The 1986 Australian Endurance Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title open to Touring Cars as specified in the National Competition Rules of CAMS.[1] [2] The title, which was the sixth Australian Endurance Championship, was contested concurrently with the 1986 Australian Manufacturers' Championship,[1] which was the sixteenth in a sequence of manufacturers championships awarded by CAMS, and the seventh to be contested under the Australian Manufacturers' Championship name.[3]
The Australian Endurance Championship was won by Jim Richards driving a BMW 635 CSi and the Australian Manufacturers' Championship was awarded to Nissan. Although Nissan team driver George Fury won 4 of the 6 rounds, missing the opening round at Amaroo Park, failing to finish at Bathurst and only being awarded half points for winning at Calder Park, along with the consistency of Richards who scored in every round (including winning at Amaroo) saw the Kiwi win his second straight Endurance title in the BMW. However, his wins, along with high placings by teammates Gary Scott and Terry Sheil gave Nissan an easy 27 point win over BMW in the Manufacturers' title with Jim Richards virtually playing a lone hand for the Bavarian marque.[4]
Round 5, The Sun South Pacific 300 at Calder Park in Melbourne, saw the first ever rolling start in Australian touring car racing (though rolling starts had been seen in Series Production during the 1960s and 1970s). The race also doubled as the opening round of the five race South Pacific Touring Car Championship, with the second round being the Group A support race for the 1986 Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide. The remaining 3 rounds of the South Pacific series were held in New Zealand with Allan Grice, driving a Commodore in Australia and a Skyline in New Zealand, emerging as champion.
The championship was contested over a six-round series.[4]
| Round | Race name | Circuit | Date[5] | Winner(s) | Car | Team | Report | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Better Brakes 300 | Amaroo Park | 3 August |  Jim Richards | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW | ||
| 2 | BP Plus 300 | Surfers Paradise | 24 August |  George Fury Glenn Seton | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | ||
| 3 | Castrol 500 | Sandown Raceway | 14 September | George Fury Glenn Seton | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | Report | |
| 4 | James Hardie 1000 | Mount Panorama | 5 October | Allan Grice Graeme Bailey | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Chickadee Chicken | Report | |
| 5 | The Sun South Pacific 300 | Calder Park | 19 October | George Fury Glenn Seton | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | ||
| 6 | Pepsi 250 | Oran Park | 8 November | George Fury | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing |
Cars competed in three classes defined according to engine capacity:[1]
Australian Endurance Championship points were awarded to the drivers of the top twenty placed cars in each round, with the actual allocation dependent on the outright position obtained and the class in which the car was competing.[1]
| Outright Position | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 9th | 10th | 11th | 12th | 13th | 14th | 15th | 16th | 17th | 18th | 19th | 20th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| If car in Class A | 30 | 27 | 24 | 21 | 19 | 17 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | |
| If car in Class B | 28 | 26 | 23 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |
| If car in Class C | 25 | 23 | 20 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Two drivers per car were compulsory at both the Sandown and Bathurst rounds.[1] For races in which two drivers per car were not compulsory but two drivers each drove more than one third distance, points for the position gained were shared equally between the two drivers.[1] For races in which two drivers per car were not compulsory but two drivers did not both drive more than one third distance each, full points were awarded to the driver who drove the greater distance.[1] For races in which two drivers were compulsory, full points were awarded to both drivers provided that each had driven more than one third distance.[1] In all cases points were only awarded to a driver who had driven no more than one car during the event.[1]
Only the highest scoring car of each make earned points[1] (for its manufacturer in each race) and then only the points applicable to the position filled.[1]
| Pos. | Driver | No. | Class | Car | Entrant | Rd1 | Rd2 | Rd3 | Rd4 | Rd5 | Rd6 | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jim Richards | 1 | C | BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW | 25 | 23 | 15 | 13 | 20 | 23 | 119 |
| 2 | George Fury | 30 | B | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | - | 28 | 28 | - | 14 | 28 | 98 |
