1989 Australian Drivers' Championship
The 1989 Australian Drivers' Championship was a motor racing competition open to drivers of racing cars complying with CAMS Formula Holden regulations. The championship winner was awarded the 1989 CAMS Gold Star as the Australian Drivers' Champion. It was the 33rd running of the Australian Drivers' Championship and the first to feature the Formula Holden class which had been developed during 1988, originally named Formula Australia.
The championship began on 7 May 1989 at Mallala Motor Sport Park and ended on 10 September at Sandown Raceway after ten rounds. Defending champion Rohan Onslow of Sydney won his second straight CAMS Gold Star driving a Ralt RT20. Mark McLaughlin finished second in his Elfin FA891 with Channel 7 television commentator Neil Crompton finishing a fine third in his debut year in open wheel racing driving a Ralt RT20.
Teams and drivers
The following teams and drivers competed in the 1989 Australian Drivers' Championship.Team | Manufacturer | Chassis | No | Driver |
R.J.Macarthur Onslow | Ralt | RT20 | 1 | Rohan Onslow |
Tony Blanche | Ralt | RT21 | 3 | Tony Blanche |
Competitive Edge | Ralt | RT20 | 4 | Roger Martin |
Clive Kane Photography | Ralt | RT21 | 5 | Simon Kane |
Elfin Sports Cars | Elfin | FA891 | 6 | Mark McLaughlin |
Boylan Racing | Ralt | RT20 | 7 | Neil Crompton |
Bap Romano | Spa | FB001 | 8 | Bap Romano |
Cascone Corporation | Spa | FB001 | 8 12 | Sam Astuti |
John Briggs | Ralt | RT21 | 9 | John Briggs |
Ray Cutchie | Ralt | RT4 | 11 | Ray Cutchie |
Brian Shead | Cheetah | Mk.9 | 13 | Peter Glover |
TAFE Team Motorsport | Shrike | NB89H | 18 | Arthur Abrahams Ian Richards |
TAFE Team Motorsport | Shrike | NB89H | 20 | Peter Doulman Mark Poole |
David Mawer | Ralt | RT21 | 27 | Elwyn Bickley John Smith |
Brett Fisher | Liston | BF3 | 50 | Brett Fisher |
Chris Hocking | March | 87B | 74 | Chris Hocking Rohan Onslow |
John Hermann | Ralt | RT4 | 88 | John Herrman |
Note: All cars were required by the Formula Holden regulations to be fitted with 3.8 litre Holden V6 engines.
Race calendar
The 1989 Australian Drivers' Championship was contested over ten rounds at five race meetings.Rd. | Circuit | City / State | Date | Winner | Team |
1 | Mallala Motor Sport Park | Mallala, South Australia | 7 May | Mark McLaughlin | Elfin Sports Cars |
2 | Mallala Motor Sport Park | Mallala, South Australia | 7 May | Rohan Onslow | R.J.Macarthur Onslow |
3 | Winton Motor Raceway | Benalla, Victoria | 4 June | Rohan Onslow | R.J.Macarthur Onslow |
4 | Winton Motor Raceway | Benalla, Victoria | 4 June | John Briggs | John Briggs |
5 | Oran Park Raceway | Sydney, New South Wales | 4 August | Rohan Onslow | R.J.Macarthur Onslow |
6 | Oran Park Raceway | Sydney, New South Wales | 4 August | Rohan Onslow | R.J.Macarthur Onslow |
7 | Amaroo Park | Sydney, New South Wales | 20 August | Neil Crompton | Boylan Racing |
8 | Amaroo Park | Sydney, New South Wales | 20 August | Simon Kane | Clive Kane Photography |
9 | Sandown International Raceway | Melbourne, Victoria | 9 October | Sam Astuti | Cascone Corporation |
10 | Sandown International Raceway | Melbourne, Victoria | 9 October | Neil Crompton | Boylan Racing |