1976 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1976 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title for Group C Touring Cars.[1] It was the 17th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship.[2] The championship began at Symmons Plains Raceway on 29 February and ended at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 28 November in the longest season in the history of the series. 1976 saw a substantial change to the ATCC calendar which was expanded to eleven rounds, incorporating the end-of-season long distance Australian Championship of Makes races for the first time. These races included Sandown's Hang Ten 400 and the Phillip Island 500K, although notably not the Bathurst 1000.[3]
After contesting only selected rounds of the 1975 championship, Allan Moffat won his second Australian Touring Car Championship in 1976. He won the Calder, Oran Park and Adelaide rounds, building up a mid-season points lead that his rivals could not bridge. At the Hang Ten 400 at Sandown in September, Moffat re-launched his team as the Moffat Ford Dealers team with a new Ford XB Falcon GT, built after Moffat's original car and transporter were destroyed by fire on the way to the Adelaide round in June. Moffat borrowed the Ford Falcon of John Goss for the Adelaide and Lakeside rounds to stay in the series until the new car was built.
Barry Seton, driving a Ford Capri in the Up to 3000 cc class, was Moffat's main title threat for most of the year, winning his class four times, with a best finish of sixth outright at Sandown. Seton lost second place in the championship to Colin Bond when the Holden Torana driver won the final race of the season at Phillip Island. Bond had previously won at Sandown and Lakeside, but had mechanical failures that Moffat, even in his borrowed machinery, did not.
Drivers[]
The following drivers competed in the 1976 Australian Touring Car Championship.
Entrant | No | Car | Driver |
---|---|---|---|
Marlboro Holden Dealer Team | 1 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Colin Bond |
Allan Moffat Racing[4] Moffat Ford Dealers |
2/9 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | Allan Moffat |
Bob Skelton | 3 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
John Goss | 3 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | John Goss |
O'Brien's Transport[4] | 4 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Charlie O'Brien |
Jim Keogh | 4 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | Jim Keogh |
Team Brock[5] | 5 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Peter Brock |
Bruce Hindhaugh | 6 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Ron Hodgson Motors[5] | 7 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Bob Morris |
Jack Brabham | 7 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Jack Brabham |
Charlie O'Brien | 8 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Charlie O'Brien |
Jim Richards | 10 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | Jim Richards |
Bob Forbes | 11 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Gary Cooke | 11 | Mazda RX-3 | Gary Cooke |
Craven Mild Racing[6] | 12 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Allan Grice |
Bob Holden Motors | 13 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | Bob Holden |
B&D Autos, Marlboro Holden Dealer Team |
14 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | John Harvey |
John English | 14 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
Phil Brock | 15 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Garth Wigston | 15 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Graeme Blanchard | 16 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Ray Kaleda | 17 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Bob Forbes | 17 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Shell Racing | 18 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | Murray Carter |
Garth Wigston | 19 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Christine Gibson | 19 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | |
Peter Janson | 20 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Peter Janson |
Gown-Hindhaugh | 21 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Frank Gardner |
Kevin Kennedy | 22 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | |
Don Holland | 23 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Johnnie Walker | 24 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Johnnie Walker |
John Duggan | 24 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Graham Parsons | 25 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Barry Seton | 25 | Ford Capri V6 | Barry Seton |
Craven Mild | 25 | Mazda RX-3 | Allan Grice |
Warren Cullen | 26 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Lakis Manticas | 27 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Lakis Manticas | 27 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Kelvin Gough | 28 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Dick Johnson | 28 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Dick Johnson |
Garry Willmington | 29 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | |
Graeme Ibbotson | 29 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Russell Skaife | 30 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Graham Parsons | 31 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Alan Cant | 31 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Lawrie Nelson | 32 | Ford Capri V6 | Lawrie Nelson |
Paul Older | 34 | BMW 3.0Si | |
Jim Murcott | 35 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
Ron Dickson | 36 | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | |
John Pollard | 37 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Bob Morris | 37 | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | Bob Morris |
David Seldon | 38 | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | |
Phil Arnull | 39 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Wally Scott | 42 | Toyota Corolla | Wally Scott |
Bernie Stack | 44 | Volkswagen Passat 1300 | |
Lyndon Arnel | 45 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
Ben Penhall | 45 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Ray Farrar | 46 | Ford Escort Mark I 1300 | |
Jeremy Braithwaite | 47 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | |
Graham Moore | 49 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Brian Wheeler | 51 | Mazda RX-3 | Brian Wheeler |
Eric Boord | 51 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
Fred Gibson | 51 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | Fred Gibson |
Allan Nuttall | 52 | Fiat 124 Sport Coupé | |
John Wharton | 53 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Chris Heyer | 53 | Volkswagen Golf GTI | |
