1968 Australian Touring Car Championship

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Layout of the Warwick Farm Raceway (1960-1973) Warwick Farm Raceway.png
Layout of the Warwick Farm Raceway (1960-1973)

The 1968 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title open to Group C Improved Production Touring Cars. [1] It was contested over a single race staged at the Warwick Farm circuit in New South Wales, Australia on 8 September 1968. The title, which was the ninth Australian Touring Car Championship, was won by Ian Geoghegan driving a Ford Mustang. It was the final Australian Touring Car Championship held as a single race, with the title being contested over a series of races from 1969 onwards. [2]

Report

Ian Geoghegan qualified on pole position, half a second faster than Norm Beechey who was now driving a Chevrolet Camaro SS. Bob Jane was third on the grid, with Jim McKeown and Peter Manton rounding out the top five. Geoghegan won the start and took the lead into the first corner ahead of Beechey and Jane, with the latter two almost touching halfway through the first lap. McKeown retired on lap 3 with a broken rear axle. Ian Dawson spun on the following lap while Nick Petrilli lost a wheel; a lap later Rod Coppins slowed with a loose exhaust. [2]

Jane's engine blew on lap 9, leaving Beechey as the sole challenger to Geoghegan. Fred Gibson's pit crew displayed a sign reading 'Jane in' to inform him of Jane's retirement, but Gibson misread the sign. He slowed on the following lap and pitted, losing six positions in the process. Beechey retired on lap 12 with mechanical problems, while Foley followed suit on the next lap. This left Geoghegan with a lead of twenty seconds over Paul Fahey and Manton. [2]

Fahey retired on lap 22, while Gibson had been making his way back through the field. Manton ran into problems on lap 28, allowing the Porsche 911 of Alan Hamilton into second and the Morris Cooper S of Darrell King into third. King attempted to close the gap to Hamilton, but collided with Graham Ryan and backed off to settle for third place. However, on the final lap, Hamilton went off the circuit and damaged a rear guard, folding it onto the tyre. King went through into second and finished over ninety seconds behind race winner Geoghegan, while Hamilton brought his car home with a blown tyre for third. [2]

Results

The Ford Mustang with which Ian Geoghegan won the championship. The car is pictured in 2013 in different specification. 1967 Ford Mustang Hardtop Geoghegan tribute (9693636955).jpg
The Ford Mustang with which Ian Geoghegan won the championship. The car is pictured in 2013 in different specification.

Class winners are indicated by bold text.

Pos.ClassNo.DriverEntrantCarLapsTime/Retired
1Over 3000cc1 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Ian Geoghegan The Mustang Team Ford Mustang 3459:06.8
21101–1500cc26 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Darrell KingD. King Morris Cooper S 34+1:31.0
31501–2000cc19 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Alan HamiltonPorsche Distributors (Aust./N.Z.) Pty Ltd Porsche 911 34+2:07.0
4Over 3000cc2 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Fred Gibson N.E. Allen Competition Pty Ltd Ford Mustang 33+1 lap
5Up to 1100cc9 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Laurie StewartBrian Foley Motors Morris Cooper S 33+1 lap
6Up to 1100cc30 Flag of Australia (converted).svg John MillyardMartinz Place Morris Cooper S 33+1 lap
71101–1500cc12 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Peter MantonPeter Manton Racing Morris Cooper S 33+1 lap
81101–1500cc32 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graeme SpenceK. Townsend Austin Cooper S 33+1 lap
9Up to 1100cc29 Flag of Australia (converted).svg John HumphreyHumphreys Golden Fleece Service Station Austin Cooper S 33+1 lap
10Over 3000cc17 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bryan ThomsonBryan Thomson Racing Ford Mustang 32+2 laps
11Up to 1100cc37 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Richard ThurstonA.M.I. Racing Team Toyota Corolla 31+3 laps
122001–3000cc23 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Herb TaylorH.E. Taylor Holden EH 28+6 laps
132001–3000cc24 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Graham RyanGraham Ryan Auto Repairs Holden EH 28+6 laps
RetOver 3000cc35 Flag of New Zealand.svg Ian DawsonI.W. (Red) Dawson Ford Mustang 23Tyres
RetOver 3000cc6 Flag of New Zealand.svg Paul FaheyP.B. Fahey Ford Mustang 21Gearbox
Ret1101–1500cc11 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Phil BarnesPhil Barnes Motor Service Morris Cooper S 19
Ret1101–1500cc28 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Fred SeeryF.R. Seery Morris Cooper S 15
Ret1101–1500cc8 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Brian FoleyBrian Foley Motors Pty Ltd Morris Cooper S 12Mechanical
Ret1501–2000cc16 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Chris BrauerC.D. Brauer Ford Cortina Mark I Lotus 12Steering
RetOver 3000cc4 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Norm Beechey Norm Beechey Chevrolet Camaro SS 11Mechanical
Ret1101–1500cc20 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Don HollandDon Holland Motors Morris Cooper S 8
RetOver 3000cc3 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Jane Bob Jane's Autoland Ford Mustang 8Camshaft
Ret1101–1500cc33 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Barrie BroomhallBarrie Broomhall Motors Morris Cooper S 6
RetOver 3000cc10 Flag of New Zealand.svg Rod CoppinsR. Coppins Ford Mustang 6Exhaust
Ret1101–1500cc27 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bruce JonesBruce A. Jones Morris Cooper S 4
Ret2001–3000cc21 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Nick PetrilliN. Petrilli Holden EH 3Wheel
Ret1501–2000cc7 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Jim McKeown Jim McKeown Motors Ford Cortina Mark II Lotus 2Axle
Ret1101–1500cc38 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Howie SangsterH.G. Sangster Morris Cooper S 1
Ret2001–3000cc22 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Martin CheneryM.R. Chenery Holden EH 0
RetUp to 1100cc36 Flag of Australia (converted).svg Bob Morris Bill Buckle Autos Toyota Corolla 0
Sources: [2] [3] [4]

Statistics

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References

  1. Conditions for Australian Titles, 1968 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 70–73.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Greenhalgh, David; Howard, Graham; Wilson, Stewart (2011). The official history: Australian Touring Car Championship - 50 Years. St Leonards, New South Wales: Chevron Publishing Group. pp. 76–81. ISBN   978-0-9805912-2-4.
  3. "Event 6, The 1968 Australian Touring Car Championship". Warwick Farm, 1968 Australian Touring Car Championship Official Programme. 8 September 1968. pp. 30–31.
  4. Floyd, Thomas (November 1968). "Geoghegan Holds Title". Sports Car World. pp. 16–28.
  5. Cooke, Barry (November 1968). "Touring Car Title - sound and fury". Modern Motor. pp. 57, 104.