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1973 Australian Touring Car Championship

The 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship was an Australian motor racing competition for Group C Touring Cars. It began at Symmons Plains on 5 March 1973 and ended at Warwick Farm after eight rounds. The championship, which was authorised by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as an Australian National Title, was the 14th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship.

The championship was won by Allan Moffat in a Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III.

The night before Round 6 of the series at the Adelaide International Raceway, Moffat's GTHO Falcon was stolen from Stillwell Ford in the northern Adelaide suburb of Medindie. Rather than see Moffat out of the race (he was the series points leader at the time having won the opening 4 rounds and finishing 3rd in round 5), Murray Carter loaned Moffat his GTHO Falcon for the race. Peter Brock won the race while Moffat kept his points lead by finishing second. Moffat's stolen Falcon was later found abandoned in the Adelaide Hills where the thieves who had taken it for a "joy ride" dumped it when it ran out of fuel.

Entrants and drivers

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The following drivers competed in the 1973 ATCC. The series consisted of eight rounds held in six different states. As of 2022, Elemer Vajda's entry is still the only Subaru to have contested an ATCC/V8 Supercars race.[1]

Entrant Car No Driver
Holden Dealer Team Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 1 Peter Brock
Grace Brothers Racing Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 1 Ian Geoghegan
Holden Dealer Team Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 2 Peter Brock
Murray Carter - Shell Racing Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III 3 Murray Carter
Dick Johnson Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 4 Dick Johnson
McLeod Ford Ford XA Falcon GT Hardtop 5 John Goss
Road & Track Auto Services Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III 6 Fred Gibson
Bob Jane Racing Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 7 Bob Jane
Allan Moffat Racing Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III 9 Allan Moffat
Grace Brothers Racing Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 10 Ian Geoghegan
Holden Dealer Team Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 11 Peter Brock
Ron Hodgson Motors Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 11 Bob Morris
Bob Holden Ford Escort Twin Cam 13 Bob Holden
Peter Robinson Motors Lilydale Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 14 Tony Niovanni
John Stoopman Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 15 John Stoopman
Graeme Blanchard Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 16 Graeme Blanchard
Bryan Thomson Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 17 Bryan Thomson
Ted Mudie Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 18 Ted Mudie
Cessnock Motor Works Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 19 Allan Grice
Rod McRae Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 20 Rod McRae
Phil Barnes Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 21 Phil Barnes
Phillip Lyon Ford Escort Twin Cam 23 Phillip Lyon
Holden Dealer Team Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 24 Colin Bond
Graham Parsons Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 25 Graham Parsons
Lakis Manticas Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 27 Lakis Manticas
Stuart Saker Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 29 Stuart Saker
Don Holden Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 30 Don Holland
Gary Cooke Mazda RX-3 31 Gary Cooke
Graham Ryan Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 32 Graham Ryan
Ken Loughan Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 34 Ken Loughan
Alan Cant Ford Escort Twin Cam 37 Alan Cant
John Duggan Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 39 John Duggan
John French Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III 44 John French
Rod Housego Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 45 Rod Housego
Lyndon Arnel Ford Escort Twin Cam 47 Lyndon Arnel
Geoff Leeds Ford Escort Twin Cam 49 Geoff Leeds
Tony Farrell Ford Escort Twin Cam 52 Tony Farrell
Barry Bassingthwaite Ford Escort Twin Cam 57 Barry Bassingthwaite
Strapp Ford Doncaster Ford Escort Twin Cam 58 Graham Ritter
David Jamieson Ford Mustang 60 David Jamieson
Campbell Lambert Morris Cooper S 61 Campbell Lambert
Tony Watts Morris Cooper S 62 Tony Watts
Chris Pawson Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 63 Chris Pawson [2]
Westland Autos Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III 64 Bill Dickson
Werner Tulipan Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 66 Werner Tulipan
Peter Granger Ford Escort Twin Cam 67 Peter Granger
Nick Munting Toyota Corolla 68 Nick Munting [3]
John Dellaca Morris Cooper S 69 John Dellaca
Rod Miles Morris Clubman GT 72 Rod Miles
Stewart McLeod Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 73 Stewart McLeod
Gary Keen Mazda RX-3 75 Gary Keen
Bob Jane Racing Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 76 Bob Jane
Garry Rowe Ford Escort Twin Cam 77 Garry Rowe
Martin Anderson Morris Cooper S 78 Martin Anderson
Jim Stewart Morris Cooper S 79 Jim Stewart
Brett Keightley Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 80 Brett Keightley
Elemer Vajda Subaru 1300 81 Elemer Vajda
Eric Olsen Ford Escort Twin Cam 83 Eric Olsen
Paul Gulson Fiat 128 Coupe 85 Paul Gulson
Tony Allen Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 87 Tony Allen
Lawrie Nelson Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 88 Lawrie Nelson
John Piper Ford Escort Twin Cam 90 John Piper
Mel McEwin Toyota Corolla 91 Mel McEwin
Keith McCloy Morris Cooper S 94 Keith McCloy
Rod Boyle Morris Cooper S 95 Rod Boyle
Graeme Adams Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 96 Graeme Adams
Bill Nitschke Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 97 Bill Nitschke
World of Tyres Chrysler Valiant Charger R/T E49 98 Ian Diffen
Alfred Colledge Morris Cooper S 99 Alfred Colledge
W. S. Nitschke Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 101 John Lewis
Paul Moore Toyota Corolla 102 Paul Moore
Rod Morris Morris Cooper S 107 Rod Morris
Motorama Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 154 Ray Thackwell

