1998 Australian Touring Car Championship

The 1998 Australian Touring Car Championship was an Australian motor racing competition open to 5.0 Litre Touring Cars,[1] (also known as V8 Supercars).[2] The championship, which was sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as an Australian title,[3] was contested over a ten-round series which began on 1 February 1998 at Sandown International Motor Raceway and ended on 2 August at Oran Park International Raceway. The series was promoted as the "Shell Australian Touring Car Championship".[4] The title, which was the 39th Australian Touring Car Championship, was won by Craig Lowndes.[5]

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the championship. Entries listed as "L1" competed for the overall championship, whereas those denoted "L2" also competed for the Privateers' Teams Cup.

Team[6] Car Class No Drivers Events
Glenn Seton Racing Ford Falcon EL L1 1 Australia Glenn Seton All
L1 28 Australia Rodney Forbes 3
111 Australia Neil Crompton 6, 8, 10
Holden Young Lions Holden Commodore VS L1 2 Australia Steve Ellery All
Gibson Motorsport Holden Commodore VS L1 7 Australia Darren Hossack 1–7
32 Australia Tomas Mezera 8–10
L1 31 Australia Darren Pate All
Lansvale Smash Repairs Holden Commodore VS L2 3 Australia Trevor Ashby 1, 3, 7–8, 10
6 Australia Steve Reed 2, 4–6, 9
Stone Brothers Racing Ford Falcon EL L1 4 Australia Jason Bright All
Perkins Engineering Holden Commodore VS
Holden Commodore VT		 L1 8 Australia Russell Ingall All
L1 11 Australia Larry Perkins All
Holden Commodore VS L2 16 Australia Melinda Price 1, 4–5
19 Australia Kerryn Brewer 2–3
Longhurst Racing Ford Falcon EL L1 9 Australia Alan Jones 3–10
L1 25 Australia Tony Longhurst All
Larkham Motor Sport Ford Falcon EL L1 10 Australia Mark Larkham All
Cadillac Productions Ford Falcon EL L2 13 Australia Ryan McLeod 2–4, 6
79 Australia Mike Conway 1, 5, 10
Imrie Motor Sport Holden Commodore VS L2 14 Australia Mike Imrie 4–5, 8–10
Holden Racing Team Holden Commodore VS
Holden Commodore VT		 L1 15 Australia Craig Lowndes All
Holden Commodore VS L1 50 Australia Mark Skaife All
Holden Commodore VT L1 98 New Zealand Greg Murphy 8
Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon EL L1 17 Australia Dick Johnson All
L1 18 Australia John Bowe All
L1 95 Australia Steven Johnson 4–8, 10
Colourscan Motorsport Ford Falcon EL L2 22 Australia Danny Osborne 1, 3–7, 9–10
47 Australia Brett Peters 9
Ray Hislop Ford Falcon EF L2 23 Australia Ray Hislop 1–2, 8
Romano Racing Holden Commodore VS L1 24 Australia Paul Romano All
Doulman Automotive Holden Commodore VS L2 26 Australia John Cotter 10
29 Australia Peter Doulman 2, 5
Terry Finnigan Holden Commodore VS L1 27 Australia Terry Finnigan 1–3, 5–7, 9–10
Challenge Motorsport Holden Commodore VS L2 32 Australia Tomas Mezera 3–4
39 Australia Chris Smerdon 1, 5–6, 8–10
Garry Rogers Motorsport Holden Commodore VS L1 34 New Zealand Steven Richards 1–3
134 Australia Garth Tander 4–10
L1 35 Australia Jason Bargwanna All
Schembri Motorsport Holden Commodore VS L2 36 Australia Neil Schembri 10
71 Australia Gary Quartly 5, 8
James Rosenberg Racing Holden Commodore VS L1 38 Australia Mark Poole 1, 4, 6, 8–10
Simon Emerzidis Holden Commodore VR L2 41 Australia Garry Willmington 1
Holden Commodore VS 54 Australia Simon Emerzidis 4–5, 8, 10
Paul Weel Racing Ford Falcon EL L2 43 Australia Paul Weel 1–6, 9–10
Mal Rose Racing Holden Commodore VS L2 44 Australia Mal Rose 1–2, 4–9
Novocastrian Motorsport Holden Commodore VS L2 45 Australia Wayne Russell 4, 6
John Faulkner Racing Holden Commodore VS L1 46 New Zealand John Faulkner All
Rod Smith Racing Holden Commodore VS L2 48 Australia D'Arcy Russell 2, 4–9
Greg Crick Motorsport Holden Commodore VS L2 49 Australia Greg Crick 1–3, 5, 7, 9–10
149 Australia Dean Crosswell 6, 8
Charles Ryman Ford Falcon EL L2 51 Australia Charles Ryman 3, 5–6, 9
Barry Morcom Holden Commodore VP L2 52 Australia Barry Morcom 5–6
Rod Nash Racing Holden Commodore VS L2 55 Australia Rod Nash 3–10
Briggs Motor Sport Ford Falcon EL L2 70 Australia John Briggs 1, 3, 6–7, 9–10
Robert Smith Racing Holden Commodore VS L2 72 Australia Robert Smith 8–10
PACE Racing Holden Commodore VS L2 74 Australia Kevin Heffernan 3–5, 9
Paul Little Racing Ford Falcon EL L2 75 Australia Anthony Tratt 4–6, 8, 10
V8 Racing Holden Commodore VP L2 77 Australia Richard Mork 1, 3, 5, 10
Clive Wiseman Racing Holden Commodore VS L2 80 Australia Mick Donaher 1, 3, 5, 8, 10
Don Pulver Holden Commodore VP L2 88 Australia Don Pulver 1
Geoff Kendrick Holden Commodore VS L2 92 Australia Geoff Kendrick 7, 9

