1997 Australian Touring Car season

1997 Australian Touring Car season
Previous: 1996	Next: 1998

The 1997 Australian Touring Car season was the 38th year of touring car racing in Australia since the first runnings of the Australian Touring Car Championship and the fore-runner of the present day Bathurst 1000, the Armstrong 500.

Two major touring car categories raced in Australia during 1997, V8 Supercar and Super Touring. Between them there were 26 touring car race meetings held during 1997; a ten round series for V8 Supercars, the 1997 Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC); an eight round series for Super Touring, the 1997 Australian Super Touring Championship (ASTC); an unofficial four round series for V8 Supercars, the 1997 ARDC AMSCAR series; support programme events at the 1997 Australian Grand Prix and 1997 Sunbelt IndyCarnival and three stand alone long distance races, nicknamed 'enduros'.

Contents 1 Season review 2 Results and Standings 2.1 Race Calendar 2.2 Super Touring GT-P Race 2.3 TAC V8 Supercar Showdown 2.4 Australian Touring Car Championship 2.5 Hog's Breath V8 Supercar Challenge 2.6 Australian Super Touring Championship 2.7 ARDC AMSCAR series 2.8 Tickford 500 2.9 AMP Bathurst 1000 2.10 Primus 1000 Classic 3 References 4 External links

Season review

Results and Standings

Race Calendar

The 1997 Australian touring car season consisted of 26 events.

Date	Series	Circuit	City / State	Winner	Team	Car	Report
7 – 9 Mar	Super Touring GT-P Race	Albert Park	Melbourne, Victoria	Jim Richards	Volvo Cars Australia	Volvo 850
	TAC V8 Supercar Showdown			Russell Ingall	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore
15 Mar	ATCC Round 1	Calder Park Raceway	Melbourne, Victoria	Wayne Gardner	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore
5 – 6 Apr	Hog's Breath Cafe V8 Supercar Challenge	Surfers Paradise street circuit	Surfers Paradise, Queensland	Russell Ingall	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore
13 Apr	ATCC Round 2	Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit	Phillip Island, Victoria	Russell Ingall	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore
27 Apr	ATCC Round 3	Sandown International Raceway	Melbourne, Victoria	Glenn Seton	Glenn Seton Racing	Ford EL Falcon
4 May	ATCC Round 4	Symmons Plains Raceway	Launceston, Tasmania	Greg Murphy	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore
4 May	ASTC Round 1	Lakeside International Raceway	Brisbane, Queensland	Paul Morris	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i
18 May	ATCC Round 5	Winton Motor Raceway	Benalla, Victoria	Russell Ingall	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore
25 May	ATCC Round 6	Eastern Creek Raceway	Sydney, New South Wales	Glenn Seton	Glenn Seton Racing	Ford EL Falcon
1 Jun	ASTC Round 2	Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit	Phillip Island, Victoria	Paul Morris	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i
15 Jun	ATCC Round 7	Lakeside International Raceway	Brisbane, Queensland	John Bowe	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon
22 Jun	ASTC Round 3	Calder Park Raceway	Melbourne, Victoria	Geoff Brabham	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i
22 Jun	AMSCAR Round 1	Eastern Creek Raceway	Sydney, New South Wales	Allan McCarthy	West Coast Racing	Ford EL Falcon
6 Jul	ATCC Round 8	Barbagallo Raceway	Perth, Western Australia	Peter Brock	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore
13 Jul	ATCC Round 9	Mallala Motor Sport Park	Adelaide, South Australia	Greg Murphy	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore
20 Jul	ASTC Round 4	Amaroo Park	Sydney, New South Wales	Brad Jones	Brad Jones Racing	Audi A4 Quattro
	AMSCAR Round 2			Mal Rose	Mal Rose Racing	Holden VS Commodore
3 Aug	ATCC Round 10	Oran Park Raceway	Sydney, New South Wales	Greg Murphy	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore
10 Aug	ASTC Round 5	Winton Motor Raceway	Benalla, Victoria	Paul Morris	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i
24 Aug	ASTC Round 6	Mallala Motor Sport Park	Adelaide, South Australia	Cameron McConville	Brad Jones Racing	Audi A4 Quattro
31 Aug	AMSCAR Round 3	Eastern Creek Raceway	Sydney, New South Wales	Mal Rose	Mal Rose Racing	Holden VS Commodore
14 Sep	Tickford Sandown 500	Sandown International Raceway	Melbourne, Victoria	Greg Murphy Craig Lowndes	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	report
5 Oct	AMP Bathurst 1000	Mount Panorama Circuit	Bathurst, New South Wales	Geoff Brabham David Brabham	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i	report
19 Oct	Primus 1000 Classic	Mount Panorama Circuit	Bathurst, New South Wales	Russell Ingall Larry Perkins	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore	report
26 Oct	ASTC Round 7	Lakeside International Raceway	Brisbane, Queensland	Paul Morris	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i
9 Nov	ASTC Round 8	Amaroo Park	Sydney, New South Wales	Geoff Brabham	Paul Morris Motorsport	BMW 320i
7 Dec	AMSCAR Round 4	Eastern Creek Raceway	Sydney, New South Wales	Michael Donaher	Clive Wiseman Racing	Holden VS Commodore