| 3 | Tony Longhurst | 25 1 | B C | BMW 325i BMW 635 CSi | JPS Team BMW | 26 | 20 | 15 | 13 | 10 | - | 84 |
| 4 | Murray Carter | 36 | B | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Everlast Battery Service | 12 | 14 | 14 | 11 | 4 | 17 | 72 |
| 5 | Colin Bond | 75 | B | Network Alfa | 23 | 13 | 6 | - | 5.5 | 23 | 70.5 | |
| 6 | Gary Scott | 15 | B | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | - | - | 26 | 23 | 20 | - | 69 |
| 7 | Peter Brock | 05 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Mobil Holden Dealer Team | - | 6.5 | 17 | 15 | 23 | - | 61.5 |
| 8 | John Harvey | 3 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Mobil Holden Dealer Team | - | - | 10 | 23 | 10 | 17 | 60 |
| 9 | Terry Shiel | 15 | B | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | - | - | 26 | 23 | - | 6 | 55 |
| 10 | Graeme Bailey | 2 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Chickadee Chicken | - | 8 | 20 | 25 | - | - | 53 |
| 11 | Allan Grice | 2 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Chickadee Chicken | - | - | 20 | 25 | - | - | 45 |
| 12 | Glenn Seton | 30 | B | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Peter Jackson Nissan Racing | - | - | 28 | - | 14 | - | 42 |
| 13 | Allan Moffat | 05 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Mobil Holden Dealer Team | - | 6.5 | 17 | 15 | - | - | 38.5 |
| 14 | Dick Johnson | 17 | C | Ford Mustang GT | Palmer Tube Mills | - | 20 | - | 17 | - | - | 37 |
| 15 | Neal Lowe | 3 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Mobil Holden Dealer Team | - | - | 10 | 23 | - | - | 33 |
| 16 | Graeme Crosby | 6 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Bob Jane T-Marts | - | 7.5 | 13 | 5 | 4.5 | - | 30 |
| Wayne Wilkinson | 6 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Bob Jane T-Marts | - | 7.5 | 13 | 5 | 4.5 | - | 30 | |
| 18 | Mike Quinn | 61 | A | Toyota Sprinter AE86 | Bob Holden Motors Toyota Team Australia | 17 | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | 25 |
| Bill O'Brien | 36 | B | Nissan Skyline DR30 RS | Everlast Battery Service | - | - | 14 | 11 | - | - | 25 | |
| 20 | John Giddings | 60 | A | Nissan Gazelle | Giddings Moss Vale | - | 11 | - | - | 2 | 11 | 24 |
| 21 | John Smith | 16 | A | Toyota Corolla GT | Toyota Team Australia | 19 | - | - | - | 2 | - | 21 |
| 22 | Garry Rogers | 7 | C | BMW 635 CSi | Goold Motorsport | - | - | 7 | - | - | 13 | 20 |
| Brad Jones | 53 | B | Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | BJ Motorsport | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | |
| 24 | Tony Mulvihill | 19 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Tony Mulvihill | 10 | - | 5 | 4 | - | - | 19 |
| Larry Perkins | 11 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Enzed Team Perkins | - | - | 4 | - | 15 | - | 19 | |
| 26 | Charlie O'Brien | 7 | C | BMW 635 CSi | Goold Motorsport | - | - | 7 | - | 11 | - | 18 |
| David Ratcliff | 58 | A | Toyota Sprinter AE86 | Ratcliff Transport Spares | 11 | 7 | - | - | - | - | 18 | |
| 28 | Gregg Hansford | 17 | C | Ford Mustang GT | Palmer Tube Mills | - | - | - | 17 | - | - | 17 |
| 29 | Brian Callaghan | 47 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Brian Callaghan | 5.5 | - | - | - | - | 11 | 16.5 |
| Warren Cullen | 8 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Cullen Supa Salvage | - | - | - | 10 | 6.5 | - | 16.5 | |
| Gary Sprague | 8 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Cullen Supa Salvage | - | - | - | 10 | 6.5 | - | 16.5 | |
| 32 | Brian Bolwell | 87 | B | BMW 323i | Brian Bolwell | 9 | - | 5 | - | - | - | 14 |
| Graham Lusty | 23 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Lusty Engineering P/L | - | - | - | 3 | 2 | 9 | 14 | |
| 34 | Gerald Kay | 24 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Jagparts | 8 | - | - | - | 5 | - | 13 |
| 35 | Warwick Rooklyn | 57 | B | Alfa Romeo GTV6 | Network Alfa | - | - | - | 3 | - | 9 | 12 |
| Franz Klammer | 14 | B | Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 | Bob Jane T-Marts | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | 12 | |
| Denny Hulme | 14 | B | Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 | Bob Jane T-Marts | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | 12 | |
| 38 | Peter Williamson | 77 | C | Toyota Celica Supra | Peter Williamson Toyota | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | 11 |
| Mark Skaife | 77 | C | Toyota Celica Supra | Peter Williamson Toyota | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | 11 | |
| Graham Moore | 22 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Formula 1 Investments | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | 11 | |
| Michel Delcourt | 22 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Formula 1 Investments | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | 11 | |
