Glenn Seton Racing
Encyclopedia
Glenn Seton Racing was a V8 Supercar
racing team that competed in the V8 Supercar series in Australia
.
Glenn Seton
formed his own team in 1989, using Ford Sierras. Seton had been a protege of the works Nissan team
, and took the Peter Jackson cigarette
sponsorship of that team with him. Former F1 world champion Alan Jones was secured as his team-mate late in 1992. The team was the first to debut on track the new V8 Touring Car regulation Ford Falcon
in place of the Sierra. It was the first time the Falcon
had appeared in Australian touring car racing since the 1984 Australian Endurance Championship
.
GSR were a top V8 Supercar team in the early V8 years and Glenn won his first championship in 1993
. Seton came close to winning the 1995 Tooheys 1000
, retiring due to a broken engine valve spring whilst in the lead with only eight laps to run. His father and engine builder Barry Seton
had won the 1965
race 30 years previously. The following year Barry, seeking nothing more than a different challenge, parted company with the team, linking with Tony Longhurst Racing
.
Glenn won his second championship in 1997
, a win he regards as more impressive than 1993. The team was hugely underfunded and are the only one car operation to take out the title. The team became known by the new name "Ford Tickford Racing" in 1999, and Glenn recorded 8 podiums, finished =3rd. After Craig Lowndes
signing to Ford, FTR steadily lost financial backing and the team gradually slipped in performance. Ford diverted their attention to 00 Motorsport
in 2002, and GSR reverted to a small battling one car outfit for that year before being purchased by Prodrive
and reinvented as "Ford Performance Racing
" to promote the high performance road Falcons built by "Ford Performance Vehicles
".
V8 Supercar
V8 Supercars is a touring car racing category based in Australia and run as an International Series under Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile regulations...
racing team that competed in the V8 Supercar series in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
.
Glenn Seton
Glenn Seton
Glenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton, father of Courtney and Aaron Seton and husband to Jayne Seton, retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson ,...
formed his own team in 1989, using Ford Sierras. Seton had been a protege of the works Nissan team
Gibson Motor Sport
Gibson Motor Sport was an Australian motor racing team. Originally established by Howard Marsden as the in-house factory Nissan motorsport operation, the team later passed into the ownership of Fred Gibson., who had won the 1967 Bathurst 500 as a driver, sharing with Harry Firth. In 1993 the team...
, and took the Peter Jackson cigarette
Imperial Tobacco
Imperial Tobacco is a global tobacco company headquartered in Bristol, United Kingdom. It is the world’s fourth-largest cigarette company measured by market share , and the world's largest producer of cigars, fine-cut tobacco and tobacco papers...
sponsorship of that team with him. Former F1 world champion Alan Jones was secured as his team-mate late in 1992. The team was the first to debut on track the new V8 Touring Car regulation Ford Falcon
Ford EB Falcon
The Ford EB Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company in Australia between 1991 and 1993.Visually the 1991 EB remained nearly identical to its predecessor. The most noticeable change was the transfer of the Ford emblem from the tip of the bonnet to the grille...
in place of the Sierra. It was the first time the Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
had appeared in Australian touring car racing since the 1984 Australian Endurance Championship
1984 Australian Endurance Championship
The 1984 Australian Endurance Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing competition open to Group C Touring Cars. The championship, which was the fourth Australian Endurance Championship, was contested over a five round series...
.
GSR were a top V8 Supercar team in the early V8 years and Glenn won his first championship in 1993
1993 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1993 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 34th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began on 28 February 1993 at Amaroo Park and ended on 8 August at Oran Park Raceway after nine rounds....
. Seton came close to winning the 1995 Tooheys 1000
1995 Tooheys 1000
The 1995 Tooheys 1000 was the 36th running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race. It was held on October 1, 1995 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst. The race was held for cars eligible under CAMS Group 3A 5.0 Litre Touring Car regulations, that later became known as V8Supercars...
, retiring due to a broken engine valve spring whilst in the lead with only eight laps to run. His father and engine builder Barry Seton
Barry Seton
Barry Seton , , is an Australian racing driver. He won the Bathurst 500 in 1965 with co-driver Midge Bosworth driving a Ford Cortina GT500. He has competed in the Bathurst 500 22 times, competing every year from 1963 to 1984, and completing the race in fifteen of those...
had won the 1965
1965 Armstrong 500
The 1965 Armstrong 500 was the sixth running of the Bathurst 500 touring car race. It was held on 3 October 1965 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
race 30 years previously. The following year Barry, seeking nothing more than a different challenge, parted company with the team, linking with Tony Longhurst Racing
Tony Longhurst Racing
Tony Longhurst Racing is a former V8 Supercar team. The team, based on Queenslands Gold Coast at the Longhurst family owned Dreamworld adventure park, made its debut in Group A touring car racing in the 1988 Australian Touring Car Championship at Melbourne's Calder Park Raceway and made its last...
.
Glenn won his second championship in 1997
1997 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1997 Shell Australian Touring Car Championship was the 38th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship and was run for cars eligible to V8 Supercar specifications...
, a win he regards as more impressive than 1993. The team was hugely underfunded and are the only one car operation to take out the title. The team became known by the new name "Ford Tickford Racing" in 1999, and Glenn recorded 8 podiums, finished =3rd. After Craig Lowndes
Craig Lowndes
Craig Lowndes is a multi-championship winning Australian racing driver. He is a three-time V8 Supercar champion and five-time winner of Australia's most famous motor race, the Bathurst 1000...
signing to Ford, FTR steadily lost financial backing and the team gradually slipped in performance. Ford diverted their attention to 00 Motorsport
Gibson Motor Sport
Gibson Motor Sport was an Australian motor racing team. Originally established by Howard Marsden as the in-house factory Nissan motorsport operation, the team later passed into the ownership of Fred Gibson., who had won the 1967 Bathurst 500 as a driver, sharing with Harry Firth. In 1993 the team...
in 2002, and GSR reverted to a small battling one car outfit for that year before being purchased by Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
and reinvented as "Ford Performance Racing
Ford Performance Racing
Ford Performance Racing is a British-owned Australian-based motor racing team that contests the Australian International V8 Supercars Championship...
" to promote the high performance road Falcons built by "Ford Performance Vehicles
Ford Performance Vehicles
Ford Performance Vehicles is the Melbourne-based, premium performance vehicle partner of automobile manufacturer Ford Australia. The company, which is as a joint venture between Prodrive and Ford Australia, has produced a range of Ford based models under the FPV brand name since April...
".