1972 Australian Touring Car Championship
Encyclopedia
The 1972 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS
sanctioned national motor racing title open to Group C Improved Production Touring Cars and Group E Series Production Touring Cars
. The championship, which was the 13th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship
, began at Symmons Plains and ended at Oran Park after eight rounds. The title was won by Bob Jane
, driving a Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1.
In addition, points were awarded on a 4-3-2-1 basis for the first the first four outright placings, irrespective of class, at each round.
The title was awarded to the driver gaining the highest total of points in any seven of the eight rounds.
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
sanctioned national motor racing title open to Group C Improved Production Touring Cars and Group E Series Production Touring Cars
Group E Series Production Touring Cars
Group E Series Production Touring Cars was an Australian motor racing category for production based sedans competing with limited modifications. It was current from 1964 to 1972....
. The championship, which was the 13th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
, began at Symmons Plains and ended at Oran Park after eight rounds. The title was won by Bob Jane
Bob Jane
Robert "Bob" Jane is an Australian former race car driver and prominent businessman. A four-time winner of the Armstrong 500, the race that became the prestigious Bathurst 1000 and a four-time Australian Touring Car Champion, Jane is perhaps known best nowadays for his chain of tyre retailers,...
, driving a Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1.
Teams and drivers
The following drivers competed in the 1972 Australian Touring Car Championship. Only drivers who scored championship points are listed.| Driver | No Official programme, Adelaide International Raceway, 11 June 1972 | Car | Entrant |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ian GeogheganIan Geoghegan Ian "Pete" Geoghegan, was an Australian race car driver, known for a quick wit and natural driving skills. Geoghegan was one of the iconic characters of the 1960s and 1970s Australian motor racing scene... |
1 & 10 | Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III | Geoghegan's Sporty Cars |
| Fred Gibson Fred Gibson (motor racing) Fred Gibson is a former Australian racing driver and race team owner.-Competitor:After a career that began in small production sports cars, first an MGA, and later the first Lotus Elan to run in Australian competition , Gibson quickly moved up into the touring car ranks... |
1 | Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III | Road & Track Auto Services |
| Kingsley Hibbard |
2 | Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III | Kingsley Hibbard |
| Jim McKeown Jim McKeown James "Jim" McKeown is a retired American soccer defender who played in the North American Soccer League.McKeown graduated from Steinert High School where he was part of two Group IV championship soccer teams. He was inducted into the Steinart Hall of Fame in 2008. He then attended Rider... |
2 & 3 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | Shell Racing Team |
| Clive Green |
4 & 124 | Ford Mustang Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A... |
Shell Racing |
| John Goss John Goss (race driver) John Goss is the only Australian racing driver to win Australia's two most prestigious races, the Bathurst 1000 , and the Australian Grand Prix .-Early career:... |
5 | Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III | McLeod Ford |
| Graham Blanchard |
5 & 125 | Chevrolet Camaro | Blanchard Motors |
| Mike Stillwell |
6 & 92 | Ford Escort Twin Cam Mk.I | BS Stillwell Ford |
| John Harvey John Harvey (motorsport) John Francis Harvey is a retired Australian racing driver. He was a top speedway driver for many years in the 1950s/1960s winning many championship races including NSW Championship 3 successive years, Victorian Championship twice.After switching from speedway to road racing, Harvey drove cars... |
7 | Holden HQ Monaro GTS350 | Bob Jane Racing |
| Mel McEwin |
8 | Toyota Corolla Sprinter | Mel McEwin |
 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000... |
9 & 92 | Ford Boss 302 Mustang | Allan Moffat Racing |
| Dick Johnson |
10 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Dick Johnson |
| Peter Brown |
