1997 Australian Super Touring Championship


The 1997 Australian Super Touring Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title open to Super Touring Cars. It was the fifth national title to be run in Australia for Super Touring Cars and the third to carry the Australian Super Touring Championship name. The championship, which was promoted by TOCA Australia as the 1997 BOC Gases Australian Super Touring Championship, began on 4 May at Lakeside International Raceway and ended on 9 November at Amaroo Park after eight rounds and sixteen races. The Drivers Championship was won by Paul Morris, the Manufacturers Championship by BMW and the Teams Championship by BMW Motorsport.

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers competed in the 1997 Australian Super Touring Championship.
TeamCarNo.Driver
Audi Sport AustraliaAudi A4 Quattro1 * Brad Jones
Audi Sport AustraliaAudi A4 Quattro11 * Cameron McConville
BMW MotorsportBMW 320i2 * Paul Morris
BMW MotorsportBMW 320i22 * Craig Baird
BMW MotorsportBMW 320i83 * Geoff Brabham
Volvo Cars AustraliaVolvo 8504 * Tony Scott
Volvo Cars AustraliaVolvo 8508 * Jim Richards
Phoenix MotorsportToyota Camry10 Mark Adderton
Neal Bates
Greenfield Mowers RacingOpel Vectra
Holden Vectra		12 Cameron McLean
CPW MotorsportBMW 318i13 Wayne Wakefield
CPW MotorsportBMW 318i27 Steven Johnson
CPW MotorsportBMW 318i64 Jason Richards
Triple P Racing
Hyundai Elantra14 Jim Cornish
Kurt Kratzmann
Triple P Racing
Hyundai Elantra57 Jim Cornish
Triple P Racing
Hyundai Elantra58 Paul Pickett
Albert PoonFord Mondeo15 Gianfranco Brancatelli
Mike Briggs
Albert PoonFord Mondeo20 Albert Poon
AAP RacingToyota Carina15 Milton Leslight
Bob Holden MotorsBMW 318i16 Justin Matthews
M-F RacingPeugeot 405 Mi1621 Mike Fitzgerald
Garry Rogers MotorsportHonda Accord
Nissan Primera		34 Steven Richards
TC Motorsport
Peugeot 405 Mi1637 Tony Newman
TC Motorsport
Peugeot 405 Mi1638 Dwayne Bewley
Gun RacingAlfa Romeo 155 TS45 David Auger
John Henderson RacingOpel Vectra56 John Henderson
Warren LuffHonda Accord60 Warren Luff
Robert TweedieVauxhall Cavalier79 Bob Tweedie
Knight RacingFord Mondeo88 Peter Hills
Knight RacingFord Mondeo89 Jenni Thompson
Claude Elias
Nigel BarclayBMW 318i99 Blair Smith

Note : * indicates entry nominated by a manufacturer for the Manufacturers Championship

Race Calendar

The 1997 Australian Super Touring Championship was contested over eight rounds with two races held at each round.
Rd.RaceCircuitLocation / StateDateWinnerCarTeamReport
11Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, Queensland3–4 MayPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
12Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, Queensland3–4 MayPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
21Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitPhillip Island, Victoria31 May–1 JunPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
22Phillip Island Grand Prix CircuitPhillip Island, Victoria31 May–1 JunGeoff BrabhamBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
31Calder Park RacewayMelbourne, Victoria21–22 JunBrad JonesAudi A4 QuattroBrad Jones Racing
32Calder Park RacewayMelbourne, Victoria21–22 JunGeoff BrabhamBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
41Amaroo ParkSydney, New South Wales19–20 JulBrad JonesAudi A4 QuattroBrad Jones Racing
42Amaroo ParkSydney, New South Wales19–20 JulBrad JonesAudi A4 QuattroBrad Jones Racing
51Winton Motor RacewayBenalla, Victoria9–10 AugCameron McConvilleAudi A4 QuattroBrad Jones Racing
52Winton Motor RacewayBenalla, Victoria9–10 AugPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
61Mallala Motor Sport ParkMallala, South Australia23–24 AugBrad JonesAudi A4 QuattroBrad Jones Racing
62Mallala Motor Sport ParkMallala, South Australia23–24 AugCameron McConvilleAudi A4 QuattroBrad Jones Racing
71Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, Queensland25–26 OctPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
72Lakeside International RacewayBrisbane, Queensland25–26 OctPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
NC1Mount Panorama CircuitBathurst, New South Wales5 OctDavid Brabham & Geoff BrabhamBMW 320iBMW Motorsport AustraliaReport
81Amaroo ParkSydney, New South Wales8–9 NovGeoff BrabhamBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport
82Amaroo ParkSydney, New South Wales8–9 NovPaul MorrisBMW 320iPaul Morris Motorsport

Results

Drivers Championship

Drivers Championship points were awarded on a 15-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis for the first ten places in each race. One point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest qualifying time for each races.

Manufacturers Championship

Manufacturers Championship points were awarded on a 15-12-10 basis for relative positions attained in each race by the best placed car of each of the three manufacturers that had nominated cars to compete on their behalf.
PositionManufacturerLak
R1		Lak
R2		Phi
R1		Phi
R2		Cal
R1		Cal
R2		Ama
R1		Ama
R2		Win
R1		Win
R2		Mal
R1		Mal
R2		Lak
R1		Lak
R2		Ama
R1		Ama
R2		Points
1BMW15151515121512121215101215151515220
2Audi-101212151215151512151512101212194
3Volvo1212-10101010101010121010121010158

Teams Championship

TOCA Challenge Cup - Independents

The TOCA Challenge Cup was open to drivers of teams which did not receive major support from a manufacturer.
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