Race calendar

The championship was contested over a ten-round series with three races per round.[4]

Rd. Race title Circuit Location / state Date Winner Car Team Report
1 Australia Sandown Sandown International Motor Raceway Melbourne, Victoria 30 Jan – 1 Feb Craig Lowndes Holden VS Commodore Holden Racing Team
2 Australia Launceston Symmons Plains International Raceway Launceston, Tasmania 6–8 Feb Craig Lowndes Holden VS Commodore Holden Racing Team
3 Australia Lakeside Lakeside International Raceway Brisbane, Queensland 27–29 Mar Russell Ingall Holden VS Commodore Perkins Engineering
4 Australia Phillip Island Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Phillip Island, Victoria 17–19 Apr Craig Lowndes Holden VS Commodore Holden Racing Team
5 Australia Winton Winton Motor Raceway Benalla, Victoria 1–3 May John Bowe Ford EL Falcon Dick Johnson Racing
6 Australia Mallala Mallala Motor Sport Park Mallala, South Australia 22–24 May Russell Ingall Holden VS Commodore Perkins Engineering
7 Australia Barbagallo Barbagallo Raceway Perth, Western Australia 29–31 May Craig Lowndes Holden VS Commodore Holden Racing Team
8 Australia Calder Calder Park Raceway Melbourne, Victoria 19–21 Jun Craig Lowndes Holden VS Commodore Holden Racing Team
9 Australia Hidden Valley Hidden Valley Raceway Darwin, Northern Territory 17–19 Jul Russell Ingall Holden VT Commodore Perkins Engineering
10 Australia Oran Park Oran Park International Raceway Sydney, New South Wales 31 Jul – 2 Aug Craig Lowndes Holden VT Commodore Holden Racing Team
Event locations

Points system

Points were awarded to the first twenty classified finishers in each race as follows:

Race Position  1st   2nd   3rd   4th   5th   6th   7th   8th   9th   10th   11th   12th   13th   14th   15th   16th   17th   18th   19th   20th 
Points 40 36 34 32 30 28 26 24 22 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 1

