1998 Australian Touring Car Championship


The 1998 Australian Touring Car Championship was an Australian motor racing competition open to 5.0 Litre Touring Cars,. The championship, which was sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as an Australian title, 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". The title, which was the 39th Australian Touring Car Championship, was won by Craig Lowndes.

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" competed for the Privateers' Cup.
TeamCarClassNoDriversEvents
Glenn Seton RacingFord Falcon ELL11 Glenn SetonAll
Glenn Seton RacingFord Falcon ELL128 Rodney Forbes3
Glenn Seton RacingFord Falcon ELL1111 Neil Crompton6, 8, 10
Holden Young LionsHolden Commodore VSL12 Steve ElleryAll
Gibson MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL17 Darren Hossack1–7
Gibson MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL132 Tomas Mezera8–10
Gibson MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL131 Darren PateAll
Lansvale Smash RepairsHolden Commodore VSL23 Trevor Ashby1, 3, 7–8, 10
Lansvale Smash RepairsHolden Commodore VSL26 Steve Reed2, 4–6, 9
Stone Brothers RacingFord Falcon ELL14 Jason BrightAll
Perkins EngineeringHolden Commodore VS
Holden Commodore VT		L18 Russell IngallAll
Perkins EngineeringHolden Commodore VS
Holden Commodore VT		L111 Larry PerkinsAll
Perkins EngineeringHolden Commodore VSL216 Melinda Price1, 4–5
Perkins EngineeringHolden Commodore VSL219 Kerryn Brewer2–3
Longhurst RacingFord Falcon ELL19 Alan Jones3–10
Longhurst RacingFord Falcon ELL125 Tony LonghurstAll
Larkham Motor SportFord Falcon ELL110 Mark LarkhamAll
Cadillac ProductionsFord Falcon ELL213 Ryan McLeod2–4, 6
Cadillac ProductionsFord Falcon ELL279 Mike Conway1, 5, 10
Imrie Motor SportHolden Commodore VSL214 Mike Imrie4–5, 8–10
Holden Racing TeamHolden Commodore VS
Holden Commodore VT		L115 Craig LowndesAll
Holden Racing TeamHolden Commodore VSL150 Mark SkaifeAll
Holden Racing TeamHolden Commodore VTL198 Greg Murphy8
Dick Johnson RacingFord Falcon ELL117 Dick JohnsonAll
Dick Johnson RacingFord Falcon ELL118 John BoweAll
Dick Johnson RacingFord Falcon ELL195 Steven Johnson4–8, 10
Colourscan MotorsportFord Falcon ELL222 Danny Osborne1, 3–7, 9–10
Colourscan MotorsportFord Falcon ELL247 Brett Peters9
Ray HislopFord Falcon EFL223 Ray Hislop1–2, 8
Romano RacingHolden Commodore VSL124 Paul RomanoAll
Doulman AutomotiveHolden Commodore VSL226 John Cotter10
Doulman AutomotiveHolden Commodore VSL229 Peter Doulman2, 5
Terry FinniganHolden Commodore VSL127 Terry Finnigan1–3, 5–7, 9–10
Challenge MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL232 Tomas Mezera3–4
Challenge MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL239 Chris Smerdon1, 5–6, 8–10
Garry Rogers MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL134 Steven Richards1–3
Garry Rogers MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL1134 Garth Tander4–10
Garry Rogers MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL135 Jason BargwannaAll
Schembri MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL236 Neil Schembri10
Schembri MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL271 Gary Quartly5, 8
James Rosenberg RacingHolden Commodore VSL138 Mark Poole1, 4, 6, 8–10
Simon EmerzidisHolden Commodore VRL241 Garry Willmington1
Simon EmerzidisHolden Commodore VSL254 Simon Emerzidis4–5, 8, 10
Paul Weel RacingFord Falcon ELL243 Paul Weel1–6, 9–10
Mal Rose RacingHolden Commodore VSL244 Mal Rose1–2, 4–9
Novocastrian MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL245 Wayne Russell4, 6
John Faulkner RacingHolden Commodore VSL146 John FaulknerAll
Rod Smith RacingHolden Commodore VSL248 D'Arcy Russell2, 4–9
Greg Crick MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL249 Greg Crick1–3, 5, 7, 9–10
Greg Crick MotorsportHolden Commodore VSL2149 Dean Crosswell6, 8
Charles RymanFord Falcon ELL251 Charles Ryman3, 5–6, 9
Barry MorcomHolden Commodore VPL252 Barry Morcom5–6
Rod Nash RacingHolden Commodore VSL255 Rod Nash3–10
Briggs Motor SportFord Falcon ELL270 John Briggs1, 3, 6–7, 9–10
Robert Smith RacingHolden Commodore VSL272 Robert Smith8–10
PACE RacingHolden Commodore VSL274 Kevin Heffernan3–5, 9
Paul Little RacingFord Falcon ELL275 Anthony Tratt4–6, 8, 10
V8 RacingHolden Commodore VPL277 Richard Mork1, 3, 5, 10
Clive Wiseman RacingHolden Commodore VSL280 Mick Donaher1, 3, 5, 8, 10
Don PulverHolden Commodore VPL288 Don Pulver1
Geoff KendrickHolden Commodore VSL292 Geoff Kendrick7, 9

Race calendar

The championship was contested over a ten-round series with three races per round.
Rd.Race TitleCircuitLocation / StateDateWinnerCarTeamReport
1 SandownSandown International Motor RacewayMelbourne, Victoria30 Jan – 1 FebCraig LowndesHolden VS CommodoreHolden Racing Team
2 LauncestonSymmons Plains International RacewayLaunceston, Tasmania6–8 FebCraig LowndesHolden VS CommodoreHolden Racing Team
3 LakesideLakeside International RacewayBrisbane, Queensland27–29 MarRussell IngallHolden VS CommodorePerkins Engineering
4 Phillip IslandPhillip Island Grand Prix CircuitPhillip Island, Victoria17–19 AprCraig LowndesHolden VS CommodoreHolden Racing Team
5 WintonWinton Motor RacewayBenalla, Victoria1–3 MayJohn BoweFord EL FalconDick Johnson Racing
6 MallalaMallala Motor Sport ParkMallala, South Australia22–24 MayRussell IngallHolden VS CommodorePerkins Engineering
7 BarbagalloBarbagallo RacewayPerth, Western Australia29–31 MayCraig LowndesHolden VS CommodoreHolden Racing Team
8 CalderCalder Park RacewayMelbourne, Victoria19–21 JunCraig LowndesHolden VS CommodoreHolden Racing Team
9 Hidden ValleyHidden Valley RacewayDarwin, Northern Territory17–19 JulRussell IngallHolden VT CommodorePerkins Engineering
10 Oran ParkOran Park International RacewaySydney, New South Wales31 Jul – 2 AugCraig LowndesHolden VT CommodoreHolden Racing Team

Championship standings

Points were awarded to the top twenty classified finishers as follows:
Race Position 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th
Points40363432302826242220181614121086421

Race three at the Calder round was abandoned before the start due to water lying on the track after a late afternoon storm.

Privateers' Team Cup

The Privateers' Team Cup was open top Level 2 teams competing with control tyres. 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. Two-driver teams were permitted to pool their points into a combined score.
The Cup was won by Lansvale Smash Repairs with the team's Holden VS Commodore driven by Trevor Ashby and Steve Reed.