| David Morton | A | Toyota Corolla | Toyota Team Australia | - | 8 | 3 | - | - | - | 11 | ||
| 43 | Garry Wilmington | 12 | C | Jaguar XJ-S | Garry Wilmington | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 10 |
| Neville Crichton | 42 | B | Volvo 240T | Volvo Dealer Team | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | 10 | |
| Graeme McRae | 42 | B | Volvo 240T | Volvo Dealer Team | - | - | - | 10 | - | - | 10 | |
| 46 | Alf Grant | 27 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Dulux Autocolour | - | 9 | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| Mike Burgmann | 33 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Michael Burgmann | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | 9 | |
| Mal Rose | 33 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Michael Burgmann | - | - | 9 | - | - | - | 9 | |
| Ken Mathews | 19 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Tony Mulvihill | - | - | 5 | 4 | - | - | 9 | |
| Chris Clearihan | 36 | A C | Toyota Corolla Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Toyota Team Australia Airport Car Rental | - | - | 3 | 6 | - | - | 9 | |
| 51 | Lucio Cesario | 57 | B | Alfa Romeo GTV6 | Network Alfa | - | - | - | 3 | 5.5 | - | 8.5 |
| 52 | Ray Ellis | 38 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Grellis Marketing | - | - | 6 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| John Faulkner | 61 | A | Toyota Corolla GT | Toyota Team Australia | - | - | 5 | 3 | - | - | 8 | |
| Tony Kavich | 28 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Yellow Pages | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 8 | |
| Kerry Baily | 38 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Grellis Marketing | - | - | 6 | 2 | - | - | 8 | |
| 56 | Peter McLeod | 4 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Autopart Centre | - | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| 57 | Peter Fitzgerald | 75 | B | Alfa Romeo GTV6 | Network Alfa | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | 6 |
| Bruce Stewart | 60 | A | Nissan Gazelle | Giddings Moss Vale | - | - | 4 | - | 2 | - | 6 | |
| Trevor Ashby | 34 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Lansvale Racing Team | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | 6 | |
| Fred Geissler | 36 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Airport Car Rental | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | 6 | |
| 61 | Barry Graham | 47 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Brian Callaghan | 5.5 | - | - | - | - | - | 5.5 |
| 62 | Tony Farrell | 87 | B | BMW 323i | Brian Bolwell | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | 5 |
| John Craft | B | Ford Capri 3000S | John Craft | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 5 | ||
| 64 | Ray Gulson | 49 | B | Alfa Romeo GTV6 | Ray Gulson | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| David Parsons | 11 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Enzed Team Perkins | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | 4 | |
| 66 | Denis Horley[6] | B | Ford Capri 3000S | Denis Horley | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Daryl Hendrick | A | Isuzu Gemini ZZ | Daryl Hendrick | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 | ||
| John Lusty | 23 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Lusty Engineering | - | - | - | 3 | - | - | 3 | |
| Drew Price | 16 | A | Toyota Corolla GT | Toyota Team Australia | - | - | - | - | 3 | - | 3 | |
| 70 | Lester Smerdon | 35 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Lester Smerdon | - | 2.5 | - | - | - | - | 2.5 |
| Geoff Russell | 35 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Lester Smerdon | - | 2.5 | - | - | - | - | 2.5 | |
| Gregory Whitaker[7] | A | Toyota Corolla | Gregory Whitaker | - | 2.5 | - | - | - | - | 2.5 | ||
| Charlie Senese | A | Toyota Corolla | Gregory Whitaker | - | 2.5 | - | - | - | - | 2.5 | ||
| 74 | Keith McClelland | 62 | A | Toyota Sprinter AE86 | Bob Holden Motors | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 2 |
| Brian Nightingale | 62 | A | Toyota Sprinter AE86 | Bob Holden Motors | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | 2 | |
| Ken Lusty | 23 | C | Holden VK Commodore SS Group A | Lusty Engineering | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 2 | |
| 77 | Simon Emmerling | 26 | C | BMW 635 CSi | Simon Emmerling | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Trevor Hine | 26 | C | BMW 635 CSi | Simon Emmerling | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 1 |
| Position[8] | Manufacturer | Points | |
| 1 | Nissan | 147 | |
| 2 | BMW | 120 | |
| 3 | Holden | 111 | |
| 4 | Alfa Romeo | 80 | |
| 5 | Toyota | 44 | |
| 6 | Ford | 40 | |
| 7 | Mitsubishi | 20 | |
| 8 | Mercedes-Benz | 10 | |
| 9 | Volvo | 10 |
1986 Australian Touring Car season