The 1979 Australian Grand Prix was an open-wheel racing car race held at Wanneroo RacewaySouvenir Programme, Australian Grand Prix, Wanneroo Raceway, Sunday, March 11th, 1979 north of Perth in Western Australia on 11 March 1979.
The race, which was the first round of the 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship,Australian Drivers Championship - Wanneroo, Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1979/80, pages 92–93 was open to racing cars complying with Australian Formula 1Conditions for Australian Titles, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1979, page 95 (incorporating Formula 5000 and Formula Pacific). It was recognised by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as the 44th Australian Grand PrixAustralian Grand Prix Winners, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1980, page 55 and was the only Australian Grand Prix to be held at the Wanneroo Raceway.
Classification Results as follows:
Qualifying
Pos No Driver Car Entrant Qual Gap 1 84 Alfredo Costanzo Lola T430 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Alfredo Costanzo 0:52.11 — 2 12 Larry Perkins Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ansett Team Elfin 0:52.77 +0.66 3 25 John Walker Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 John Walker 0:53.00 +0.89 4 15 Terry Hook Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Terry Hook 0:53.20 +1.09 5 24 Jon Davison Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ranger Truck Rentals 0:54.20 +2.09 6 76 John Wright Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 John Wright 0:54.27 +2.16 7 7 John McCormack McLaren M23 / Leyland 5.0L V8 John McCormack 0:54.67 +2.56 8 11 John Bowe Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ansett Team Elfin 0:55.30 +3.19 9 10 Rob Butcher Lola T332 / Chevrolet V8 Rob Butcher 0:55.85 +3.74 10 71 John Smith Ralt RT1 / Ford 1.6L I4 John Smith 0:56.59 +4.48 11 38 Ivan Tighe Chevron B37 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ivan Tighe 0:57.11 +5.00 12 30 Peter Larner Chevron B39 / Ford 1.6L I4 Paul England Racing 0:57.30 +5.19 13 19 Barry Singleton Gardos GL1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Barry Singleton 0:58.20 +6.09 14 8 Rod Housego Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4 Rod Housego 1:00.70 +8.59 15 16 Bob Creasy Birrana 273 / Ford 1.6L I4 Bob Creasy 1:01.00 +8.89 16 40 Geoff Nicol Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4 Geoff Nicol 1:01.89 +9.78 17 3 Bill Downey Minos / Ford 1.6L I4 Bill Downey 1:03.35 +11.24 18 17 Bob Kingsbury El Toro / Alfa Romeo 1.6L I4 Bob Kingsbury 1:05.45 +13.34
Race Pos No Driver Car Entrant Laps Time 1 25 John Walker Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 John Walker 63 59m 09.72s 2 11 John Bowe Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ansett Team Elfin 63 59m 22.13s 3 10 Rob Butcher Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Rob Butcher 61 4 71 John Smith Ralt RT1 / Ford 1.6L I4 John Smith 61 5 15 Terry Hook Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Terry Hook 59 6 19 Barry Singleton Gardos GL1 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Barry Singleton 59 7 38 Ivan Tighe Chevron B37 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ivan Tighe 49 8 40 Geoff Nicol Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4 Geoff Nicol 45 Ret 76 John Wright Lola T400 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 John Wright 62 Engine Ret 17 Bob Kingsbury El Toro / Alfa Romeo 1.6L I4 Bob Kingsbury 39 Battery Ret 7 John McCormack McLaren M23 / Leyland 5.0L V8 John McCormack 36 Gearbox Ret 8 Rod Housego Elfin 622 / Ford 1.6L I4 Rod Housego 33 Exhaust Ret 3 Bill Downey MinosDowney was entered to drive a Birrana 273 but actually raced a Minos, as per The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, page 429 / Ford 1.6L I4 Bill Downey 30 Transmission Ret 24 Jon Davison Lola T332 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ranger Truck Rentals 20 Fuel Pump Ret 30 Peter Larner Chevron B39 / Ford 1.6L I4 Paul England Racing 8 Brakes / Suspension Ret 12 Larry Perkins Elfin MR8 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Ansett Team Elfin 0 Accident Ret 84 Alfredo Costanzo Lola T430 / Chevrolet 5.0L V8 Alfredo Costanzo 0 Accident DNS 16 Bob Creasy Birrana 273 / Ford 1.6L I4 Bob Creasy 0 Gearbox
Notes Pole position: Alfredo Costanzo - 52.11 Fastest lap: John Wright / John Walker - 54.92, 158.20 km/h (98.30 mph) Winner's average speed: 154.20 km/h (95.30 mph)
References
External links John Walker & Lola T332 -1979 AGP images (refer page 32), www.austin7clubsa.com.au Results of the 1979 Australian Grand Prix, www.terrywalkersplace.com (refer page 3)