John McCormack (racing driver)


John McCormack is a former Australian racing driver. Originally from Tasmania, McCormack became one of the leading Formula 5000 racers in Australia during the 1970s.
McCormack won the Australian Drivers' Championship three times, driving an Elfin MR5 Repco Holden in 1973, an Elfin MR6 Repco Holden in 1975 and a McLaren M23-Leyland in 1977. He also won consecutive New Zealand Grand Prix in 1973 and 1974. McCormack was competitive in the Tasman Series and Australian Grand Prix his best results being second in both events. Most of McCormack's major wins were under the banner of the Ansett Team Elfin.
As well as open-wheelers McCormack drove sports sedans, winning the 1974 Toby Lee Sports Sedan Series driving his highly modified Chrysler Valiant Charger-Repco Holden V8 which underneath the Charger shell had specifications virtually identical to those of his Formula 5000 car.
In 1979 McCormack was one of the first drivers to race a Chevrolet Camaro at the Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst. After numerous problems with the big Chev during practice, McCormack and co-driver Bob Forbes started 60th, and were a DNF after just 62 laps when the 350ci V8 failed.

Career results

SeasonSeriesPositionCarEntrant / Team
1966Australian Drivers' Championship10thRepco Brabham BT4 Coventry ClimaxJ McCormack
1967Australian Drivers' Championship9thRepco Brabham BT4 Coventry ClimaxJohn McCormack
1970Australian Drivers' Championship7thElfin 600C Coventry ClimaxJohn McCormack
1971Australian Drivers' Championship4thElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1972Tasman Series11thElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1972Australian Drivers' Championship3rdElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1973Tasman Series2ndElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1973Australian Drivers' Championship1stElfin MR5 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1974Tasman Series4thElfin MR5 Repco-Holden
Elfin ML6 Leyland		Ansett Team Elfin
1974Australian Drivers' Championship5thElfin ML6 Leyland
Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden		Ansett Team Elfin
1974Toby Lee Sports Sedan Series1stChrysler VJ Valiant Charger-Repco Holden V8Ansett Team
1975Tasman Series4thElfin MR6 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1975Australian Drivers' Championship1stElfin MR6 Repco-HoldenAnsett Team Elfin
1976Australian Drivers' Championship3rdMcLaren M23-LeylandBudget
1977Rothmans International Series9thMcLaren M23-LeylandBudget Rent-A-Car System
1977Australian Drivers' Championship1stMcLaren M23-LeylandBudget
1979Rothmans International Series9thMcLaren M23 LeylandMcCormack Uniparts Team
1980Australian Sports Sedan Championship4thJaguar XJ-SMcCormack - Unipart Racing