Championship standings
Pos. Driver Car Sandown Symmons Lakeside Phillip Is. Winton Mallala Barbagallo Calder Hidden Valley Oran Park Points
R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3 R1 R2 R3
1 Australia Craig Lowndes Holden 2 1 1 3 1 1 6 4 4 2 1 2 4 3 Ret 3 3 1 1 1 1 1 2 C 1 DNS 6 1 1 1 992
2 Australia Russell Ingall Holden 14 4 2 4 3 7 3 1 1 3 3 1 1 2 3 2 1 2 3 3 2 11 4 C 12 1 1 6 9 7 942
3 Australia Mark Skaife Holden 7 6 8 2 2 2 19 9 7 1 2 21 6 5 2 EXC EXC 8 2 2 3 2 5 C 2 DNS 9 2 2 2 768
4 Australia Larry Perkins Holden 5 5 5 8 6 6 4 3 3 7 9 4 3 4 17 4 14 11 5 4 4 10 11 C 16 6 4 Ret 13 8 722
5 Australia John Bowe Ford 1 2 4 Ret 7 11 1 Ret 8 6 5 3 2 1 1 1 11 9 16 Ret 12 7 7 C 7 DSQ 7 16 10 9 684
6 Australia Glenn Seton Ford 3 3 3 1 Ret 5 16 Ret 18 4 4 8 11 14 9 7 4 3 6 7 19 5 6 C 9 5 3 5 5 Ret 676
7 Australia Jason Bargwanna Holden 6 Ret DNS 5 4 3 10 23 13 8 8 11 7 Ret 11 20 9 6 27 Ret 6 4 1 C 8 2 2 10 3 3 603
8 Australia Tony Longhurst Ford 8 Ret 10 11 22 15 5 5 5 9 7 5 5 6 4 11 8 14 Ret DNS 10 15 26 C 4 3 14 4 4 5 586
9 Australia Jason Bright Ford 10 Ret Ret 7 5 4 7 6 12 5 6 7 8 9 7 9 5 5 8 6 Ret 3 3 C DSQ Ret Ret 3 Ret 13 584
10 Australia Dick Johnson Ford 15 9 6 6 10 9 2 2 2 Ret 14 13 10 7 5 5 2 Ret 4 5 13 17 Ret C 15 7 12 24 18 17 550
11 Australia Mark Larkham Ford 16 7 7 Ret 11 13 Ret 14 11 12 11 16 15 15 Ret 15 10 13 12 11 8 12 8 C 3 12 5 9 7 10 474
12 Australia Paul Romano Holden 9 Ret DNS 9 8 Ret 18 12 9 14 12 15 18 8 6 12 Ret 16 7 15 EXC 21 10 C 5 4 Ret 12 8 4 418
13 New Zealand John Faulkner Holden 11 Ret DNS 22 Ret 10 8 Ret Ret 10 10 10 12 10 Ret 8 6 7 11 10 5 Ret Ret C 6 Ret DNS 11 15 12 376
14 Australia Garth Tander Holden 20 15 12 19 13 16 14 22 12 9 8 9 6 9 C 21 DSQ 8 8 6 6 301
15 Australia Steve Ellery Ford 12 Ret 11 18 Ret 17 12 10 Ret 29 16 30 14 12 8 13 18 24 14 14 14 14 Ret C 11 Ret DNS 14 11 14 266
16 Australia Alan Jones Ford 9 7 20 13 13 6 13 Ret 13 10 15 Ret 13 12 24 16 16 C 10 Ret 10 23 14 Ret 261
17 Australia Steven Johnson Ford 11 28 9 9 Ret 10 6 7 4 10 9 7 Ret DNS C 13 Ret 15 260
18 New Zealand Steven Richards Holden 4 11 9 17 9 8 14 8 6 188
19 Australia Terry Finnigan Holden 23 14 12 Ret 13 20 11 11 10 16 Ret Ret Ret 19 17 15 13 15 DNS DNS DNS Ret 16 19 159
20 Australia Darren Hossack Holden Ret 12 Ret 14 15 16 13 16 Ret 19 19 14 21 11 12 17 29 19 18 16 11 156
21 Australia Tomas Mezera Holden 15 13 Ret 16 17 17 Ret 15 C 14 9 11 15 12 16 140
22 Australia Darren Pate Holden 18 Ret DNS 19 19 19 22 18 14 17 29 Ret 17 Ret 14 16 16 18 17 20 16 18 13 C 17 10 Ret Ret 17 18 139
23 Australia Mark Poole Holden 13 8 Ret 15 Ret 25 Ret 13 15 13 Ret C 13 8 Ret DNQ DNQ DNQ 124
24 Australia Neil Crompton Ford Ret 12 10 8 14 C 7 Ret 11 116
25 Australia Greg Crick Holden 17 Ret DNS 10 12 12 Ret DNS DNS 26 19 21 23 17 21 19 11 13 Ret DNS DNS 100
26 Australia Trevor Ashby Holden 19 10 15 17 15 15 19 18 18 20 21 C 17 19 20 78
27 Australia Steve Reed Holden 12 20 14 23 18 26 25 18 18 Ret Ret DNS 18 15 16 63
= Australia Chris Smerdon Holden 22 13 13 24 16 22 18 23 Ret 19 18 C 22 16 18 18 20 21 63
29 Australia John Briggs Ford 25 15 14 Ret 19 Ret 19 21 25 25 19 17 28 13 15 DNS DNS DNS 58
30 New Zealand Greg Murphy Holden 9 12 C 38
31 Australia Paul Weel Ford 20 Ret Ret 20 Ret 22 23 20 16 28 20 18 27 Ret 15 24 28 Ret Ret DNS 17 Ret 22 26 32
32 Australia Peter Doulman Holden 15 14 18 28 23 23 26
= Australia Mal Rose Holden 24 16 16 23 18 21 22 21 23 23 20 19 21 24 DNS 20 21 23 22 19 C Ret DNS DNS 26
34 Australia Anthony Tratt Ford 18 Ret Ret 20 17 Ret 22 17 Ret 26 17 C 25 27 Ret 23
35 Australia Ray Hislop Ford 21 Ret 17 13 Ret Ret 24 23 C 20
36 Australia Kerryn Brewer Holden 16 17 24 Ret 22 21 14
37 Australia Danny Osborne Ford 26 17 Ret Ret 25 17 30 Ret DNS 30 Ret Ret 26 26 22 24 25 20 DNS DNS DNS Ret 28 Ret 13
= Australia Brett Peters Ford 20 14 Ret 13
39 Australia Rod Nash Holden 21 24 22 24 Ret 19 22 21 20 Ret 25 21 21 24 Ret Ret 20 C 23 17 Ret 19 21 22 12
40 Australia Ryan McLeod Ford Ret 16 Ret 20 21 Ret 21 Ret 20 DNQ DNQ DNQ 10
41 Australia Kevin Heffernan Holden Ret 17 19 Ret 23 22 29 Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 8
= Australia Melinda Price Holden 27 18 18 26 22 24 Ret 22 26 8
43 Australia Geoff Kendrick Holden 22 22 Ret 24 18 20 5
44 Australia Richard Mork Holden Ret 19 19 DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 24 4
45 Australia D'Arcy Russell Holden 21 21 23 25 25 27 DNS DNS DNS 25 27 23 26 23 22 23 22 C 25 20 19 3
46 Australia Robert Smith Holden DNQ 25 C 26 19 21 DNQ DNQ DNQ 2
= Australia Dean Crosswell Holden 23 20 20 Ret DNS C 2
48 Australia Neil Schembri Holden 20 DNS DNS 1
NC Australia John Cotter Holden 21 23 27 0
NC Australia Mike Imrie Holden 27 26 31 DNS DNS DNS DNQ 27 C 27 DNS 22 DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
NC Australia Mike Conway Ford DNQ DNQ DNQ DNS DNS DNS 22 26 25 0
NC Australia Mick Donaher Holden DNQ DNQ DNQ WD WD WD 31 26 24 DNQ DNQ C Ret 24 23 0
NC Australia Simon Emerzidis Holden Ret 24 28 32 25 Ret Ret DNS C DNQ 25 Ret 0
NC Australia Gary Quartly Holden 33 24 25 25 24 C 0
NC Australia Wayne Russell Holden Ret 27 29 28 30 Ret 0
NC Australia Charles Ryman Ford DNQ Ret Ret Ret Ret Ret 27 31 WD DNS DNS Ret 0
NC Australia Garry Willmington Holden 28 Ret DNS 0
NC Australia Don Pulver Holden DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
NC Australia Barry Morcom Holden DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ DNQ 0
NC Australia Rodney Forbes Ford WD WD WD 0
Source:[7]