11 | Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV | Alfa Romeo Australia |
| Don Holland |
13 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Max Wright Motors Pty Ltd |
| Bob Holden Bob Holden (racing driver) Robin John Holden born December 1, 1932, is an Australian racing driver. Holden raced small-engined touring cars throughout his career, racing Peugeots in the early 1960s, establishing a reputation for himself which saw him become a regular part of BMC Australias racing program for Minis which... |
13 & 113 | Ford Escort Twin Cam Mk.I | Dr. Allan Hogan |
| Norm Beechey Norm Beechey Norm Beechey was an Australian race car driver, given the nickname "Stormin Norman". To some, he was the closest thing Holden had to a star racing driver, before Peter Brock. Beechey competed in the Australian Touring Car Championship from 1963 to 1972 winning the title in 1965 driving a Ford... |
15 & 40 | Holden HT Monaro GTS350 | Shell / Norm Beechey Racing |
| Clem Smith |
15 | Chrysler VH Valiant Charger | Clem Smith |
| Malcolm Ramsay |
17 | Holden HQ Kingswood | 5AD City State Racing Team |
| Graham Ryan |
17 | Chrysler VH Valiant Charger | Graham Ryan |
| John Rushford |
24 & 94 | Ford Escort Twin Cam Mk.I | Rushford Engineering Co |
| Doug Chivas Doug Chivas Doug Chivas was an Australian rally and racing car driver. Chivas drove the first Lotus Mark 6 in Australia in the early 1950s winning many races.... |
29 | Chrysler VH Valiant Charger | Liverpool Chrysler |
| Phil Brock |
32 & 33 | Chrysler VH Valiant Charger | Eastside Chrysler |
| Tom Naughton Tom Naughton Tom Naughton is an American documentary filmmaker, humorist, writer, and stand up comedian best known for the documentary film Fat Head. He is known for his advocating of a Paleolithic diet and speaking out against the Lipid hypothesis. Naughton is a former Vegetarian and alcoholic... |
33 | Chrysler VH Valiant Charger | Eastside Chrysler |
| Colin Bond Colin Bond Colin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team... |
34 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Holden Dealer Team |
| Lyndon Arnel |
43 | Ford Escort Twin Cam Mk.I | Tony Motson's Performance Tuning |
| Alan Braszell |
71 | Morris Cooper S | Alray Motors |
| Keith Henry |
71 | Ford Escort Twin Cam Mk.I | Keith Henry |
| George Giesberts |
72 | Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | Leach Motors |
| Bob Jane Bob Jane Robert "Bob" Jane is an Australian former race car driver and prominent businessman. A four-time winner of the Armstrong 500, the race that became the prestigious Bathurst 1000 and a four-time Australian Touring Car Champion, Jane is perhaps known best nowadays for his chain of tyre retailers,... |
76 | Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1 | Bob Jane Racing |
| Robin Bessant |
90 | Ford Mustang Ford Mustang The Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the second generation North American Ford Falcon, a compact car. Introduced early on April 17, 1964, as a "1964½" model, the 1965 Mustang was the automaker's most successful launch since the Model A... |
Shell Racing |
| Ted Brewster |
Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | BP Southmark | |
| Bob Connolly |
Morris Cooper S | RA Connolly | |
| John French John French (racing driver) John French is a retired Australian racing driver.French had a long career throughout the 60s and 70s and the early 80s. He won the 1962 Australian GT Championship driving a Centaur-Waggott and in 1969 French paired with Allan Moffat to win the Sandown Three Hour race in a Ford Falcon GTHO... |
Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III | Bryan Byrt Ford | |
| Henry Price |
Morris Clubman GT | Grand Prix Auto Service | |
| Tim Smith |
Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 | TS Smith | |
| Norm Watts |
Ford Capri 1600GT Mk.I | Motor Improvements | |
| Tony Watts |
Morris Cooper S | Richard Locke Motor Engineering | |
Calendar
The 1972 Australian Touring Car Championship was contested over an eight round series with one race per round.| Rd. | Race Title | Circuit | City / State | Date | Winner | Team | Report |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Symmons Plains |
Symmons Plains Raceway Symmons Plains Raceway Symmons Plains Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Australia, located about 30 kilometres south of Launceston, Tasmania. Since the closure of the Longford circuit in the 1960s it has been Tasmania's premier motor racing facility... |