Super Touring GT-P Race

This meeting was a support event of the 1997 Australian Grand Prix. The thin Super Touring field was bolstered by cars from the Australian GT-Production Car Championship (indicated in italics).

Driver	No.	Team	Car	Race 1	Race 2
Jim Richards	6	Volvo Cars Australia	Volvo 850	1	1
Steven Richards	34	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Honda Accord	2	2
Geoff Brabham	83	BMW Motorsport Australia	BMW 320i	DSQ	3
Paul Morris	2	BMW Motorsport Australia	BMW 320i	DSQ	4
Brad Jones	1	Brad Jones Racing	Audi A4 Quattro	DNF	5
Alan Jones	3	Brad Jones Racing	Audi A4 Quattro	3	6
Bob Tweedie	79	IBC Motorsport	Vauxhall Cavalier	4	7
Cameron McConville	22	Warwick Fabrics	Porsche 993 RSCS	5	8
John Bowe	10	Ross Palmer Motorsport	Ferrari F355 Challenge	7	9
Justin Mathews	16	Bob Holden Motors	BMW 318i	6	10
Rusty French	28		Porsche 993 RSCS	8	11
Max Dunn	46		Porsche 993 RSCS	10	12
Ross Palmer	72	Ross Palmer Motorsport	Ferrari F355 Challenge	DNF	13
Tony Newman	37	TC Motorsport	Peugeot 405 Mi16	9	14
Guy Gibbons	33		Subaru Impreza WRX	11	15
Ian McAllister	66		Volvo 850 T5-R	13	16
Eric Houghton	4	Zega Automotive Group	Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E Evo IV	DNF	17
Murray Carter	18		Nissan 200SX Turbo	14	18
Colin Osborne	21	Osborne Motorsport	Toyota MR2 Bathurst	12	19
Andrej Pavicevic	31		Subaru Impreza WRX	DNF	DNS
Peter Hills	88	Knight Racing	Ford Mondeo	DNS	DNS

TAC V8 Supercar Showdown

This meeting was a support event of the 1997 Australian Grand Prix.

