1979 Australian Touring Car Championship


The 1979 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title open to Group C Touring Cars. It began at Symmons Plains and ended at Adelaide International Raceway after eight rounds. The title, which was the 20th Australian Touring Car Championship, was won by Bob Morris driving a Holden Torana.
1979 was the first time since the ATCC went to a championship series in 1969 rather than the single race it had been previously that a single make and model car had won all rounds of the championship with all 8 rounds being won by the Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback. Including the current season, such a single car domination has only happened once since in the series, that being when the Ford Sierra RS500 won all rounds of the 1988 championship.

Calendar

The 1979 Australian Touring Car Championship was contested over an eight-round series.
Rd.Race TitleCircuitCity / StateDateWinning driverCarTeam
1Symmons PlainsSymmons PlainsLaunceston, Tasmania4 MarchJohn HarveyHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XMarlboro Holden Dealer Team
2CalderCalder Park RacewayMelbourne, Victoria18 MarchPeter BrockHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XMarlboro Holden Dealer Team
3Oran ParkOran ParkSydney, New South Wales25 MarchBob MorrisHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XRon Hodgson Channel 7 Racing
4SandownSandown ParkMelbourne, Victoria7 AprilBob MorrisHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XRon Hodgson Channel 7 Racing
5WannerooWanneroo ParkPerth, Western Australia6 MayPeter BrockHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XMarlboro Holden Dealer Team
6Surfers ParadiseSurfers ParadiseSurfers Paradise, Queensland20 MayPeter BrockHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XMarlboro Holden Dealer Team
7LakesideLakesideBrisbane, Queensland22 JuneBob MorrisHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XRon Hodgson Channel 7 Racing
8The Breville TrophyAdelaide International RacewayAdelaide, South Australia28 JulyBob MorrisHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9XRon Hodgson Channel 7 Racing

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1979 Australian Touring Car Championship.
TeamCarNoDriver
King George TavernHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X2 Fred Gibson
Marlboro Holden Dealer TeamHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X4 Wayne Negus
Marlboro Holden Dealer TeamHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X05 Peter Brock
Marlboro Holden Dealer TeamHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X76 John Harvey
Craven Mild RacingHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X6 Allan Grice
Ron Hodgson Channel 7 RacingHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X7 Bob Morris
Citizen WatchesHolden LX Torana SL/R 5000 A9X11 Gary Cooke
Pioneer Car StereoFord XB Falcon GT Hardtop12 Ron Dickson
Cadbury-SchweppesHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X15 Peter Janson
Bryan Byrt FordFord XC Falcon Cobra17 Dick Johnson
Brian Wood Ford Pty LtdFord XC Falcon18 Murray Carter
Brian Wood Ford Pty LtdFord XC Falcon66 Rod Stevens
Brian Wood Ford Pty LtdFord Escort RS200069Rod Stevens
Gown-Hindaugh
Roadways Racing		Holden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X20 Garth Wigston
Gown-Hindaugh
Roadways Racing		Holden LX Torana SL/R 5000 A9X21 Charlie O'Brien
Colin HallHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X21 Colin Hall
Tim SlakoHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X22 Tim Slako
Warren CullenHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X23Warren Cullen
Alan BrowneHolden LX Torana SL/R 5000 A9X24 Alan Browne
Allan Moffat RacingFord XC Falcon Cobra25 Allan Moffat
Marshall BrewerHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X27 Marshall Brewer
Ron WanlessFord XC Falcon Cobra27 Ron Wanless
Ray AllfordFord XC Falcon Cobra28Ray Allford
Rod DonovanFord XC Falcon28Rod Donovan
Garry WillmingtonFord XC Falcon29 Garry Willmington
Bill O'BrienFord XC Falcon30 Bill O'Brien
Greater Pacific FinanceHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X33 Garry Rogers
Bill EvansFord Escort36 Bill Evans
Scotty Taylor HoldenHolden LH Torana SLR5000 L3437Alan Taylor
Greg SmeltHolden LH Torana SLR5000 L3438Greg Smelt
Terry ShielMazda RX-339 Terry Shiel
Ross BurbidgeMazda RX-340 Ross Burbidge
Larry KoggeMazda RX-341Larry Kogge
Geoff LeedsFord Capri V643 Geoff Leeds
Alan BryantMazda RX-345Alan Bryant
Ray FarrarFord Capri V646Ray Farrar
Barry JonesMazda RX-347 Barry Jones
K.KempMazda RX-348K.Kemp
Capri ComponentsFord Capri Mk I50 Lawrie Nelson
Terry DalyFord Capri V651Terry Daly
Masterton HomesFord Capri V652 Steve Masterton
Ray CutchieFord Capri Mk I53 Ray Cutchie
Roger CartwrightFord Escort RS2000 Mk 154 Roger Cartwright
Craig VolkersFord Capri V655 Craig Volkers
Martin PowerTriumph Dolomite Sprint56 Martin Power
David CannonFord Escort RS200058 David Cannon
T.HomeyerFord Capri V659T.Homeyer
Peter KueblerAlfa Romeo 2000 GTV62 Peter Kuebler
Ian ChilmanMazda RX-362 Ian Chilman
Ray GulsonAlfa Romeo 2000 GTV64 Ray Gulson
Graeme HooleyHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X71Graeme Hooley
John GatesMazda RX-372John Gates
Brian HallToyota Celica74 Brian Hall
David BailFord Escort RS200075 David Bail
Peter Williamson P/LToyota Celica77 Peter Williamson
John FaulknerFord Capri V679John Faulkner
Ric RossiterHolden LH Torana SLR5000 L3487Ric Rossiter
Ray KaledaHolden LX Torana SS 5000 A9X97Ray Kaleda
Bob ShepherdHolden LH Torana SLR5000 L3499Bob Shepherd

Classes

For championship points allocation purposes, cars competed in two displacement classes:
Championship points were awarded on a 9,6,4,3,2,1 basis to the first six placegetters in each class and on a 4,3,2,1 basis to the first four placegetters irrespective of class. Only the best seven results counted towards the total.

Championship results