Calendar

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The 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship consisted of eight rounds.[4]

Rd. Race title Circuit City / state Date Winning driver Winning car Entrant
1 Symmons Plains Symmons Plains Raceway Launceston, Tasmania 5 March Allan Moffat Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III Allan Moffat
2 Calder Calder Park Raceway Melbourne, Victoria 18 March Allan Moffat Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III Allan Moffat
3 Sandown Sandown International Raceway Melbourne, Victoria 15 April Allan Moffat Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III Allan Moffat
4 Wanneroo Wanneroo Park Perth Western Australia 6 May Allan Moffat Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III Allan Moffat
5 Surfers Paradise Surfers Paradise International Raceway Surfers Paradise, Queensland 20 May Peter Brock Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Holden Dealer Team
6 Datsun Trophy[5] Adelaide International Raceway Adelaide, South Australia 10 June Peter Brock Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Holden Dealer Team
7 Oran Park Oran Park Raceway Sydney, New South Wales 24 June Allan Moffat Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III Allan Moffat
8 Warwick Farm Warwick Farm Raceway Sydney, New South Wales 15 July Peter Brock Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Holden Dealer Team

Points system

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Car competed in two classes:

  • Up to and including 2000 cc
  • Over 2000 cc

Points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis for the first six positions in each class at each round with additional points awarded on a 4-3-2-1 basis for the first four positions, regardless of class, at each round.

Championship standings

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Pos.[6] Driver [6] SYM CAL SAN WAN SUR ADE ORA WAR Pts [6]
1 Allan Moffat 1st(13) 1st(13) 1st(13) 1st(13) 3rd(6) 2nd(9) 1st(13) Ret 80
2 Peter Brock 2nd(9) Ret Ret 2nd(9) 1st(13) 1st(13) DSQ 1st(13) 57
3 Graham Ritter 8th(9) 9th(9) (9) 7th(9) DNS 7th(9) Ret 6th(9) 54
4 Bob Holden (4) Ret (4) Ret 10th(9) 7th(6) 23
Eric Olsen Ret 10th(6) (3) 8th(6) 10th(6) (2) 23
6 Ian Geoghegan Ret 3rd(6) Ret 2nd(9) Ret Ret 3rd(6) 21
7 Fred Gibson 2nd(9) 4th(4) 3rd(6) Ret 19
8 Murray Carter 5th(2) 5th(2) 3rd(6) 4th(4) 7th DNS 7th 5th(2) 16
9 Lawrie Nelson DSQ 2nd(9) 3rd(6) 15
10 Bob Morris 4th(4) 2nd(9) 13
11 Colin Bond 2nd(9) 9
Lyndon Arnel 5th(9) 9
Tony Farrell (3) (6) 9
14 John Goss 3rd(6) DSQ Ret 5th(2) Ret Ret 8
15 Bill Dickson 3rd(6) 6
John Stoopman 6th(1) 6th(1) 4th(4) 6
Tony Watts 9th(6) 6
Mel McEwin (6) 6
Paul Gulson (6) 6
20 Bryan Thomson 4th(4) 6th(1) 5
Rod Morris (2) (3) 5
22 Bob Jane 4th(4) DSQ 4
Graham Blanchard 10th 4th(4) 8th 4
Don Holland 9th 4th(4) 4
Ian Diffen 6th(1) 7th 5th(2) 8th 6th(1) 8th 4
John Piper (4) 4
Rod Miles (4) 4
Peter Moore (4) 4
Gary Cooke (4) 4
Geoff Leeds (4) 4
31 Adrian Lewis (3) 3
Keith McCloy (3) 3
Nick Munting (3) 3
Peter Granger (3) 3
35 Rod McRae DSQ 5th(2) 2
Tony Niovanni DSQ 7th 5th(2) 2
Lakis Manticas 5th(2) 2
Alf Colledge (2) 2
Phillip Lyons (2) 2
Elemer Vajda (2) 2
Alan Cant (2) 2
42
John Lewis 6th(1) 1
Dick Johnson 6th(1) 1
Ted Mudie (1) 1
Garry Rowe (1) 1
Pos Driver Sym. Cal. San. Wan. Sur. Ade. Ora. War. Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (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 practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)
  Up to and including 2000 cc class competitors

References

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  1. ^ Howard, Graham (1986). Australian Touring Car Championship - 25 fabulous years. Sydney, Australia: R & T Publishing. p. 280. ISBN 0959037829.
  2. ^ Peter Oliver, Brock's Sensational Sixth, Racing Car News, July 1973, pages 62 & 63
  3. ^ Official Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday, June 10, 1973
  4. ^ V8 Central website
  5. ^ "1973 Australian Touring Car Championship Programmes". The Programme Covers Project. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
  6. ^ a b c The official history - Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years, page 137