1973 Australian Touring Car Championship


The 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship was the 14th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. It began at Symmons Plains on 5 March 1973 and ended at Warwick Farm after eight rounds. The series was won by Allan Moffat in a Ford Falcon GTHO Phase III.
The night before Round 6 of the series at the Adelaide International Raceway, Moffat's GTHO Falcon was stolen from Stillwell Ford in the northern Adelaide suburb of Medindie. Rather than see Moffat out of the race, Murray Carter loaned Moffat his GTHO Falcon for the race. Peter Brock won the race while Moffat kept his points lead by finishing second. Moffat's stolen Falcon was later found abandoned in the Adelaide Hills where the thieves who had taken it for a "joy ride" dumped it when it ran out of fuel.

Teams and drivers

The following drivers competed in the 1973 ATCC. The series consisted of eight rounds held in six different states.
SponsorCarNoDriver
Holden Dealer TeamHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-11Peter Brock
Grace Bros/Exacto TapeChrysler Valiant Charger R/T E491Ian Geoghegan
Holden Dealer TeamHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-12Peter Brock
Shell RacingFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III3Murray Carter
Dick JohnsonHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-14Dick Johnson
McLeod FordFord XA Falcon GT Hardtop5John Goss
Fred GibsonFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III6Fred Gibson
Bob JaneHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-17Bob Jane
Ansett/Motorcraft/BPFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III9Allan Moffat
Grace Bros/Exacto TapeChrysler Valiant Charger R/T E4910Ian Geoghegan
Holden Dealer TeamHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-111Peter Brock
Ron Hodgson MotorsHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-111Bob Morris
Bob HoldenFord Escort Twin Cam13Bob Holden
Peter Robinson Motors LilydaleHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-114Tony Niovanni
John StoopmanHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-115John Stoopman
Graeme BlanchardHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-116Graeme Blanchard
Bryan ThomsonHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-117Bryan Thomson
Ted MudieHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-118Ted Mudie
Cessnock Motor WorksHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-119Allan Grice
Rod McRaeHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-120Rod McRae
Phil BarnesHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-121Phil Barnes
Phillip LyonFord Escort Twin Cam23Phillip Lyon
Holden Dealer TeamHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-124Colin Bond
Graham ParsonsHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-125Graham Parsons
Lakis ManticasHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-127Lakis Manticas
Stuart SakerHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-129Stuart Saker
Don HoldenHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-130Don Holland
Gary CookeMazda RX-331Gary Cooke
Graham RyanHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-132Graham Ryan
Ken LoughanHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-134Ken Loughan
Alan CantFord Escort Twin Cam37Alan Cant
John DugganHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-139John Duggan
John FrenchFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III44John French
Rod HousegoChrysler Valiant Charger R/T E4945Rod Housego
Lyndon ArnelFord Escort Twin Cam47Lyndon Arnel
Geoff LeedsFord Escort Twin Cam49Geoff Leeds
Tony FarrellFord Escort Twin Cam52Tony Farrell
Barry BassingthwaiteFord Escort Twin Cam57Barry Bassingthwaite
Strapp Ford Doncaster/MarlboroFord Escort Twin Cam58Graham Ritter
David JamiesonFord Mustang60David Jamieson
Campbell LambertMorris Cooper S61Campbell Lambert
Tony WattsMorris Cooper S62Tony Watts
Colin PawsonHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-163Colin Pawson
Westland AutosFord XY Falcon GTHO Phase III64Bill Dickson
Werner TulipanHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-166Werner Tulipan
Peter GrangerFord Escort Twin Cam67Peter Granger
John DellacaMorris Cooper S69John Dellaca
Rod MilesMorris Clubman GT72Rod Miles
Stewart McLeodHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-173Stewart McLeod
Gary KeenMazda RX-375Gary Keen
Total/Castrol/TAAChevrolet Camaro ZL176Bob Jane
Garry RoweFord Escort Twin Cam77Garry Rowe
Martin AndersonMorris Cooper S78Martin Anderson
Jim StewartMorris Cooper S79Jim Stewart
Brett KeightleyHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-180Brett Keightley
Elemer VajdaSubaru 130081Elemer Vajda
Eric OlsenFord Escort Twin Cam83Eric Olsen
Paul GulsonFiat 128 Coupe85Paul Gulson
Tony AllenChrysler Valiant Charger R/T E4987Tony Allen
Lawrie NelsonChrysler Valiant Charger R/T E4988Lawrie Nelson
John PiperFord Escort Twin Cam90John Piper
Mel McEwinToyota Corolla91Mel McEwin
Keith McCloyMorris Cooper S94Keith McCloy
Rod BoyleMorris Cooper S95Rod Boyle
Graeme AdamsHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-196Graeme Adams
Bill NitschkeHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-197Bill Nitschke
World Of TyresChrysler Valiant Charger R/T E4998Ian Diffen
Alfred ColledgeMorris Cooper S99Alfred Colledge
John LewisHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-1101John Lewis
Paul MooreToyota Corolla102Paul Moore
Rod MorrisMorris Cooper S107Rod Morris
Neil NuntingToyota Corolla111Neil Nunting
Motorama/Castrol GTXHolden LJ Torana GTR XU-1154Ray Thackwell

Calendar

The 1973 Australian Touring Car Championship consisted of eight rounds.
Rd.Race TitleCircuitCity / StateDateWinnerTeamReport
1Symmons PlainsSymmons Plains RacewayLaunceston, Tasmania5 MarchAllan MoffatFord Works Team
2CalderCalder Park RacewayMelbourne, Victoria18 MarchAllan MoffatFord Works Team
3SandownSandown International RacewayMelbourne, Victoria15 AprilAllan MoffatFord Works Team
4WannerooWanneroo ParkPerth Western Australia6 MayAllan MoffatFord Works Team
5Surfers ParadiseSurfers Paradise International RacewaySurfers Paradise, Queensland20 MayPeter BrockHolden Dealer Team
6Datsun TrophyAdelaide International RacewayAdelaide, South Australia10 JunePeter BrockHolden Dealer Team
7Oran ParkOran Park RacewaySydney, New South Wales24 JuneAllan MoffatFord Works Team
8Warwick FarmWarwick Farm RacewaySydney, New South Wales15 JulyPeter BrockHolden Dealer Team

Drivers Championship

Points were awarded 4-3-2-1 for the first four race positions, and then 9-6-4-3-2-1 for the top 6 of each class.

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