1989 ATTC - round 1 / 1989 AMSCAR

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Amaroo Park

Amaroo Park Grand Prix Circuit, Amaroo, New South Wales, Australia

Date: 5/3/1989
Track length: 1.946 m
Attendance:
Entries accepted: 39
Starters: 28
Finishers: 22

Pole position: Johnson in 0.51,16
Fastest lap: Johnson in 0.52,78

Distance: 1 hour, 66 laps
Average speed:
Weather: Sunny
Ruleset: Group A
Car info:

Lots of changes in the off-season, led by Brock's defection to Ford. With BMW's withdrawal from Australian touring car racing, the Mobil team was free to run two ex-Rouse Sierras for Brock and Brad Jones. Richards had left to join Nissan, who by Amaroo had sorted their handling and reliability issues with the HR31 Skyline. The other Mobil BMW driver, Neil Crompton, was signed to drive for the factory Holden team alongside Win Percy. Unfortunately, that's as far as the team got. The factory team never showed, finally appearing in time for the enduros, but more on that later. Larry Perkins appeared to be on the outs with the factory and only ran his privately-entered car at Sandown and Winton. Benson & Hedges Racing had expanded to two cars as had Colin Bond's team, Ken Mathews having acquired Longhurst's Bathurst-winning car from the year before, while the coffers at Miedecke Motorsport were now flush with funds from Kenwood, Yokohama, and Blast Dynamics. Meanwhile, down in the little car class, Toyota ran a Star Search competition that would see new young talent from all around Australia racing alongside John Faulkner in the second TTA Corolla throughout the ATCC, with the best two racing the car at Bathurst. Calder and AIR were off the calendar after Bob Jane signed a sponsorship deal with Vic Health for the Calder facility that prevented the display of cigarette advertising. Mallala was added as the South Australian round of the series. The biggest change was made to the races themselves. The races were now to be 1 hour in duration, rather than consisting of a set number of laps, deferring to the wishes of series broadcaster Channel 7.

Some things hadn't changed, though: Dick Johnson qualified on pole, with Bowe 3rd. Brock qualified on the front row but team-mate Jones would start from the back, having been caught out in the wet first session. Joining him down the back was Miedecke, who had engine management dramas through qualifying.

Bowe got a cracking start to shoot past Johnson and Brock into the lead as the field crested Bitupave Hill for the first time. Brock - running on Dunlops since Bridgestone didn't have Sierra tyres ready yet - held third but was holding the field up, his slowing pace foreshadowing a turbo failure. Richards had already snuck through and was chasing down the leading Shell cars. He soon flew past Johnson - passing him around the outside at Honda corner! - but there was nothing he could do about Bowe. Fury passed Johnson for 3rd just before Dick headed to the pits for new tyres. He charged back within 3 seconds of Fury; had he pitted a couple of laps earlier, the race could have been very different. A very good race, giving hope for a close championship.
(William Dale Jr/www.ten-tenths.com)

Class A-C

Pos Pos in class # Team / Entrant
Car- Engine Drivers, Nationality Engine
vol. (cc) Engine
Type Group Distance,
time Qualifying position Qualifying time Fastest lap Reason out,
remarks

1 1 18 Shell Ultra Hi Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth John Bowe, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 66 laps, 1:00.22,62 4 0.51,60 0.52,82

2 2 2 Nissan Motorsport
Nissan Skyline GTS-R Turbo HR31 Jim Richards, NZ
2029 tc L6 A 66 laps, 1:00.28,18 6 0.52,16 0.53,32

3 3 3 Nissan Motorsport
Nissan Skyline GTS-R Turbo HR31 George Fury, AUS
2029 tc L6 A 66 laps, 1:00.30,10 7 0.52,32 0.52,90

4 4 17 Shell Ultra Hi Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Dick Johnson, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 66 laps, 1:00.33,62 1 0.51,16 0.52,78

5 5 30 Peter Jackson Racing Pty Ltd
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Glenn Seton, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 66 laps, 1:00.46,44 5 0.52,10 0.53,68

6 6 25 Benson & Hedges Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Tony Longhurst, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 66 laps, 1:07.07,96 3 0.51,60 0.53,20