Race three at Calder Park Raceway was abandoned before the start due to water lying on the track after a late afternoon storm.[8]

Privateers' Team Cup

The Privateers' Team Cup was open to Level 2 teams competing with control tyres.[9] Points were awarded on the same basis as for the actual Championship however competitors were required to nominate eight rounds at which they would compete and only their best six results from those rounds would be retained towards the Cup award.[9] Two-driver teams were permitted to pool their points into a combined score.[9]

The Cup was won by Lansvale Smash Repairs with the team's Holden VS Commodore driven by Trevor Ashby and Steve Reed.[10]

References
  1. Specific Conditions, 1998 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 7-10
  2. Racing - Table of Contents, 1998 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 7-1
  3. 1998 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 7-9 & 7-10
  4. The Rounds, V8 Supercars, Shell Australian Touring Car Championship, '98 Series Review, pages 18 to 79
  5. Records, Titles and Awards, 2002 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 14-7
  6. Official Programme, Mallala, 24th May 1998
  7. "Australian Touring Car Championship standings for 1998". Racing-Reference.info. 16 January 2020.
  8. V8 Supercars, Shell Australian Touring Car Championship, '98 Series Review, page 65
  9. The cup runneth over, Official Programme, Mallala, 24 May 1998, page 98
  10. Jason Parker, Lansvale take control, V8 Supercars, Shell Australian Touring Car Championship, '98 Series Review, pages 80–84
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