2010 Australian GT Championship


The 2010 Australian GT Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing championship open to closed production based sports cars which were either approved by the FIA for GT3 competition or approved by CAMS as Australian GTs. The championship, which was the 14th Australian GT Championship, incorporated drivers titles in three divisions, GT Championship, GT Challenge and GT Production. The Australian GT Sportscar Group Pty Ltd was appointed as the Category Manager by CAMS for the championship, which was promoted as the "Vodka O Australian GT Championship".
Defending champion David Wall became the first multiple championship winner in the history of the title with a 30-point victory over fellow Porsche driver, James Koundouris. Wall, driving the family team's Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S, won five races and claimed round wins at Adelaide and Eastern Creek. Third places at Albert Park and at Bathurst were enough to hold off Phillip Island round winner Koundouris, even after being excluded from the first race at Sandown. Dean Grant was third in the championship. Other round winners were Porsche driver Max Twigg, at Albert Park, and Tony Quinn. Quinn drove an Aston Martin DBRS9 and a Mosler MT900, winning the Bathurst round in the former and the Sandown round in the latter, allowing him to climb into fourth in the championship.
In the GT Challenge division, Shane Smollen took a 120-point win over fellow Porsche 911 GT3 drivers, Michael Loccisano and Ray Angus.
Chevrolet Corvette driver Paul Freestone came from behind at the final round of the series to defeat Tony Alford and take victory in the GT Production division. Mark O'Connor was third.
Controversy erupted after two major accidents at the second round of the series, which supported the 2010 Australian Grand Prix. A multi-car accident caused heavy damage to several vehicles at the start of one race and resulted in changes to regulations for rolling restarts, which have had consequences beyond GT racing. Additionally a multi-car accident that occurred under yellow flag conditions saw penalties levied against Porsche drivers Ray Angus and Andrew Taplin after they tangled with a slow moving damaged car and the parked Ascari KZ1-R of John Bowe.

Teams and drivers

The following teams and drivers contested the 2010 Australian GT Championship.
TeamCarDivisionNoDriver
Wall RacingPorsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997Championship1 David Wall
Jocaro MotorsportLamborghini Gallardo
Mosler MT900R
Championship2 Dean Grant
Jocaro MotorsportDodge Viper GT3Championship3 Ross Lilley
Jocaro MotorsportAudi R8 GT3Championship8 Mark Eddy
Consolidated ChemicalLamborghini GallardoChampionship4 Peter Hackett
Taplin Real EstateLamborghini GallardoChampionship5 Andrew Taplin
Kevin Weeks
Golf Car SolutionsPorsche 911 GT3 RS Type 996Challenge6 Jordan Ormsby
VIP Petfoods RacingMosler MT900
Aston Martin DBRS9
Championship7 Tony Quinn
VIP Petfoods RacingMosler MT900Championship12 Klark Quinn
Hallmarc DevelopmentsPorsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997Championship9 Marc Cini
Hallmarc DevelopmentsPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge19 Michael Loccisano
Marc Cini
Dutton InsuranceLotus Exige SProduction10 Mark O'Connor
MJR AirconditioningLamborghini GallardoChampionship11 Mark Seamons
Jim Richards RacingPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Championship15 Jim Richards
Weeks Building GroupPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge16 Gary Dann
Inca MotorsportsPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge17 Ray Angus
Twigg MotorsportPorsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997Championship18 Max Twigg
MagnapoolDodge Viper GT3Championship20 Ian Palmer
Greg Crick
Interauto MotorsportLamborghini GallardoChampionship21 Ross Zampatti
Beta ToolsMosler MT900RChampionship22 Ash Samadi
Freestones TransportChevrolet Corvette Z06Production25 Paul Freestone
Excen Corporate CentreChevrolet Corvette Z06Production26 Barrie Nesbitt
Maranello MotorsportFerrari F430 GT3Championship27 Nick O'Halloran
Trofeo MotorsportMaserati Trofeo GT3Challenge29 Jim Manolios
Trofeo MotorsportMaserati GranTurismo GT3Championship29 Jim Manolios
Kirrapak SheetmetalLotus Elise HPEChallenge31 Tim Mackie
Kirrapak SheetmetalLotus Elise HPEChallenge32 David Mackie
Bayside ChurchFerrari F430 GT3Championship37 Hector Lester
Pelorus Property GroupPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge39 Paul Tresidder
Supabarn SupermarketsPorsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997Championship47 Theo Koundouris
Supabarn SupermarketsPorsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997Championship69 James Koundouris
DFOPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 996Challenge50 Calvin Pusterla
AMAC MotorsportMosler MT900RChampionship51 Andrew MacPherson
Donut King RacingNissan GT-RProduction54 Tony Alford
CastrolDodge Viper GTS ACRChampionship55 Greg Crick
McGrath Estate AgentsPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge56 Shane Smollen
Adrenalin.com.auDodge Viper GTS ACRChampionship58 Richard Kimber
Adrenalin.com.auPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 996Challenge58 Richard Kimber
Austral RacingPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 996Challenge63 Richard Green
GlobeLamborghini GallardoChampionship66 Peter Hill
Pick Up Truck PicturesPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 996Challenge67 Eric Bana
ULX 110 Proven Custom Blend OilPorsche 911 GT3 RSR Type 996Challenge74 Keith Wong
Graeme Cook
Kiang Kuan Wong
Dodge Viper GT3Championship75 Rob Sherrard
One of a KindLotus Exige SChallenge77 Timothy Poulton
Maranello MotorsportFerrari 360 ChallengeChallenge77 Peter Edwards
Vic Air SuppliesPorsche 911 GT3 RSR Type 996Challenge88 Simon Middleton
Vic Air SuppliesLamborghini GallardoChampionship88 Simon Middleton
Clipper MotoryachtsAscari KZ1-RChampionship89 Darren Berry
John Bowe
World Link InternationalPorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge89 Ivan Klasen
Pariah MotorsportLotus Exige GT3Championship98 Angelo Lazaris
Livi Bathroom TissuePorsche 911 GT3 Cup Type 997Challenge99 Damien Flack
Adrian Flack

Race calendar

The championship was contested over a six-round series.

Points system

Points were awarded in each division at each race according to the following table.
Position1st2nd3rd4th5th6th7th8th9th10th11th12th13th14th15th16th17th18th19th20th21st22nd23rd24th25th26th27th28th29th30th31st32nd33rd34th35th
Two race format5752.549.54846.54543.54240.53937.53634.53331.53028.52725.52422.52119.51816.51513.51210.597.564.531.5
Three race format3835333231302928272625242322212019181716151413121110987654321

Within each division, each driver could count only his/her best five round results.

Championship standings

The 2010 Australian Tourist Trophy was awarded by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport to the driver accumulating the highest aggregate points total from the Eastern Creek and Phillip island "endurance" rounds of the championship. The title, which was the 21st Australian Tourist Trophy, was won by David Wall, driving a Porsche 911 GT3 Cup S Type 997.