Warren Smith – – – – – – 4 – – 4
Martin Sinclair Holden Torana   – – – – – – – 4 – 4
Ron King Holden Torana Ron King[9] – – – – – – – – 4 4
15 Stephen Land Holden Torana Stephen Land 3 – – – – – – – – 3
Brian Rhodes Holden Torana GTR XU-1[11] Brian Rhodes[11] – – – 3 – – – – – 3
John Tesoriero Volvo 142[12]   – – – – 1 2 – – – 3
John White Holden Monaro   – – – – – 3 – – – 3
Bruce Gowans Toyota Celica Ling Gowans Toyota[13] – – – – – – 2 1 – 3
Paul Minehan Holden Torana   – – – – – – – 3 – 3
21 Fred Sayers Morris Clubman   2 – – – – – – – – 2
Pat Crea Ford TD Cortina Pat Crea – – 2 – – – – – – 2
Graeme Hooley Holden Torana A9X[11] Graeme Hooley[11] – – – 2 – – – – – 2
Brian Potts Holden Torana   – – – – 2 – – – – 2
Rob Davies Ford Escort   – – – – – – – 2 – 2
26 Doug Clark Toyota Celica   1 – – – – – – – – 1
Bob Stevens Ford Mustang   – 1 – – – – – – – 1
Luigi De Luca Ford Anglia Dowidat Belzer Tools – – 1 – – – – – – 1
Kevin Mann Leyland Mini[11] Kevin Mann[11] – – – 1 – – – – – 1
Peter Phillips Ford Escort   – – – – – 1 – – – 1
Rod Stevens Ford Falcon Brian Wood Ford[9] – – – – – – – – 1 1[14]

Notes and references

  1. ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1979, page 97
  2. ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1980, page 59
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Australian Motor Racing Yearbook 1979/80, pages 140–145
  4. ^ Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, pages 162–164
  5. ^ a b Official Souvenir Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday, 3 June 1979, page 29
  6. ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1979, page 94
  7. ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1979, page 95
  8. ^ CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1979, pages 94–95
  9. ^ a b c d e f g Greg Stanfield, Racing Car News, January 1980, page 60
  10. ^ a b Racing Car News reported fourth place at the Sandown round as awarded equally to Richards & Moffat but regulations for multi-part rounds in the 1979 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport dictated that the highest place driver in the final heat would be awarded the placing
  11. ^ a b c d e f g Robert Janney, Grice Takes Fourth Round, Racing Car News, July 1979, pages 22 & 23
  12. ^ Baskeville Raceway images – 7-Oct-1979, oldmotorsportphotos.com.au Retrieved 20 July 2016
  13. ^ Steve Chopping, Briggs Bags the Brass, Racing Car News, October 1979, pages 6 & 7
  14. ^ Racing Car News reported sixth place at the Sandown round as awarded equally to four drivers but regulations for multi-part rounds in the 1979 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport dictated that the highest place driver in the final heat would be awarded the placing