1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship

Motor racing competition June 2020 November 2011 The 1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was an Australian motor racing competition for Group B Sports Sedans.CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1981, Page 94 It was sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport and was the sixth Australian Sports Sedan Championship. Reigning champion Tony Edmonson, won his second consequtive title in the Don Elliot-owned Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV, this time fitted with an ex-Formula 5000 5.0 L Chevrolet V8 engine instead of the Repco Holden V8 used in 1980. His closest competition came from the 6.0 litre Chevrolet Monza of Adelaide's John Briggs, who finished second, with Sydney's Phil Ward third in his Penthouse sponsored Holden Monaro HQ. Both the Alfa Romeo and the Chevrolet were built by Adelaide-based K&A Engineering. The championship was the last for Australian driver / businessman Bob Jane, who drove his Pat Purcell-built Chevrolet Monza to equal ninth in the series. Jane, who had won the Bathurst 500 on four occasions in the 1960s and had also won four Australian Touring Car Championships, retired from driving at the end of 1981 due to an ongoing back injury. The Sports Sedan Championship was discontinued with the introduction of the Australian GT Championship in 1982. Some Sports Sedans were converted to GT specifications and others competed in the new championship with the GT cars. The GT Championship itself lasted only until 1985 before also being disbanded. Although there would be minor Sports Sedan series contested in various Australian states, the Australian Sports Sedan Championship itself would not return to the Australian calendar until 1991. Calendar thumb|Dick Ward placed 14th in the championship driving a Fiat Abarth. Car and driver are depicted in 2013 The championship was contested over eleven rounds. Round Name Circuit State Date FormatAustralian Motor Racing Year, 1981/82, Pages 164–187 Winning driver Car 1 Lakeside Queensland 29 March Two heats John Briggs Chevrolet Monza 2 Winton Victoria 3 May Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered 3 Amaroo Park New South Wales 24 May Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered 4 Oran Park New South Wales 21 June Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered 5 Sandown Victoria 5 July One race Garry Rogers Holden Torana LX 6 Patra Challenge Calder Victoria 2 August Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered 7 Wanneroo Park Western Australia 16 August Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered 8 Surfers Paradise Queensland 30-Aug Two heats Allan Grice BMW 320i 9 Symmons Plains Tasmania 20-Sep One race John Briggs Chevrolet Monza 10 Baskerville Tasmania 11 October Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered 11 The Advertiser Sports Sedan Challenge Adelaide International Raceway South Australia 25 October Two heats Tony Edmondson Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered Points Championship points were awarded on a 9–6–4–3–2–1 basis to the top six placegetters in each round. Only the best nine round performances were counted towards each driver's championship total. For rounds run over two heats, round points were awarded on a 20–16–13–11–10–9–8–7–6–5–4–3–2–1 basis to the top 14 placegetters in each heat. The six drivers attaining the highest aggregate from the two heats were then awarded the championship points for that round. If more than one driver attained the same total, the relevant round placing was awarded to the driver who achieved the higher placing in the second heat.CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1981, pages 91–92 Results Position Driver No. Car Entrant Rd 1 Rd 2 Rd 3 Rd 4 Rd 5 Rd 6 Rd 7 Rd 8 Rd 9 Rd 10 Rd 11 Total 1 Tony Edmondson 1 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTVChevrolet-powered Donald Elliott 4 9 9 9 – 9 9 – – 9 9 67 2John Briggs 9Chevrolet MonzaJohn Roberts 9 – 1 – – 6 – 6 9 6 6 43 3Phil Ward 2Holden Monaro HQAustralian Penthouse Racing 6 6 6 4 – 4 – 1 4 4 – 35 4Garry Rogers 34Holden Torana LXGarry Rogers – – – 6 9 2 – – 6 3 – 26 5Allan Grice 11BMW 318iJPS Team BMW – – 4 – 3 – 6 9 – – – 22 6Tony Parkinson 28 & 12Holden Commodore VBQH – Adelaide Brake Service 3 – – 3 4 – – – 3 2 3 18 7Clem Smith 16Chrysler Valiant Charger VHClem Smith – – – – – – – 4 – – 4 8 8Peter Finch 16Holden Monaro HQPeter Finch – – – – 6 1 – – – – – 7 9Bob Jane 10 & 7Chevrolet MonzaBob Jane T-Marts – – – – – 3 – – – – 2 5John English 14Ford Escort Mk 1Bryan Byrt Ford 2 – – – – – – 3 – – – 5John Tesoriero 32Volvo 242John Tesoriero – – 3 – – – – 2 – – – 5 12Geoff Boyd 29Holden ToranaCarling Constructions – 4 – – – – – – – – – 4Gordon Mitchell 57Alfa Romeo GTVCechelle Motors – – – – – – 4 – – – – 4 14Ken James 49Mazda RX-3 – 3 – – – – – – – – – 3Dick Ward 27Fiat AbarthGo Gear-rotomotion – – – – – – 3 – – – – 3 16Jeff Groves 97Ford EscortJeff Groves – 2 – – – – – – – – – 2Bob Stevens 17Holden Monaro HQBob Stevens – – 2 – – – – – – – – 2Paul Jones 64Chevrolet MonzaPaul Jones – – – 2 – – – – – – – 2Rusty French 23Ford Falcon XDRusty French Racing – – – – 2 – – – – – – 2Craig Marsland 56Chrysler Valiant ChargerPizza Hut – – – – – – 2 – – – – 2Rob Davies 44Ford Escort Mk 1 – – – – – – – – 2 – – 2 22Kent Youlden 55Ford Cortina TEDowsett Engineering – 1 – – 1 – – – – – – 2 23John White 65Chevrolet MonzaJohn White 1 – – – – – – – – – – 1Larry Perkins 69Holden Commodore VCLaunceston Hotel – – – 1 – – – – – – – 1Gordon Stephenson 75Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTGordon Stephenson – – – – – – 1 – – – – 1Kerry Baily 58Holden Torana GTR XU-1 – – – – – – – – 1 – – 1Richard Purtell 62Holden Torana GTR XU-1 – – – – – – – – – 1 – 1Luigi DeLuca 22 Ford AngliaDWU Australia Pty Ltd – – – – – – – – – – 1 1 Note: The top six results in the above table are based on those published in Australian Motor Racing Year, 1981, Page 164 however additional positions below the top six have been calculated from results for Rounds 1 through 10 in the same publication and results for the final round in Racing Car News, November 1981, page 35. References Further reading Racing Car News, January 1982, page 38 Souvenir Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday 25 October 1981 External links Records, Titles and Awards at www.camsmanual.com.au Autopics images including 1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship Sports Sedan Championship Category:National Sports Sedan Series