1976 Australian Touring Car Championship
The 1976 Australian Touring Car Championship was a series of motor races for Touring cars conforming to the Australia Group C touring car regulations. It was the 17th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began at Symmons Plains Raceway on 29 February and ended at 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. The series expanded to eleven rounds, incorporating the longer distance races (the races of Australian Championship of Makes) from late in the season for the first time, including the Sandown 500 and the Phillip Island 500K, although notably not the Bathurst 1000.[1]
After spending portions of the 1975 season on the sidelines, Allan Moffat won his second Australian Touring Car Championship. Moffat won Calder, Oran Park and Adelaide International, building up an impressive mid-season points lead that his rivals could not catch. By mid-year Moffat had re-launched his team as the Moffat Ford Dealers team with a brand new Ford Falcon XB GT built just before the second half of the season after Moffat lost his race winning car when his transporter burned down on its way to Adelaide in June. Moffat borrowed John Goss' Falcon to keep in the series until the new car was built.
Barry Seton racing a Ford Capri in the under three litre engine class was Moffat's title threat for most of the year, winning class four times, with a best finish of sixth outright at Sandown. Seton lost second place in the championship to Holden Dealer Team driver Colin Bond when the Holden Torana LH L34 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.
Teams and drivers
The following drivers competed in the 1976 ATCC.
Three litre class competitors
Calendar
The 1976 Australian Touring Car Championship consisted of eleven rounds.[2]
| Rd. |
Circuit |
City / State |
Date |
Winner |
Team |
Report |
| 1 |
Symmons Plains Raceway |
Launceston, Tasmania |
29 February |
John Harvey |
B&D Autos |
|
| 2 |
Calder Park Raceway |
Melbourne, Victoria |
17 March |
Allan Moffat |
Moffat Ford Dealers |
|
| 3 |
Oran Park Raceway |
Sydney, New South Wales |
28 March |
Allan Moffat |
Moffat Ford Dealers |
|
| 4 |
Sandown International Raceway |
Melbourne, Victoria |
11 April |
Colin Bond |
Holden Dealer Team |
|
| 5 |
Amaroo Park |
Sydney, New South Wales |
18 April |
Charlie O'Brien |
|
|
| 6 |
Adelaide International Raceway |
Adelaide, South Australia |
6 June |
Allan Moffat |
Moffat Ford Dealers |
|
| 7 |
Lakeside International Raceway |
Brisbane, Queensland |
27 June |
Colin Bond |
Holden Dealer Team |
|
| 8 |
Hang Ten 400, Sandown International Raceway |
Melbourne, Victoria |
12 September |
Peter Brock |
Bill Patterson Holden |
report |
| 9 |
Rothmans 250, Adelaide International Raceway |
Adelaide, South Australia |
24 October |
Allan Grice |
Craven Mild Racing |
|
| 10 |
Surfers Paradise International Raceway |
Surfers Paradise, Queensland |
30 October |
Peter Brock |
Bill Patterson Holden |
|
| 11 |
Rover 500, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit |
Phillip Island, Victoria |
28 November |
Colin Bond |
Holden Dealer Team |
report |
Results
Points system
Points are awarded to any driver that completes 75% of race distance and is running on the completion of the final lap.
| Pos |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
5th |
6th |
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 |
Drivers Championship
Results sourced in part from:[1]
| Pos |
Driver |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Rd 4 |
Rd 5 |
Rd 6 |
Rd 7 |
Rd 8 |
Rd 9 |
Rd 10 |
Rd 11 |
Pts |
| 1 |
Allan Moffat |
6th(1) |
1st(13) |
1st(13) |
Ret |
2nd(9) |
1st(13) |
2nd(9) |
2nd(11) |
4th(5) |
2nd(11) |
|
85 |
| 2 |
Colin Bond |
2nd(9) |
2nd(9) |
4th(4) |
1st(13) |
Ret |
3rd(6) |
1st(13) |
Ret |
5th(2) |
Ret |
1st(16) |
72 |
| 3 |
Barry Seton |
|
9th(9) |
(4) |
8th(9) |
(4) |
8th(9) |
7th(9) |
6th(12) |
9th(6) |
7th(8) |
|
70 |
| 4 |
Allan Grice |
13th |
3rd(6) |
2nd(9) |
5th(2) |
|
2nd(9) |
|
Ret |
1st(16) |
|
5th(12) |
54 |
| 5 |
Charlie O'Brien |
11th |
6th(1) |
5th(2) |
|
1st(13) |
5th(2) |
3rd(6) |
4th(5) |
3rd(8) |
5th(2) |
2nd(11) |
48(50) |
| 6 |
Peter Brock |
|
4th(4) |
|
2nd(9) |
|
|
|
1st(16) |
|
1st(16) |
Ret |
45 |
| 7 |
Murray Carter |
14th |
|
3rd(6) |
|
5th(2) |
4th(4) |
5th(2) |
5th(2) |
2nd(11) |
