1998 FAI 1000 explained

The 1998 FAI 1000 Classic was the second running of the Australia 1000 race, first held after the organisational split over the Bathurst 1000 the previous year. It was the 41st race that traces its lineage back to the 1960 Armstrong 500 held at Phillip Island. 1998 was the 36th year in which a touring car endurance race had been held at the Mount Panorama Circuit.

The event, which was contested by V8 Supercars, was held on 15 November 1998 at the Mount Panorama Circuit just outside Bathurst.

Entry list

Class Drivers Team (Sponsor) Car Class Drivers Team (Sponsor) Car 1 O Craig Lowndes Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT 35 O Jason Bargwanna Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 2 O David Parsons Gibson Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 36 P Neil Schembri Schembri Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 3 P Steve Reed Lansvale Smash Repairs Holden Commodore VS 37 O Alan Taylor Alan Taylor Racing Holden Commodore VS 4 O Jason Bright Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon EL 38 O Mark Poole James Rosenberg Racing Holden Commodore VS 5 O Glenn Seton Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL 39 P Chris Smerdon Challenge Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 7 O Darren Hossack Gibson Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 43 O Paul Weel Paul Weel Racing Ford Falcon EL 9 O Alan Jones Longhurst Racing Ford Falcon EL 44 P Mal Rose Mal Rose Racing Holden Commodore VS 10 O Mark Larkham Larkham Motorsport Ford Falcon EL 45 P Shane Beikoff Shane Cruickshank Racing Holden Commodore VS 11 O Larry Perkins Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VT 46 O John Faulkner John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore VS 14 P Mike Imrie Imrie Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 48 P D'Arcy Russell Rod Smith Racing Holden Commodore VS 16 O Melinda Price Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VS 49 O Greg Crick Greg Crick Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 17 O Dick Johnson Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL 50 O Greg Murphy Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VT 18 O John Bowe Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL 54 P Simon Emerzidis Emerzidis Motorsport Ford Falcon EL 20 P Darren Palmer Palmer Promotions Holden Commodore VS 55 P Rod Nash Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore VS 22 O Danny Osborne Colourscan Motorsport Ford Falcon EL 60 P Nathan Pretty Pretty Motorsport Holden Commodore VS 23 P Ray Hislop Ray Hislop Racing Ford Falcon EF 72 P Robert Smith Robert Smith Racing Holden Commodore VS 24 O Paul Romano Romano Racing Holden Commodore VS 75 O Anthony Tratt Paul Little Racing Ford Falcon EL 25 O Tony Longhurst Longhurst Racing Ford Falcon EL 77 P Richard Mork V8 Racing Holden Commodore VR 26 P Peter Doulman Doulman Automotive Holden Commodore VS 79 P Mike Conway Conway Racing Ford Falcon EL 27 O Terry Finnigan Terry Finnigan Racing Team Holden Commodore VS 96 O Wayne Gardner Wayne Gardner Racing Holden Commodore VS 28 O Mark McLaughlin Playscape Racing Ford Falcon EF 99 P Mick Donaher Clive Wiseman Racing Holden Commodore VS 32 O Tomas Mezera Tomas Mezera Motorsport Holden Commodore VT 134 P Alan Heath Power Racing Ford Falcon EL 34 O Garth Tander Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore VS Source:^[1]

Icon Class O Outright P Privateers

Results

Top 10 shootout

Pos	No	Driver	Team	Car	Time
1	1	Mark Skaife	Holden Racing Team	Holden VT Commodore	2:09.8945
2	25	Tony Longhurst	Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	2:10.4492
3	5	Glenn Seton	Glenn Seton Racing	Ford EL Falcon	2:10.8801
4	10	Mark Larkham	Larkham Motor Sport	Ford EL Falcon	2:10.9059
5	46	John Faulkner	John Faulkner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	2:12.2551
6	18	John Bowe	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	2:12.3975
7	96	Wayne Gardner	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	2:12.9215
8	35	Jason Bargwanna	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	2:12.9773
9	11	Larry Perkins	Perkins Engineering	Holden VT Commodore	2:13.0273
DNS	50	Greg Murphy	Holden Racing Team	Holden VT Commodore

• Mark Skaife became the first driver to lap a touring car around the 6.213 km (3.861 mi) Mount Panorama Circuit in under 2 minutes and 10 seconds. Skaife qualified his Holden Racing Team VT Commodore in 2:09.8945. His time was 2.93 seconds faster than his own time set in the twin-turbo, 4WD Nissan Skyline R32 GT-R in 1991, the fastest Group A time on The Mountain, and 3.96 seconds faster than George Fury's, Group C time in 1984 in a Nissan Bluebird Turbo on the old 6.172 km (3.835 mi) (pre-Caltex Chase) circuit.
  * Greg Murphy did not take part in the Top 10 shootout after badly damaging his car in a crash during Friday practice.

