South Pacific Touring Car Championship Explained

Category:Touring car racing
Inaugural2:1986
Country/Region: Australia
New Zealand
Folded:1987
Champion Driver:Allan Grice
Champion Team:NA
Manufacturer:BMW

The South Pacific Touring Car Championship was a motorsport championship staged in Australia and New Zealand for Group A touring cars between October and December in 1986. The championship was won by Australian driver Allan Grice.

The series received little support from the top teams, especially the Australians other than for the first two rounds held in Australia, while all bar a couple of the New Zealand teams only contested NZ races. Once the series went to New Zealand, Grice and Charlie O'Brien were in fact the only Australian drivers to support the series while those such as Peter Jackson Nissan, JPS Team BMW and the Mobil Holden Dealer Team completely ignored the NZ races.

The series was reportedly set to continue in 1987, however after the first race in Adelaide, interest flagged as the Australian teams were not interested in going to New Zealand after a long season which included the 1987 World Touring Car Championship rounds at Bathurst, Calder and Wellington and the series was cancelled.

Champions

YearDriverTeamCar
1986 Allan GriceRoadways Racing
Team Nissan Racing NZ
Holden VK Commodore SS Group A
Nissan Skyline DR30 RS
1987 Dick JohnsonShell Ultra Hi-Tech Racing TeamFord Sierra RS500

1986 race calendar

The 1986 South Pacific Touring Car Championship was contested over a five-round series with two races in Australia and three races in New Zealand.

Round 1 of the series also doubled as Round 5 of the 1986 Australian Endurance Championship, while Round 2 in Adelaide also doubled as the Group A support race at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix.

Rd.Race TitleCircuitCityDateWinnerCarTeamReport
1The Sun South Pacific 300Calder Park RacewayMelbourne19 October George Fury
Glenn Seton
Nissan Skyline DR30 RSPeter Jackson Nissan Racing[1]
2South Australia CupAdelaide Street CircuitAdelaide25 October Allan GriceHolden VK Commodore SS Group ARoadways Racing[2]
3Manfeild SPTCCManfeild AutocoursePalmerston North30 November Graeme Crosby
Wayne Wilkinson
Holden VK Commodore SS Group ABob Jane T-Marts[3]
4Baypark SPTCCBaypark RacewayMount Maunganui7 December Allan Grice
Kent Baigent
Nissan Skyline DR30 RSTeam Nissan Racing NZ[4]
5Pukekohe SPTCCPukekohe Park RacewayPukekohe14 December Charlie O'Brien
Glenn McIntyre
BMW 635 CSiState Coal BMW[5]

Championship results

PositionDriverTeamCarPoints
1 Allan GriceRoadways Racing
Team Nissan Racing NZ
Holden VK Commodore SS Group A
Nissan Skyline DR30 RS
81
2 Trevor CroweArchibaldsBMW 635 CSi73
3 Graeme CrosbyBob Jane T-MartsHolden VK Commodore SS Group A67
4 Charlie O'BrienBob Jane T-Marts
State Coal BMW
BMW 635 CSi66
Glenn McIntyreState Coal BMWBMW 635 CSi66
6 George FuryPeter Jackson Nissan RacingNissan Skyline DR30 RS57
7 Ed LamontLamont Racing/Can-Am ConstructionBMW 325i55
8 Glenn SetonPeter Jackson Nissan RacingNissan Skyline DR30 RS47
9 Robbie KerFord Mustang GT45
Wayne HuxfordFord Mustang GT45
11 Wayne WilkinsonBob Jane T-MartsHolden VK Commodore SS Group A43
Graham LorimerBMW 635 CSi43
Tony LawrenceBMW 635 CSi43
14 Larry PerkinsEnzed Team PerkinsHolden VK Commodore SS Group A40
15 John HarveyMobil Holden Dealer TeamHolden VK Commodore SS Group A34
16 Denny HulmeBob Jane T-Marts
Rocket Cargo/Bill Bryce
Mercedes-Benz 190E
BMW 325i
32
Dave BarrowToyota Team New ZealandToyota Corolla FX-GT AE8232
18 Kent BaigentTeam Nissan Racing NZNissan Skyline DR30 RS30

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=reBHyfwip50 1986 AEC Round 5 Calder Park
  2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDRYJag-0b4 1986 AGP Adelaide Group A Support Race
  3. http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1986%20Manfeild%20SPTCC.html 1986 Manfield 400 at History of Touring Car Racing
  4. http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1986%20Baypark%20SPTCC.html 1986 Baypark 3 Hours at History of Touring Car Racing
  5. http://touringcarracing.net/Races/1986%20Pukekohe%20SPTCC.html 1986 Pukekohe 150 at History of Touring Car Racing