Oran Park V8 Supercar round

New South Wales Oran Park V8 Supercar round
Race Information
Venue Oran Park Raceway
Number of times held 37
First held 1971
Last held 2007
Race Format
Race 1
Laps 46
Distance 120 km
Race 2
Laps 46
Distance 120 km
Race 3
Laps 46
Distance 120 km
Last Event (2007)
Overall Winner
Australia Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport
Race Winners
Australia Mark SkaifeHolden Racing Team
Australia Craig LowndesTriple Eight Race Engineering
Australia Lee HoldsworthGarry Rogers Motorsport

The Oran Park V8 Supercar round was a V8 Supercar, and formerly Australian Touring Car Championship, motor racing event held at Oran Park Raceway in Narellan, New South Wales, Australia. The event was held from 1971 to 2007, with only three circuits having hosted more events in championship history.

History

The Oran Park round of the championship was often held as the final round of the Australian Touring Car Championship and as such decided several championship titles. The first of these was in the inaugural event in 1971, with Bob Jane, Ian Geoghegan and Allan Moffat all entering the round with a chance of winning the championship. Moffat had led the race early before hitting problems, eventually closing down Jane in the final laps but unable to overtake.[1] The race was also infamous for a spectator driving their Chrysler Valiant onto the circuit during the race.

Bob Morris won the 1984 event, despite not only having not competed in any other championship round that year, but having not competed at all in the ATCC since he won the 1980 Oran Park event.[2] The 1980s saw significant variety in the results, with seven different marques taking an event win. From 1985 to 1998 the circuit returned to the season-ending event on the calendar. One of the more controversial deciders in the circuit's history occurred in 1987 with championship combatants Jim Richards and Glenn Seton making contact as Richards took the lead and the championship victory.[1] In 1989, long-time Holden driver Peter Brock won his first championship round aboard a Ford.[3]

In 1997, Brock farewelled the sport as a full-time driver at the event, winning the first race and only losing a likely round victory late in the third race when a puncture dropped him down the order. At the same event, Glenn Seton secured his second championship ten years after his battle with Richards.[1] The 1997 event was part of a seven-year streak of wins from the Holden Racing Team, each of the last four going to Mark Skaife. In doing this, Skaife joined Moffat with a record six round wins at the circuit.[4]

The 2000 event was notable for a large start-line crash involving Larry Perkins, Paul Morris and Mark Larkham. Perkins stalled on the grid, and was hit by Morris who was then hit by Larkham, the latter two cars exploding into flames. All drivers escaped without serious injury.[5] The 2005 event saw Russell Ingall win the only round of his championship-winning year.[1] In 2007, Lee Holdsworth won his first championship race and round at the event in wet conditions.[6] This was to be the final round of this designation at the circuit with the 2008 event being branded under the Grand Finale umbrella. Following the 2008 event the circuit was demolished for a housing redevelopment.

Winners

The original circuit layout used in the 1970s
Year Driver[1] Entrant Car Report
1971 Australia Bob Jane Bob Jane Racing Team Chevrolet Camaro ZL-1
1972 Canada Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford Boss 302 Mustang
1973 Canada Allan Moffat Ford Works Team Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase 3
1974 Canada Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
1975 Australia Allan Grice Craven Mild Racing Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34
1976 Canada Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
1977 Canada Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop
1978 Australia Peter Brock Holden Dealer Team Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback
1979 Australia Bob Morris Ron Hodgson Motors Holden Torana LX A9X SS Hatchback
1980 Australia Bob Morris Craven Mild Racing Holden VB Commodore
1981 Australia Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford XD Falcon
1982 Australia Kevin Bartlett Nine Network Racing Team Chevrolet Camaro Z28
1983 Canada Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Racing Mazda RX-7
1984 Australia Bob Morris Barry Jones Mazda RX-7
1985 New Zealand Robbie Francevic Mark Petch Motorsport Volvo 240T
1986 Australia George Fury Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline DR30 RS
1987 New Zealand Jim Richards JPS Team BMW BMW M3
1988 Australia Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1989 Australia Peter Brock Mobil 1 Racing Ford Sierra RS500
1990 New Zealand Jim Richards Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R
1991 Australia Mark Skaife Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R
1992 Australia Mark Skaife Gibson Motorsport Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R
1993 New Zealand Jim Richards Gibson Motorsport Holden VP Commodore
1994 Australia Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford EB Falcon Report
1995 Australia John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford EF Falcon
1996 Australia Peter Brock Holden Racing Team Holden VR Commodore
1997 New Zealand Greg Murphy Holden Racing Team Holden VS Commodore
1998 Australia Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden VS Commodore
1999 Australia Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden VT Commodore Report
2000 Australia Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden VT Commodore
2001 Australia Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden VX Commodore Report
2002 Australia Mark Skaife Holden Racing Team Holden VX Commodore
2003 Australia Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford BA Falcon
2004 Australia Marcos Ambrose Stone Brothers Racing Ford BA Falcon
2005 Australia Russell Ingall Stone Brothers Racing Ford BA Falcon
2006 Australia Craig Lowndes Triple Eight Race Engineering Ford BA Falcon
2007 Australia Lee Holdsworth Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden VE Commodore Report

Multiple winners

By driver

Wins Driver Years
6 Canada Allan Moffat 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1983
Australia Mark Skaife 1991, 1992, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
3 Australia Bob Morris 1979, 1980, 1984
New Zealand Jim Richards 1987, 1990, 1993
Australia Peter Brock 1978, 1989, 1996
2 Australia Dick Johnson 1981, 1988
Australia Marcos Ambrose 2003, 2004
Australia Craig Lowndes 1998, 2006

By team

Wins Team
7 Holden Racing Team
5 Allan Moffat Racing
Gibson Motorsport
3 Dick Johnson Racing
Stone Brothers Racing
2 Craven Mild Racing

By manufacturer

Wins Manufacturer
14 Ford
13 Holden
4 Nissan
2 Chevrolet
Mazda

Event sponsors

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 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. 102–111. ISBN 978-0-9805912-2-4.
  2. ↑ "Bob Morris". Speedcafe. 2 November 2009. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  3. ↑ Tuckey, Bill (8 September 2016). "A tribute to Peter Brock". Motor Mag. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  4. ↑ Tomarchio, Cameron (18 August 2007). "Skaife wins race one at Oran Park". Drive.com.au. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
  5. ↑ Noonan, Aaron (24 June 2016). "Saturday Sleuthing: The Dude's lucky escape". Supercars.com. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
  6. ↑ "Rookie Holdsworth wins Oran Park round". ABC News. 19 August 2007. Retrieved 3 July 2017.
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