Geoff Newton | 54 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Bernie McClure | 58 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Frank Porter | 59 | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT | |
Wayne Negus | 61 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Max McGinley | 61 | Honda Civic | |
Roger Bonhomme | 62 | Honda Civic | |
Craig Bradtke | 63 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Wayne Mitchell | 63 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Peter Kuebler | 63 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | |
Peter Brown | 63 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
David Langman | 64 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | |
Barry Wraith | 64 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
Ken Brian | 64 | Honda Civic | |
James Liang-Peach | 65 | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | |
David Crowther | 66 | Alfa Romeo GT1300 Junior | |
Robin Dudfield | 67 | Alfa Romeo GT1300 Junior | |
Barry Sharp | 69 | Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop | |
Tony Niovanni | 69 | Holden Gemini | |
Fred Sayers | 70 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Fred Sayers |
Colin Campbell | 70 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
Bill Evans | 71 | Datsun 1200 | Bill Evans |
Jeff Harris | 74 | Morris Clubman GT | |
Jim Stewart | 75 | Morris Clubman GT | |
Ray Molloy | 76 | Morris Clubman GT | |
Martin Power | 77 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Martin Power |
Garry McGrath | 77 | Ford Escort Mark I 1600 | |
Peter Granger | 78 | BMW 2002tii | |
Hugh Donaldson | 78 | Morris Clubman GT | |
Pat Crea | 79 | Ford Escort Mark I RS2000 | |
John Millyard | 80 | Ford Escort Mark I 1300 | |
Geoff Moran | 88 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Brian Rhodes | 89 | Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 | Brian Rhodes |
Jim Richards | 90 | Mazda RX-3 | Jim Richards |
Chris Trengrove | 91 | Renault 12 | |
Terry Wade | 95 | Triumph Dolomite Sprint | Terry Wade |
Herb Vines | 96 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Geoff Wade | 96 | Ford Escort Mark I 1300 | |
Bob Nissen | 98 | Ford Capri V6 | |
Graham Harrison | 99 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | |
Russell Worthington | 100 | Mazda RX-3 | |
Frank Brewster | 110 | Honda Civic |
Calendar[]
The 1976 Australian Touring Car Championship was contested over eleven rounds.[7]
Rd. | Event title | Circuit | Location / state | Date | Format | Winner | Team | Report |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Symmons Plains | Symmons Plains | Launceston, Tasmania | 29 February | John Harvey | B&D Autos | ||
2 | Calder | Calder | Melbourne, Victoria | 17 March | Allan Moffat | Allan Moffat Racing | ||
3 | Oran Park | Oran Park | Sydney, New South Wales | 28 March | Allan Moffat | Allan Moffat Racing | ||
4 | Sandown | Sandown | Melbourne, Victoria | 11 April | Colin Bond | Marlboro Holden Dealer Team | ||
5 | Amaroo Park | Amaroo Park | Sydney, New South Wales | 18 April | Charlie O'Brien | O'Brien's Transport Shell Sport | ||
6 | Datsun Trophy | Adelaide International Raceway | Adelaide, South Australia | 6 June | Two heats | Allan Moffat | John Goss Racing Pty Ltd | |
7 | The Governor's Trophy[8] | Lakeside | Brisbane, Queensland | 27 June | Colin Bond | Marlboro Holden Dealer Team | ||
8 | Hang Ten 400 | Sandown | Melbourne, Victoria | 12 September | One race (400 km) | Peter Brock | Team Brock | report |
9 | Rothmans 250 | Adelaide International Raceway | Adelaide, South Australia | 24 October | One race (250 km) | Allan Grice | Craven Mild Racing | |
10 | Rothmans 300[9] | Surfers Paradise International Raceway | Surfers Paradise, Queensland | 30 October | One race (300 km) | Peter Brock | Team Brock | |
11 | Rover 500K | Phillip Island | Phillip Island, Victoria | 28 November | One race (500 km) | Colin Bond | Marlboro Holden Dealer Team | report |
Class system[]
Cars competed in two classes,[1] based on engine capacity:
Points system[]
Championship points were awarded to drivers on the following basis:
Pos.[1] | 1st[1] | 2nd[1] | 3rd[1] | 4th[1] | 5th[1] | 6th[1] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
All Rounds Outright |
4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | ||
Rounds 1-7 each class |
9 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
Round 8-11 each class |
12 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 1 |
Points were only awarded to a driver where the car had completed 75% of race distance and was running at the completion of the final lap.
Only the best two results from the four long distance races could be counted by each driver.[1]
Championship standings[]
|
|
Points scored in the long distance races which were not retained for championship totals are shown in the above table within double brackets.
Australian Championship of Makes[]
The 1976 Australian Championship of Makes was contested over a four-round series, staged concurrently with the final four rounds of the Australian Touring Car Championship.[7] It was the sixth championship for manufacturers to be awarded by CAMS, and the first to be contested under the Australian Championship of Makes name.[2] The title was won by General Motors-Holden's.[2]
Class system[]
Cars competed in four classes[1] based on engine capacity.
Points system[]
Championship points were awarded in each class on a 9, 6, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis, with the results of all four races counting towards the championship.[1]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Australian Title Conditions, 1976 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 81 to 85
- ^ a b c Australian Titles, docs.cams.com.au As archived at www.webcitation.org on 31 October 2013
- ^ Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart (1986). "1976: Moffat bounces back". Australian Touring Car Championship 25 fabulous years. R&T Publishing. pp. 168–176. ISBN 0-9590378-2-9.
- ^ a b Ray Bell, Australian Touring Car Championship - Rd. 5, Amaroo Park, Racing Car News, May 1976, page 72
- ^ a b Official programme, Hang Ten 400, Sept 12 (1976)
- ^ Tom Naughton, Moffat's action-packed Calder, Racing Car News, April 1976, page 76
- ^ a b Australian Touring Car Championship, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1977 Edition, pages 48 to 73
- ^ "1976 ATCC". The Programme Covers Project. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
- ^ Brock Torana races away in record 300, The Courier Mail, Monday, 8 November 1976, page 18
- ^ a b c d Graham Howard, Stewart Wilson & David Greenhalgh, 1976 ATCC, The Official History of Australian Touring Car Championship – 50 Years, page 169
- Australian Touring Car Championship seasons
- 1976 in Australian motorsport