7 7 9 Allan Moffat Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Allan Moffat, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 65 8 0.52,86 0.54,72

8 8 105 Mobil 1 Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Brad Jones, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 65 28 1.02,04 0.53,94

9 9 6 Miedecke Motorsport
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Andrew Miedecke, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 65 26 0.58,84 0.53,48

10 10 36 Bob Forbes Corporation Pty Ltd
Holden VL SS Commodore Mark Gibbs, AUS
4980 V8 A 65 13 0.53,82 0.54,66

11 11 4 Caltex CXT Race Team
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Colin Bond, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 65 9 0.52,94 0.53,60

12 12 20 Benson & Hedges Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Neville Crichton, NZ
1993 tc L4 A 65 12 0.53,64 0.54,40

13 13 68 Blue Haven Pools
Holden VL SS Commodore Garry Willmington, AUS
4980 V8 A 64 15 0.53,88 0.55,90

14 14 37
Holden VL SS Commodore Brian Callaghan, AUS
4980 V8 A 64 10 0.53,04 0.54,58

15 15 19 Caltex CXT Race Team
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Ken Mathews, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 63 14 0.53,84 0.55,72

16 16 24 Jagparts Racing
Holden VK Commodore Gerald Kay, AUS
4980 V8 A 63 19 0.55,26 0.56,42

17 1 32 Toyota Team Australia
Toyota Corolla FX-GT AE82 John Faulkner, NZ
1587 L4 C 61 22 0.57,36 0.57,70

18 2 33 Toyota Team Australia
Toyota Corolla FX-GT AE82 Russell Becker, AUS
1587 L4 C 61 23 0.57,90 0.58,86

19 3 39
Nissan Gazelle David Sala, AUS
1990 L4 C 60 25 0.58,40 0.58,10

20 4 13 Bob Holden Motors
Toyota Corolla GT AE86 Timothy Hall, AUS
1587 L4 C 60 27 1.01,10 0.58,64

21 5 78
Toyota Corolla GT AE86 Geoffrey Full, AUS
1587 L4 C 60 24 0.58,38 0.59,26

22 17 23 Beaurepaires Motorsport
Holden VL SS Commodore Chris Lambden, AUS
4980 V8 A 57 17 0.54,42 0.55,50

DNF 48
Holden VL SS Commodore Wayne Park, AUS
4980 V8 A 52 16 0.54,28 0.55,62

DNF 05 Mobil 1 Racing
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Peter Brock, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 13 2 0.51,30 0.53,58 Turbo charger

DNF 8 Miedecke Motorsport
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Andrew Bagnall, NZ
1993 tc L4 A 11 11 0.53,36 0.54,18 Fuel system

DNF 69 Blue Haven Pools
Holden VL SS Commodore Reda Awadullah, ET
4980 V8 A 11 21 0.56,48 0.57,48 Head gasket

DNF 14
Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth Murray Carter, AUS
1993 tc L4 A 11 18 0.54,84 0.54,20 Turbo charger

DNF 41 Mulvihill Motorsport P/L
Holden VL SS Commodore Tony Mulvihill, AUS
4980 V8 A 3 20 0.55,26 4.13,34

DNQ 42
Holden VL SS Commodore Matt Wacker, AUS
4980 V8 A 1.04,46

DNQ 28 Sommariva Concrete
BMW 635 CSi Joe Sommariva, AUS
3475 L6 A 1.07,42

DNQ 51 Bob Holden Motors
Toyota Corolla GT AE86 Dennis Rogers, AUS
1587 L4 C no time?

