The Calder Park V8 Supercar round was a V8 Supercar, and formerly Australian Touring Car Championship, motor racing event held at Calder Park Raceway in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The event was held 25 times between 1969 and 2001.
History
Calder Park's first championship round was the first round of the 1969 season, the first championship to be held over multiple rounds. It was won by Bob Jane who, soon after, purchased the circuit and also won the 1972 round. Allan Moffat became the most successful driver in the event's history through the 1970s and 1980s, winning five events. Peter Brock also won three consecutive events for the Holden Dealer Team from 1979 to 1981. This included the first night race in championship history in 1980. The 1987 championship round, won by Glenn Seton, saw the world debut of, amongst others, the BMW M3 and the Ford Sierra RS Cosworth. It was the first of three major touring car races at the circuit in 1987, with a post-season endurance race and the Bob Jane T-Marts 500, a round of the World Touring Car Championship, held on the combined road circuit and oval layout. After an agreement was reached for the circuit to not include any cigarette sponsorship, the circuit was removed off the calendar from 1989 through 1995.
With tobacco advertising banned in Australia in late 1995, touring car racing returned to the circuit with a non-championship event celebrating Peter Brock in November 1995. The circuit then returned to the championship proper in 1996, and Russell Ingall began a six-year unbeaten run for Holden. Calder Park was the opening event of the 1997 season. It was held at night for the first time at Calder Park since 1980 and was the last championship night race until 2018. The round was won by Wayne Gardner, the only championship win for him and his team. The third race in 1998 was cancelled due to torrential rain. In 1999, in what was the 400th championship race of all time, a major crash at the start of the race saw Craig Lowndes barrel roll down an embankment on the side of the track, causing injuries which forced him to miss the next round at Symmons Plains Raceway. At the second attempted start, a similar but less dramatic crash saw Jason Bright fired into the wall before Turn 1. Lowndes' team-mate Mark Skaife eventually went on to win the race and the round. Mark Larkham won his only championship race victory in the second race in 2000, only three weeks after a fiery crash at the Oran Park round that wrote off his previous chassis. In what became the 25th and final event at the circuit in 2001, Paul Morris, who like Gardner and Larkham was driving for his eponymous team, won his first championship race and round.
The circuit was not included on the 2002 calendar, after a financial dispute between circuit owner Bob Jane and the series, and the circuit has since fallen into disrepair.
Winners Year Driver Team Car Report 1969 Bob JaneBob Jane RacingFord Mustang 1970 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingFord Boss 302 Mustang1971 Norm BeecheyShell RacingHolden HT Monaro GTS3501972 Bob JaneBob Jane RacingChevrolet Camaro ZL-11973 Allan MoffatFord Works TeamFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III1974 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 1975 Allan GriceCraven Mild RacingHolden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34 1976 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingFord XB Falcon GT Hardtop 1977 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingFord XB Falcon GT Hardtop 1978 Bob MorrisRon Hodgson MotorsHolden LX Torana SS A9X 1979 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden LX Torana SS A9X 1980 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden VB Commodore 1981 Peter BrockHolden Dealer TeamHolden VC Commodore 1982 Dick JohnsonDick Johnson RacingFord XD Falcon 1983 Allan MoffatAllan Moffat RacingMazda RX-7 1984not held 1985 Jim RichardsJPS Team BMWBMW 635 CSi 1986 George FuryGibson MotorsportNissan Skyline DR30 RS 1987 Glenn SetonGibson MotorsportNissan Skyline DR30 RS 1988 Dick JohnsonDick Johnson RacingFord Sierra RS500 1989–1995not held 1996 Russell IngallPerkins EngineeringHolden VR Commodore 1997 Wayne GardnerWayne Gardner RacingHolden VS Commodore 1998 Craig LowndesHolden Racing TeamHolden VS Commodore 1999 Mark SkaifeHolden Racing TeamHolden VT Commodore2000 Steven RichardsGibson MotorsportHolden VT Commodore2001 Paul MorrisPaul Morris MotorsportHolden VT CommodoreReport
Multiple winners By driver Wins Driver Years 5 Allan Moffat 1970, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1983 4 Peter Brock 1974, 1979, 1980, 1981 2 Bob Jane 1969, 1972 Dick Johnson 1982, 1988
By team Wins Team 4 Holden Dealer Team Allan Moffat Racing 3 Gibson Motorsport 2 Bob Jane Racing Dick Johnson Racing Holden Racing Team
By manufacturer Wins Manufacturer 13 Holden 7 Ford 2 Nissan
Event names and sponsors 1969–83, 1987–88, 1996–2001: Calder Park 1985: Eurovox Trophy 1986: Coca-Cola Cup
See also List of Australian Touring Car Championship races
References