Driver	No.	Team	Car	Race 1	Race 2	Race 3
Russell Ingall	8	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore	1	1	1
Larry Perkins	11	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore	2	2	2
Peter Brock	05	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	6	3	3
John Bowe	18	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	DNS	5	4
Greg Murphy	15	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	3	8	5
Wayne Gardner	7	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	DNS	7	6
Dick Johnson	17	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	7	4	7
Alan Jones	9	Alan Jones Racing	Ford EL Falcon	5	6	8
John Faulkner	46	John Faulkner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	22	11	9
Tony Longhurst	25	Tony Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	14	9	10
Mark Noske	97	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	9	10	11
Steve Ellery	52	Tony Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	24	12	12
Glenn Seton	30	Glenn Seton Racing	Ford EL Falcon	4	DNS	13
Trevor Ashby	3	Lansvale Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	11	15	14
Mark Skaife	2	Gibson Motor Sport	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	13	15
Kevin Schwantz	75	John Sidney Racing	Ford EF Falcon	26	18	16
Tomas Mezera	47	Daily Planet Racing	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	17	17
Steven Richards	34	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	12	14	18
Terry Finnigan	27		Holden VS Commodore	15	DNF	19
Kevin Heffernan	74	PACE Racing	Holden VS Commodore	25	21	20
Mark Larkham	10	Larkham Motor Sport	Ford EL Falcon	10	20	21
Anthony Tratt	42		Holden VP Commodore	17	16	22
Chris Smerdon	39	Challenge Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	16	19	23
Malcolm Stenniken	14		Holden VR Commodore	18	28	24
Ian Palmer	20	Palmer Promotions	Holden VS Commodore	19	25	25
Wayne Russell	62		Holden VP Commodore	20	24	26
Shaun Walker	99		Holden VS Commodore	23	27	27
Mike Conway	79	Cadillac Productions	Holden VP Commodore	21	DNF	28
John Cotter	26	M3 Motorsport	Holden VP Commodore	DNF	26	29
Neil Crompton	4	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	8	23	DNF
Mark Poole	38	James Rosenberg	Holden VS Commodore	13	22	DNS
Rob Middleton	66	Clive Wiseman Racing	Holden VP Commodore	DNF	DNS	DNS

Australian Touring Car Championship

Hog's Breath V8 Supercar Challenge

This meeting was a support event of the 1997 Sunbelt IndyCarnival.^[1]

Driver	No.	Team	Car	Race 1	Race 2
Russell Ingall	8	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore	2	1
Larry Perkins	11	Castrol Perkins Racing	Holden VS Commodore	5	2
Wayne Gardner	7	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	7	3
Neil Crompton	4	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	6	4
Tony Longhurst	25	Tony Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	8	5
Alan Jones	9	Alan Jones Racing	Ford EL Falcon	3	6
Mark Larkham	10	Larkham Motor Sport	Ford EL Falcon	10	7
John Faulkner	46	John Faulkner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	9	8
Peter Brock	05	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	4	9
Steve Ellery	52	Tony Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	13	10
Steven Johnson	49	Alcair Racing	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	11
Tomas Mezera	47	Daily Planet Racing	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	12
John Bowe	18	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	DNF	13
Steve Reed	3	Lansvale Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	14
Kevin Heffernan	74	PACE Racing	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	15
Garry Willmington	41	Garry Willmington Performance	Ford EB Falcon	16	16
Wayne Russell	62		Holden VP Commodore	14	17
Greg Murphy	15	Holden Racing Team	Holden VS Commodore	1	DNF
Mark Poole	38	James Rosenberg	Holden VS Commodore	12	DNF
Danny Osborne	22	Colourscan Motorsport	Ford EF Falcon	15	DNF
Paul Romano	24	Romano Racing	Holden VS Commodore	11	DNF
Glenn Seton	30	Glenn Seton Racing	Ford EL Falcon	DNF	DNS
Dick Johnson	17	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	DNF	DNS
Steven Richards	34	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	DNF	DNS
Terry Finnigan	27		Holden VS Commodore	DNF	DNS

Australian Super Touring Championship

ARDC AMSCAR series

Tickford 500

AMP Bathurst 1000

Primus 1000 Classic

References

External links

• Official V8 Supercar site
• 1997 Racing Results Archive

Australian Touring Car Racing Australian Touring Car Championship 1960 • 1961 • 1962 • 1963 • 1964 • 1965 • 1966 • 1967 • 1968 • 1969 • 1970 • 1971 • 1972 • 1973 • 1974 • 1975 • 1976 • 1977 • 1978 • 1979 1980 • 1981 • 1982 • 1983 • 1984 • 1985 • 1986 • 1987 • 1988 • 1989 • 1990 • 1991 • 1992 • 1993 • 1994 • 1995 • 1996 • 1997 • 1998 Shell Championship Series 1999 • 2000 • 2001 V8Supercar Championship Series 2002 • 2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 • 2008 • 2009 • 2010 International V8 Supercars Championship 2011 • 2012 Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series Australian Super Touring Championship V8 Touring Car National Series‎ List of Australian Touring Car and V8 Supercar champions List of Australian Touring Car Championship races