A 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Australian Formula 1 racing cars.CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1979, pages 94-96 The championship winner was awarded the 1979 CAMS Gold Star.Australian Drivers’ Championship – CAMS Gold Star, 2016 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, as archived at web.archive.org The title, which was the 23rd Australian Drivers' Championship,Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1979/80, page 214 was won by Johnnie Walker, driving a Lola T332.Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1979/80, pages 88-97
Schedule The championship was contested over a three-round series with one race per round. Round Name Circuit State Date Round winner CarWolfgang Kopfler, 1979 Australian Drivers' Championship, Formula 5000 in New Zealand & Australia: Race by Race, page 214 Report 1 Australian Grand Prix Wanneroo RacewaySouvenir Programme, Wanneroo Raceway, Australian Grand Prix, 11th March 1979 Western Australia 11 March Johnnie Walker Lola T332 Chevrolet Report 2 Oran Park New South Wales 29 July John Bowe Elfin MR8 Chevrolet 3 Rothmans 10,000Official Program, Sandown, 9 September 1979 Sandown Victoria 9 September Alfredo Costanzo Lola T430 Chevrolet
Points system Championship points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six placegetters in each race.
Results
Position Driver No.The official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix, 1986, pages 426-434 Car Entrant Wan Ora San Points 1 Johnnie Walker 25 Lola T332 Chevrolet Magnum Wheels 9 4 6 19 2 John Bowe 11 Elfin MR8 Chevrolet Ansett Team Elfin 6 9 - 15 3 Alfredo Costanzo 84 Lola T430 Chevrolet Porsche Cars Australia - - 9 9 4 Rob Butcher 10 Lola T332 Chevrolet Rob Butcher 4 - 4 8 John Smith 71 Ralt RT1 Ford John Smith 3 3 2 8 6 John Wright 76 Lola T400 Chevrolet John Wright - 6 - 6 7 Graham McRae 2 McRae GM3 Settlement Road WreckersRay Bell, Alfie storms back, Racing Car News, October 1979, pages 28-30 - - 3 3 8 Chas Talbot 3 Lola T332C Chas Talbot - 2 - 2 Terry Hook 15 Lola T332 Chevrolet Terry Hook 2 - - 2 10 Peter Edwards 21 Lola T332 PJ Edwards - - 1 1 Paul Hamilton 88 Elfin 600 - 1 - 1 Barry Singleton 19 Gardos GL1 Chevrolet Barry Singleton 1 - - 1
Championship name Sources of the time differ as to the actual name of the championship with both Australian Drivers' Championship and Australian Formula 1 Championship being used. "Australian Drivers' Championship" is used by Confederation of Australian Motor Sport in its historic documentation and that term has been used here.
References
External links John Walker & Lola T332 -1979 AGP images (refer page 32), www.austin7clubsa.com.au Western Australian Motor Race Results 1979, www.terrywalkersplace.com