1976 Australian Tourist Trophy

The 1976 Australian Tourist Trophy was a motor race staged at the Phillip Island circuit in Victoria, Australia on 21 November 1976.[1] It was open to Group A Sports Cars[2] and was recognized by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as an Australian national title.[2] The race, which was organised by the Phillip Island Auto Racing Club,[3] was the fourteenth Australian Tourist Trophy.[4] It also carried the Endeavour Cup title.[3]

The race was won by Stuart Kostera of Western Australia,[5] driving an Elfin MS7.[1]

Results

Position [6] Driver [6] No.[3] Car [6][7][3] Entrant [7][3] Laps [6]
1 Stuart Kostera 131 [6] Elfin MS7 Repco Holden[8] Kostera Racing 30
2 Barry Singleton 61 [9] McLaren M8 Chevrolet[10] Barry Singleton Motors 30
3 Alan Hamilton 9 Porsche 934 Jag Porsche Team 30
4 Rusty French 6 de Tomaso Pantera Holley Performance 29
5 Geoff Walker 70 GP Datsun Clubman [11] Geoff Walker 27
6 Tony Rees [12] 78 Farrell Clubman[13] AG Rees 26
7 Dale Kendall 56 Arbyen WDC1 [14] Dale Kendall 24
DNF [15] Jim Phillips 3 Rennmax Repco[16] Shell Sport
DNF [15] Eric Boord 19 Boral Ford[16] Shell Sport
DNF John White 18 Bolwell John White
DNF Murray Wilson 35 Clubman M Wilson
DNF Greg Doidge 31 Elfin 360 Repco[16] GSD Sheetmetal 18 [16]
DNF Ken Walters 49 Gissing Holden[17] Ken Walters
DNF Paul Gibson 11 Rennmax Repco[16] Shell Sport
DNF Geoff Watson 21 Watson Corolla Geoff Watson
DNF Ross Wemyss 4 Farrell Ross Wemyss
DNF Peter Jones 68 Cheetah Motor Improvements Team Toyota
DNF Andrew Newton 59 Hossack 3 Paul Newton
DNF Tom Crozier 58 Farrell T Crozier
DNF Max Scorer 7 Scorer Sprite Max Scorer
DNF Kevin Norden 12 Speco Elfin[3] Kevin Norden 1 [7]
DNF Ian Burrell 17 Rennmax Oldsmobile Keith Beard 0 [18]
DNF Vic Butler 34 Lotus 23B VA Butler 0 [18]
DNS [19] Dennis Hogan [19][3] 37 Triton Mk2 Dennis Hogan
DNS [19] John Allison [19][3] 71 Allison
DNS [19] Graham Docker [19][3] 36 Bolwell Graham Docker
DNS [19] Bernard Bignell [19][3] 8 Lotus 23B Bernard Bignell
DNS [19] Col Trengrove [19][3] 46 ASP 340D Trengrove Racing Cars
DNS [19] Paul Trevethan [19][3] 20 MGB GT V8 Broadwalk Racing Cars
DNS [19] Leigh Gribble [19][3] 82 Grimas Leigh Gribble
DNS [19] Alan Newton [19][3] 54 R&T Chevrolet Alan Newton
DNS [19] David Phillips [19][3] 15 Lotus 23 David K Phillips
DNS [19] Warwick De Rose [19][3] 24 Elfin 300[20] Warwick De Rose
DNS [19] G. Stoll [19][21] 38 FM Corolla[21] G Stoll
DNS [19] Chris Hocking [19][3] 74 Gordon C2 Motorfast Datsun

Key:

  • DNF = Did not finish
  • DNS = Did not start

Race statistics

  • Race distance: 30 laps, 88.2 miles, 141.9 km[7]
  • Pole position: Jim Phillips, 1:48.6[7]
  • Number of starters: 23 [6][16]
  • Number of classified finishers: 7 [6]
  • Race time of winning car: 57:37.9[7]
  • Fastest lap: Jim Phillips, 1:48.8[7]

References and notes

  1. ^ a b Sports Cars, Evan Green, Evan Green’s World of Motor Sport, 1977, page 28
  2. ^ a b Australian Title Conditions, 1976 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 84
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Official Souvenir Programme, Phillip Island Auto Racing Club Limited, Sunday 21 November (&) Sunday 28 November 1976
  4. ^ Australian Titles, 2002 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 14-5
  5. ^ Series to Crawford, The Age, Monday, 22 November 1976, page 26
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Phillip Island Auto Racing Club, Road Racing Classic Part 1, Sunday November 21, 1975, Provisional Results
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Kostera buys the favourite, Racing Car News, January 1977, pages 30 to 33
  8. ^ Titles Decided, Australian Auto Action, Thursday, 25 November 1976, page 1, lists Kostera's car as an Elfin MS7 Repco. Graham Howard in his article "Elfins: the beautiful cars that keep winning" in Australian Motor Racing Yearbook 1982/83 pages 46 to 58, states that the one-off Elfin MS7 was powered by a Repco Holden engine
  9. ^ Official Souvenir Programme shows Singleton as No. 6. PIARC Results show No. 61
  10. ^ Titles Decided, Australian Auto Action, Thursday, 25 November 1976, page 1
  11. ^ GP Datsun in Racing Car News "Grid Line-up". Clubman in Official Souvenir Programme.
  12. ^ A.G. Rees in PIARC Results. Tony Rees in Official Souvenir Programme
  13. ^ Jim Shepherd, A History of Australian Motor Sport, 1980, page 183
  14. ^ Arbyen in Official Souvenir Programme & PIARC Results. WDC1 in Racing Car News "Grid Line-up".
  15. ^ a b The PIARC Results indicate that Phillips and Boord were running at the end of the race but were not classified as finishers as they had not completed sufficient laps, the minimum requirement being 22.
  16. ^ a b c d e f 1976 Australian Tourist Trophy - W.A. Victory!, Australian Auto Action, Thursday, 25 November 1976, page 10
  17. ^ A Win to the West, Chequered Flag, January 1977, page 42
  18. ^ a b PIARC Results show Fastest Lap as N/T. This has been taken to indicate that no time was recorded due to the car failing to complete a lap. This is supported by the race report in Racing Car News.
  19. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x Competitor is listed in Australian Tourist Trophy "Grid Line-up", Racing Car News, January 1977, page 33 but not in Phillip Island Auto Racing Club, Road Racing Classic Part 1, Sunday November 21, 1975, Provisional Results
  20. ^ Warwick De Rose is listed in an Elfin 300 in the Official Souvenir Programme. The Racing Car News Report has him in a Pegasus.
  21. ^ a b G. Stolle (Gordon) in "Grid Line-up", Racing Car News. G Stoll (FM Corolla) in Official Souvenir Programme