Race

Pos	Class	No	Drivers	Team	Car	Laps	Time/Retired	Grid
1	OC	4	Jason Bright Steven Richards	Stone Brothers Racing	Ford EL Falcon	161	6:42:23.9039	15
2	OC	11	Larry Perkins Russell Ingall	Perkins Engineering	Holden VT Commodore	161	+10.3162	9
3	OC	35	Jason Bargwanna Jim Richards	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	161	+10.6552	8
4	OC	10	Mark Larkham Brad Jones	Larkham Motor Sport	Ford EL Falcon	161	+1:43.4170	4
5	OC	5	Glenn Seton Neil Crompton	Glenn Seton Racing	Ford EL Falcon	160	+1 lap	3
6	OC	1	Craig Lowndes Mark Skaife	Holden Racing Team	Holden VT Commodore	159	+2 laps	1
7	OC	7	Darren Hossack Darren Pate	Gibson Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	158	+3 laps	20
8	OC	25	Tony Longhurst Geoff Brabham	Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	157	+4 laps	2
9	OC	43	Paul Weel Neal Bates	Paul Weel Racing	Ford EL Falcon	155	+6 laps	22
10	CT	44	Mal Rose Allan McCarthy	Mal Rose Racing	Holden VS Commodore	154	+7 laps	27
11	OC	16	Melinda Price Kerryn Brewer	Perkins Engineering	Holden VS Commodore	151	+10 laps	33
12	OC	24	Paul Romano Steven Ellery	Romano Racing	Holden VS Commodore	151	+10 laps	17
13	OC	96	Wayne Gardner Paul Stokell	Wayne Gardner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	149	+12 laps	7
14	CT	23	Ray Hislop Tim Briggs	Briggs Motor Sport	Ford EL Falcon	147	+14 laps	36
15	OC	37	Alan Taylor Bill Attard Stephen Bell	Scotty Taylor Racing	Holden VS Commodore	146	+15 laps	42
16	CT	48	D'arcy Russell Rod Wilson	Rod Smith Racing	Holden VS Commodore	144	+17 laps	41
17	CT	79	Mike Conway Chris Hones	Cadillac Productions	Ford EL Falcon	144	+17 laps	32
18	CT	26	Peter Doulman John Cotter	Doulman Automotive	Holden VS Commodore	141	+20 laps	24
19	CT	45	Shane Beikoff Shane Cruickshank Andy Lloyd	Shane Cruickshank	Holden VS Commodore	134	+27 laps	44
20	CT	14	Mike Imrie Rodney Crick	Imrie Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	122	+39 laps	29
DNF	OC	27	Terry Finnigan Peter Gazzard	Terry Finnigan	Holden VS Commodore	136	Engine	14
DNF	OC	46	John Faulkner Todd Kelly	John Faulkner Racing	Holden VS Commodore	136	Engine	5
DNF	CT	3	Steve Reed Trevor Ashby	Lansvale Smash Repairs	Holden VS Commodore	131	Electrical	23
DNF	CT	20	Ian Palmer Domenic Beninca Darren Palmer	Palmer Promotions	Holden VS Commodore	121	Crash	38
DNF	OC	22	Danny Osborne Brett Peters	Colourscan Racing	Ford EL Falcon	115	Diff failure	31
DNF	CT	54	Simon Emerzidis Garry Willmington	Emerzidis Motorsport	Ford EL Falcon	101	Engine	26
DNF	CT	36	Neil Schembri Gary Quartly	Schembri Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	100	Engine	40
DNF	OC	50	Greg Murphy Mark Noske	Holden Racing Team	Holden VT Commodore	86	Tyre failures	10
DNF	CT	60	Nathan Pretty Grant Johnson Nicole Pretty	Pretty Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	85	Alternator	39
DNF	OC	18	John Bowe Cameron McConville	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	80	Engine	6
DNF	OC	17	Dick Johnson Steven Johnson	Dick Johnson Racing	Ford EL Falcon	60	Crash	12
DNF	CT	39	Chris Smerdon Charlie Cox	Challenge Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	60	Tailshaft	30
DNF	OC	9	Alan Jones Adam Macrow	Longhurst Racing	Ford EL Falcon	58	Crash	11
DNF	OC	2	David Parsons Simon Wills	Gibson Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	57	Crash	18
DNF	CT	72	Robert Smith David Parsons	Robert Smith Racing	Holden VS Commodore	56	Crash	28
DNF	CT	134	Alan Heath Ken Douglas	Power Racing	Ford EL Falcon	54	Crash	34
DNF	OC	34	Garth Tander Cameron McLean	Garry Rogers Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	49	Suspension	13
DNF	CT	77	Richard Mork Bill Sieders	V8 Racing	Holden VR Commodore	48	Engine	45
DNF	OC	75	Anthony Tratt Bob Jones Garry Waldon	Paul Little Racing	Ford EL Falcon	47	Engine	25
DNF	OC	28	Mark McLaughlin Ashley Stichbury Kevin Waldock	Playscape Racing	Ford EL Falcon	40	Electrical	35
DNF	OC	38	Mark Poole Tony Scott	James Rosenberg Racing	Holden VS Commodore	34	Engine	21
DNF	CT	55	Rod Nash Darren Edwards	Rod Nash Racing	Holden VS Commodore	9	Tailshaft	43
DNF	OC	32	Tomas Mezera Alain Menu	Tomas Mezera Motorsport	Holden VT Commodore	0	Clutch	19
DSQ	OC	49	Greg Crick Dean Crosswell	Greg Crick Motorsport	Holden VS Commodore	151^[2]	Excluded	17
DNS^[3]	CT	99	Mick Donaher Dean Lindstrom	Clive Wiseman Racing	Holden VS Commodore		Engine failure on warm-up lap	37
Source:^[4]

Statistics

• Provisional position - #5 Glenn Seton - 2:11.4634
• Pole position - #1 Mark Skaife - 2:09.8945
• Fastest lap - #1 Craig Lowndes - 2:12.7771
• Average speed - 149 km/h

External links

• Official race results
• Official V8 Supercar website
• CAMS Manual reference to Australian titles
• race results
• 1998 FAI 1000 Classic and 1998 AMP Bathurst 1000 images

Notes and References

1. Book: Noonan, Aaron. 25 November 2021. Bathurst Every Car, the Photographic History 1990-1999. AN1 Media. 194–209 . 9780648786344.
2. V8 Bathurst 2, 1998, page 243
3. V8 Bathurst 2, 1998, page 244
4. News: 1998 FAI 1000 Classic. racing-reference.info. 13 October 2020.