South Pacific Touring Series

The South Pacific Touring Series was an Australian Touring car racing series held annually from 1970 to 1975 during the month of February in conjunction with the Tasman Series for open-wheelers. Races counting towards the series were staged at Surfers Paradise in Queensland, Warwick Farm and Oran Park in Sydney, Sandown Park in Melbourne and, from 1972, at the Adelaide International Raceway in South Australia.

Not to be confused with South Pacific Touring Car Championship.

South Pacific Touring Series
CategoryGroup E Series Production Touring Cars
Group C Touring Cars
CountryAustralia
Inaugural season1970
Folded1975
Last Drivers' champion Colin Bond
Last Teams' championMarlboro Holden Dealer Team
Last Makes' championHolden

History

The 1970 series was run under the name Tasman Touring Series,[1] with the South Pacific Touring Series name adopted for 1971.[2] Up until 1972 the series was open to Group E Series Production Touring Cars[3][4] and from 1973 onwards, like the Bathurst 1000 endurance race, it was switched to the new Australian Group C Touring Car regulations.[5] The position of the series on the Australian racing calendar meant that it was the first title to be contested by the Chrysler, Ford and Holden teams each year.

A Manufacturers Trophy was awarded in addition to a drivers title in 1970[6] and 1971.[7] From 1972 the Entrant of the car driven by the driver gaining the most points in the series was awarded equal recognition with the winning driver.[4][5][8][9] Ford works team lead driver Allan Moffat was the winning driver in 1970 with the Ford Motor Company of Australia awarded the Manufacturers Trophy. John Goss took the title driving for McLeod Ford in 1972. Harry Firth's Holden Dealer Team and its drivers won the title four times, with Colin Bond winning in 1971 and 1975 and Peter Brock victorious in 1973 and 1974.

Like the Tasman Series, the South Pacific series was in decline by the mid-1970s due to the greater importance put on the Australian Touring Car Championship and it was discontinued after 1975.

List of series winners
Allan Moffat contesting the Surfers Paradise round of the 1972 series in a Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III
Year Series name Series winners Car
1970 Tasman Touring Series[1] Allan Moffat[10]
Ford Motor Company of Australia (Manufacturers Trophy)[6]		 Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase 1[1]
1971 South Pacific Touring Series Colin Bond[11]
General Motors-Holden's (Manufacturers Award)		 Holden LC Torana GTR XU-1
1972 South Pacific Touring Series John Goss[12]
McLeod Ford[13]		 Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III
1973 South Pacific Touring Series Peter Brock[14]
Holden Dealer Team[15]		 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1
1974 South Pacific Touring Series Peter Brock[12]
Holden Dealer Team[16]		 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1
1975 South Pacific Touring Series Colin Bond[12]
Marlboro Holden Dealer Team[17]		 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 L34

References
  1. Stewart Wilson, Holden – the official racing history, page 77
  2. "XW Falcon", www.allanmoffat.com.au Retrieved on 11 February 2014.
  3. Official Programme, Warwick Farm, 14 February 1971
  4. "Programme of Events and Awards, Official Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday 27 February 1972, page 5
  5. "Programme of Events and Awards, Official Programme, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday 25 February 1973, page 3
  6. "Ford Falcon wins again on Castrol", The Age, 23 February 1970, page 15
  7. General Supplementary Regulations, Surfers Paradise International Motor Racing Circuit Pty Ltd, Sunday, 7 February 1971
  8. Programme of Events and Awards, Official Programme, Adelaide international Raceway, Sunday 24 February 1974, page 4
  9. Programme of Events and Awards, Official Programme, Adelaide international Raceway, Sunday 16 February 1975, page 3
  10. Official Programme, Mallala Race Circuit, 11 October 1970
  11. Giant Killers 1972
  12. Stewart Wilson, The History of the Falcon GT, © 1978
  13. The Entry list for the South Pacific Touring Series race in the Official Programme, Adelaide international Raceway, Sunday 27 February 1972, page 33 lists McLeod Ford as the entrant of the Goss Ford Falcon
  14. Australian Motoring News 9 March 1973
  15. The Entry list for the South Pacific Touring Series race in the Official Programme, Adelaide international Raceway, Sunday 25 February 1973, page 33 lists the Holden Dealer Team as the entrant of the Brock Holden Torana
  16. The Entry list for the South Pacific Touring Series race in the Official Programme, Adelaide international Raceway, Sunday 24 February 1974, page 42 lists the Holden Dealer Team as the entrant of the Brock Holden Torana
  17. The Entry list for the South Pacific Touring Series race in the Official Programme, Adelaide international Raceway, Sunday 16 February 1975, page 50 lists the Marlboro Holden Dealer Team as the entrant of the Bond Holden Torana
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