3rd(8) |
Ret |
35 |
| 8 |
Don Holland |
9th(6) |
(4) |
(3) |
|
(9) |
(2) |
10th(4) |
(2) |
|
|
|
31 |
| 9 |
Bob Morris |
3rd(6) |
|
|
Ret |
|
|
|
Ret |
7th(12) |
6th(12) |
Ret |
30 |
| 10 |
Lyndon Arnel |
8th(9) |
Ret |
(9) |
|
(6) |
(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
28 |
| 11 |
John Harvey |
1st(13) |
|
|
4th(4) |
3rd(6) |
|
|
|
|
|
Ret |
23 |
| 12 |
Lawrie Nelson |
|
Ret |
|
10th(6) |
|
(6) |
|
8th(6) |
|
|
Ret |
18 |
| 13 |
Paul Older |
10th(4) |
|
|
(3) |
(1) |
(3) |
9th(6) |
|
|
|
|
17 |
| 14 |
Peter Janson |
5th(2) |
|
10th |
|
|
10th |
|
|
|
|
3rd(8) |
10 |
| Alan Cant |
|
|
(6) |
(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10 |
| 16 |
Graeme Blanchard |
|
|
|
6th(1) |
|
|
|
3rd(8) |
|
|
|
9 |
| Garth Wigston |
4th(4) |
|
7th |
Ret |
|
|
|
Ret |
|
|
4th(5) |
9 |
| Russell Skaife |
|
10th(6) |
|
|
(3) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
| Bob Holden |
12th(3) |
Ret |
(2) |
(1) |
(2) |
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
9 |
| 20 |
Lakis Manticas |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th(8) |
|
|
|
8 |
| Jim Laing-Peach |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th(8) |
|
Ret |
8 |
| Frank Porter |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9th(8) |
8 |
| Graham Moore |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
9th(4) |
|
9th(4) |
|
8 |
| 24 |
Frank Gardner |
|
|
|
3rd(6) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
| Barry Wheeler |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
8th(6) |
|
6 |
| Bob Nissen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10th(6) |
6 |
| 27 |
Bob Forbes |
|
|
6th(1) |
|
4th(4) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5 |
| Jack Brabham |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th(5) |
|
5 |
| 29 |
Dick Johnson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4th(4) |
|
|
|
|
4 |
| Pat Crea |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10th(4) |
|
|
4 |
| Geoff Newton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(4) |
4 |
| 32 |
Bruce Hindhaugh |
|
5th(2) |
|
|
|
6th(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
3 |
| John Wharton |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(3) |
|
|
|
|
3 |
| 34 |
John Stoopman |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6th(2) |
2 |
| Craig Bradtke |
|
|
|
(2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2 |
| Barry Wraith |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
|
|
|
2 |
| David Seldon |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
|
2 |
| Peter Granger |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
|
2 |
| Roger Bonhomme |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(2) |
2 |
| 40 |
Ray Kaleda |
|
|
9th |
|
6th(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| Phil Brock |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6th(1) |
|
|
|
|
1 |
| Wayne Negus |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10th(1) |
|
|
|
1 |
| Warren Cullen |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ret |
6th(1) |
|
|
1 |
| Kevin Kennedy |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
10th(1) |
|
1 |
| John Pollard |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
7th(1) |
1 |
| John Braithwaite |
|
|
(1) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
| Russell Worthington |
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
|
|
|
1 |
| Ron Dickson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
|
|
1 |
| Geoff Ibbotson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
|
1 |
| Jim Duggan |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
1 |
| Chris Heyer |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
1 |
| Pos |
Driver |
Rd 1 |
Rd 2 |
Rd 3 |
Rd 4 |
Rd 5 |
Rd 6 |
Rd 7 |
Rd 8 |
Rd 9 |
Rd 10 |
Rd 11 |
Pts |
|
| Colour |
Result |
| Gold |
Winner |
| Silver |
2nd place |
| Bronze |
3rd place |
| Green |
Finished, in points |
| Blue |
Finished, no points |
| Not classified (NC) |
| Purple |
Did not finish (Ret) |
| Red |
Did not qualify (DNQ) |
| Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ) |
| Black |
Disqualified (DSQ) |
| White |
Did not start (DNS) |
| Withdrew (WD) |
| Race cancelled (C) |
| Blank |
Did not participate |
| Excluded (EX) |
|
Three litre class competitors
References