1979 Australian Grand Prix
Encyclopedia
The 1979 Australian Grand Prix was an open wheel racing car race held at Wanneroo Park
on 11 March 1979.
It was the forty fourth Australian Grand Prix and was open to Australian Formula 1
cars (incorporating Formula 5000
and Formula Pacific
). The event was also the first round of the 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship
Barbagallo Raceway
Barbagallo Raceway is a motorsport circuit located in Wanneroo, approximately north of Perth in Western Australia.The circuit was originally known as Wanneroo Park and the first race meet took place in March 1969. Initially the major race per year was a 6 hour Le Mans style race for sedans and...
on 11 March 1979.
It was the forty fourth Australian Grand Prix and was open to Australian Formula 1
Australian Formula 1
Australian Formula 1 was a motor sport category for open-wheeler racing cars which was current in Australia from 1970 to 1983.AF1 was introduced by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in 1970, initially restricting cars to unsupercharged engines of no greater than 2.5-litre capacity,...
cars (incorporating Formula 5000
Formula 5000
Formula 5000 was an open wheel, single seater auto-racing formula that ran in different series in various regions around the world from 1968 to 1982. It was originally intended as a low-cost series aimed at open-wheel racing cars that no longer fit into any particular formula...
and Formula Pacific
Formula Pacific
Formula Pacific was a motor racing category which was utilised in the Pacific Basin area from 1977 to 1982. It specified a single-seat, open-wheeler chassis powered by a production-based four-cylinder engine of under 1600cc capacity. The formula was based on Formula Atlantic, with provision made...
). The event was also the first round of the 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship
1979 Australian Drivers' Championship
A 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Australian Formula 1 racing cars. The championship winner was awarded the 1979 CAMS Gold Star...
Classification
Results as follows:| Pos | No | Driver | Car | Laps | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 25 |  Johnnie WalkerJohnnie Walker (racing driver) Johnnie Walker is a former Australian racing driver. Born in Adelaide, he first raced Holden FE's in the 1960s. After competing in the Australian Formula 2 Championship he graduated to Formula 5000 where he drove an Elfin and a Matich A50 before switching to the Lola marque in late 1973.Walker... |
Lola T332 Lola T332 The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and... Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
63 | 59m 09.72s |
| 2 | 11 | John Bowe John Bowe (racing driver) John Bowe is an Australian racing driver, presently racing a 1969 Ford Mustang in the historic series, Touring Car Masters.... |
Elfin MR8 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
63 | 59m 22.13s |
| 3 | 10 | Rob Butcher |
Lola T332 Lola T332 The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and... Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
61 | |
| 4 | 71 | John Smith |
Ralt Ralt RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name... RT1 Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
61 | |
| 5 | 15 | Terry Hook |
Lola T332 Lola T332 The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and... Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
59 | |
| 6 | 19 | Barry Singleton |
Gardos GL1 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
59 | |
| 7 | 38 | Ivan Tighe |
Chevron Chevron Cars Ltd Chevron Cars Ltd. is a manufacturer of racing cars, founded by Derek Bennett in 1965. Following Bennett's death in 1978, the firm has remained active in various guises. The original company's designs and name continue to be utilized by Roger Andreason to build replacement parts and continuation... B37 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
49 | |
| 8 | 40 | Geoff Nicol |
Elfin 622 Elfin 622 The Elfin 622 is an Australian Formula 2 racing car produced from 1972-1974 by Elfin Sports Cars. Elfin also produced a version of this car optimised for Australian Formula 3 called the Elfin 623.... Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
45 | |
| Ret | 76 | John Wright |
Lola T400 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
62 | Engine |
| Ret | 17 | Bob Kingsbury |
El Toro Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910, in Milan, the company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars... |
39 | |
| Ret | 7 | John McCormack John McCormack (racing driver) John McCormack is a former Australian racing driver. Originally from Tasmania McCormack became one of the leading Formula 5000 racers in Australia during the 1970s.... |
McLaren M23 McLaren M23 The McLaren M23 was a Formula One racing car designed by Gordon Coppuck, with input from John Barnard, and built by the McLaren team. It was a development of the McLaren M16 Indianapolis 500 car. A Ford Cosworth DFV engine was used, which was prepared by specialist tuning company Nicholson Engines... Leyland Rover V8 engine The Rover V8 engine is a compact V8 internal combustion engine with aluminium cylinder heads and cylinder block, originally designed by General Motors and later re-designed and produced by Rover in the United Kingdom... |
36 | |
| Ret | 8 | Rod Housego |
Elfin 622 Elfin 622 The Elfin 622 is an Australian Formula 2 racing car produced from 1972-1974 by Elfin Sports Cars. Elfin also produced a version of this car optimised for Australian Formula 3 called the Elfin 623.... Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
33 | |
| Ret | 3 | Bill Downey |
Minos Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
30 | |
| Ret | 24 | Jon Davison |
Lola T332 Lola T332 The Lola T332 was a race car designed and built by Lola Cars for use in Formula 5000 racing and made its racing debut in 1973. Commonly using the 5.0L Chevrolet V8 engine, the T332 was successful around the globe with race victories in places such as Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and... Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
20 | |
| Ret | 30 | Peter Larner |
Chevron Chevron Cars Ltd Chevron Cars Ltd. is a manufacturer of racing cars, founded by Derek Bennett in 1965. Following Bennett's death in 1978, the firm has remained active in various guises. The original company's designs and name continue to be utilized by Roger Andreason to build replacement parts and continuation... B39 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
8 | |
| Ret | 12 | Larry Perkins Larry Perkins Larry Clifton Perkins is a former racing driver and V8 Supercar team owner from Australia.-Career:... |
Elfin MR8 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
0 | |
| Ret | 84 | Alfredo Costanzo Alfredo Costanzo Alfredo Costanzo is a retired Australian racing driver.The Italian-Australian was Australia's foremost domestic open wheeler driver in the late 70s and early 80s, proving equally adapt at winning races in the powerful Formula 5000 class as much as the nimble Formula Pacific cars that replaced them... |
Lola T430 Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
0 | |
| DNS | Bob Creasy |
Birrana 273 Ford Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK... |
0 | ||
External links
- Australian Grand Prix winners Retrieved from CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 17 September 2008
- John Walker & Lola T332 -1979 AGP images (refer page 32) Retrieved from Austin 7 Club SA (Inc) on 17 September 2008
- Results of the 1979 Australian Grand Prix at www.terrywalkersplace.com (refer page 3)