Launceston Launceston, Tasmania Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart... , Tasmania Tasmania Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart... |
6 March | Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000... |
Allan Moffat Racing | |
| 2 | Calder |
Calder Park Raceway Calder Park Raceway Calder Park Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The complex includes a drag strip, a road circuit with several possible configurations, and the "Thunderdome", a high-speed banked oval equipped to race either clockwise or counter-clockwise .-History:Calder Park... |
Melbourne Melbourne Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater... , Victoria |
19 March | Bob Jane Bob Jane Robert "Bob" Jane is an Australian former race car driver and prominent businessman. A four-time winner of the Armstrong 500, the race that became the prestigious Bathurst 1000 and a four-time Australian Touring Car Champion, Jane is perhaps known best nowadays for his chain of tyre retailers,... |
Bob Jane Racing | |
| 3 | Bathurst |
Mount Panorama Circuit Mount Panorama Circuit Mount Panorama Circuit is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is the home of the Bathurst 12 Hour motor race, held each February, and the Bathurst 1000 motor race, held each October... |
Bathurst Bathurst, New South Wales -CBD and suburbs:Bathurst's CBD is located on William, George, Howick, Russell, and Durham Streets. The CBD is approximately 25 hectares and surrounds two city blocks. Within this block layout is banking, government services, shopping centres, retail shops, a park* and monuments... , New South Wales New South Wales New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales... |
3 April | Ian Geoghegan Ian Geoghegan Ian "Pete" Geoghegan, was an Australian race car driver, known for a quick wit and natural driving skills. Geoghegan was one of the iconic characters of the 1960s and 1970s Australian motor racing scene... |
Geoghegan's Sporty Cars | |
| 4 | Sandown |
Sandown International Raceway | Melbourne, Victoria | 16 April | Allan Moffat | Allan Moffat Racing | |
| 5 | Adelaide |
Adelaide International Raceway Adelaide International Raceway The Adelaide International Raceway is a permanent circuit owned by Australian Motorsport Club Limited under the auspices of the Bob Jane Corporation. It is located on Port Wakefield Road at Virginia, a small town just north of Adelaide, South Australia, and is round the corner from Speedway City... |
Adelaide Adelaide Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million... , South Australia South Australia South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland... |
11 June | Bob Jane | Bob Jane Racing | |
| 6 | Warwick Farm |
Warwick Farm Raceway Warwick Farm Raceway Warwick Farm Raceway was a motor racing facility which was in operation from 1960 to 1973. Warwick Farm Raceway hosted numerous major events during its life such as the Australian Grand Prix and rounds of both the Australian Touring Car Championship and the Tasman Series.-History:Warwick Farm... |
Sydney Sydney Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people... , New South Wales |
9 July | Bob Jane | Bob Jane Racing | |
| 7 | Surfers Paradise |
Surfers Paradise International Raceway Surfers Paradise International Raceway Surfers Paradise International Raceway was a motor racing complex at Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The circuit was designed and built by Keith Williams, a motor racing enthusiast. It was located opposite the Surfers Paradise Ski Gardens at Carrara... |
Surfers Paradise, Queensland | 22 July | Bob Jane | Bob Jane Racing | |
| 8 | Oran Park |
Oran Park Raceway Oran Park Raceway Oran Park Raceway was a motor racing circuit at Narellan in southwestern Sydney, New South Wales, Australia which was operational from 1962 to 2010.... |
Sydney, New South Wales | 6 August | Allan Moffat | Allan Moffat Racing |
Classes
Cars competed in two engine capacity classes:- Up to and including 2000cc
- Over 2000cc
Points system
Championship points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis for the first six placings in each class at each round.In addition, points were awarded on a 4-3-2-1 basis for the first the first four outright placings, irrespective of class, at each round.
The title was awarded to the driver gaining the highest total of points in any seven of the eight rounds.
Championship results
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