Class A-C
Pos	Pos in class	#	Team / Entrant Car- Engine	Drivers, Nationality	Engine vol. (cc)	Engine Type	Group	Distance, time	Qualifying position	Qualifying time	Fastest lap	Reason out, remarks
1	1	18	Shell Ultra Hi Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	John Bowe, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	66 laps, 1:00.22,62	4	0.51,60	0.52,82
2	2	2	Nissan Motorsport Nissan Skyline GTS-R Turbo HR31	Jim Richards, NZ	2029 tc	L6	A	66 laps, 1:00.28,18	6	0.52,16	0.53,32
3	3	3	Nissan Motorsport Nissan Skyline GTS-R Turbo HR31	George Fury, AUS	2029 tc	L6	A	66 laps, 1:00.30,10	7	0.52,32	0.52,90
4	4	17	Shell Ultra Hi Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Dick Johnson, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	66 laps, 1:00.33,62	1	0.51,16	0.52,78
5	5	30	Peter Jackson Racing Pty Ltd Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Glenn Seton, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	66 laps, 1:00.46,44	5	0.52,10	0.53,68
6	6	25	Benson & Hedges Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Tony Longhurst, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	66 laps, 1:07.07,96	3	0.51,60	0.53,20
7	7	9	Allan Moffat Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Allan Moffat, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	65	8	0.52,86	0.54,72
8	8	105	Mobil 1 Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Brad Jones, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	65	28	1.02,04	0.53,94
9	9	6	Miedecke Motorsport Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Andrew Miedecke, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	65	26	0.58,84	0.53,48
10	10	36	Bob Forbes Corporation Pty Ltd Holden VL SS Commodore	Mark Gibbs, AUS	4980	V8	A	65	13	0.53,82	0.54,66
11	11	4	Caltex CXT Race Team Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Colin Bond, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	65	9	0.52,94	0.53,60
12	12	20	Benson & Hedges Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Neville Crichton, NZ	1993 tc	L4	A	65	12	0.53,64	0.54,40
13	13	68	Blue Haven Pools Holden VL SS Commodore	Garry Willmington, AUS	4980	V8	A	64	15	0.53,88	0.55,90
14	14	37	Holden VL SS Commodore	Brian Callaghan, AUS	4980	V8	A	64	10	0.53,04	0.54,58
15	15	19	Caltex CXT Race Team Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Ken Mathews, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	63	14	0.53,84	0.55,72
16	16	24	Jagparts Racing Holden VK Commodore	Gerald Kay, AUS	4980	V8	A	63	19	0.55,26	0.56,42
17	1	32	Toyota Team Australia Toyota Corolla FX-GT AE82	John Faulkner, NZ	1587	L4	C	61	22	0.57,36	0.57,70
18	2	33	Toyota Team Australia Toyota Corolla FX-GT AE82	Russell Becker, AUS	1587	L4	C	61	23	0.57,90	0.58,86
19	3	39	Nissan Gazelle	David Sala, AUS	1990	L4	C	60	25	0.58,40	0.58,10
20	4	13	Bob Holden Motors Toyota Corolla GT AE86	Timothy Hall, AUS	1587	L4	C	60	27	1.01,10	0.58,64
21	5	78	Toyota Corolla GT AE86	Geoffrey Full, AUS	1587	L4	C	60	24	0.58,38	0.59,26
22	17	23	Beaurepaires Motorsport Holden VL SS Commodore	Chris Lambden, AUS	4980	V8	A	57	17	0.54,42	0.55,50
DNF		48	Holden VL SS Commodore	Wayne Park, AUS	4980	V8	A	52	16	0.54,28	0.55,62
DNF		05	Mobil 1 Racing Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Peter Brock, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	13	2	0.51,30	0.53,58	Turbo charger
DNF		8	Miedecke Motorsport Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Andrew Bagnall, NZ	1993 tc	L4	A	11	11	0.53,36	0.54,18	Fuel system
DNF		69	Blue Haven Pools Holden VL SS Commodore	Reda Awadullah, ET	4980	V8	A	11	21	0.56,48	0.57,48	Head gasket
DNF		14	Ford Sierra RS 500 Cosworth	Murray Carter, AUS	1993 tc	L4	A	11	18	0.54,84	0.54,20	Turbo charger
DNF		41	Mulvihill Motorsport P/L Holden VL SS Commodore	Tony Mulvihill, AUS	4980	V8	A	3	20	0.55,26	4.13,34
DNQ		42	Holden VL SS Commodore	Matt Wacker, AUS	4980	V8	A			1.04,46
DNQ		28	Sommariva Concrete BMW 635 CSi	Joe Sommariva, AUS	3475	L6	A			1.07,42
DNQ		51	Bob Holden Motors Toyota Corolla GT AE86	Dennis Rogers, AUS	1587	L4	C			no time?