The 1968 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS-sanctioned national motor racing title open to racing cars complying with the Australian National Formula or the Australian 1½ Litre Formula.[1] The title was contested over a six-race series, with the winner awarded the 1968 CAMS Gold Star.[2]
The championship was won by Kevin Bartlett driving a Brabham BT23D-Alfa Romeo.[3] Bartlett won three of the six races to finish ten points ahead of Phil West (Brabham BT23A-Repco). Third was Glyn Scott (Bowin P3-Cosworth). In addition to Bartlett's wins, single-race victories were taken by West, Scott and Leo Geoghegan (Lotus 39-Repco).
Race schedule
editThe championship was contested over a six race series with each race also incorporating a round of the 1968 Australian 1½ Litre Championship.
| Race[4] | Circuit[4] | State | Date[4] | Winning driver[4] | Car[4] | Entrant[4] |
| Bathurst Gold Star Trophy | Mount Panorama, Bathurst | New South Wales | 15 April | Phil West | Repco Brabham[5] BT23A | Scuderia Veloce |
| Governor's Trophy | Lakeside | Queensland | 28 April | Kevin Bartlett | Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo | Alec Mildren Racing |
| Rothmans Trophy | Surfers Paradise | Queensland | 25 August | Kevin Bartlett | Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo | Alec Mildren Racing |
| Lombard (Aust.) Victoria Trophy | Sandown | Victoria | 15 September | Glyn Scott | Bowin P3 Ford Cosworth FVA | Glyn Scott Motors |
| Advertiser Trophy | Mallala | South Australia | 14 October | Leo Geoghegan | Lotus 39 Repco | Geoghegan Racing Team |
| Hordern Trophy | Warwick Farm | New South Wales | 1 December | Kevin Bartlett | Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo | Alec Mildren Racing |
Points system
editChampionship points were awarded on a 9-6-4-3-2-1 basis to the first six eligible placegetters in each race.[1] Only holders of a valid CAMS Competition License were eligible to score points and only the best five race results could be retained by each driver.[1]
Championship results
edit| Position[4] | Driver[4] | Car[4] | Entrant[4] | Bathurst[4] | Lakeside[4] | Surfers[4] | Sandown[4] | Mallala[4] | Warwick Fm[4] | Total[4] |
| 1 | Kevin Bartlett | Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo | Alec Mildren Racing | - | 9 | 9 | - | 6 | 9 | 33 |
| 2 | Phil West | Repco Brabham[5] BT23A | Scuderia Veloce | 9 | 6 | - | - | 2 | 6 | 23 |
| 3 | Glyn Scott | Bowin P3 Ford Cosworth FVA | Glyn Scott Motors | - | - | 4 | 9 | 4 | - | 17 |
| 4 | Leo Geoghegan | Lotus 39 Repco | Geoghegan Racing Team | - | - | 6 | - | 9 | - | 15 |
| 5 | Garrie Cooper | Elfin 600B Ford | Elfin Sports Cars | - | - | - | 6 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 6 | Max Stewart | Rennmax BN2 Ford | Max Stewart Motors | 6 | - | 3 | - | 1 | - | 10 |
| 7 | Ian Fergusson | Lotus 27 Ford | Ian Fergusson | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| = | Peter Macrow | McLaren M4A Ford Cosworth FVA | Argo Racing | - | 4 | 2 | - | - | - | 6 |
| 9 | John Ampt | Elfin Mono Mk2D Ford | J Ampt | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | 4 |
| = | Fred Gibson | McLaren M4A Ford Cosworth FVA | NE Allen Comp. Pty Ltd | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 4 |
| = | Clive Millis | Elfin Mono "Mk1" Ford | Merlynston Motors | - | - | - | 3 | - | 1 | 4 |
| 12 | John Walker | Elfin Mono 2B Ford | Gilbert Motor Bodies | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 3 |
| = | Brian Page | Repco Brabham[5] BT2 Ford | Brian Page | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| = | Ian Cook | Repco Brabham[6] BT23E | Bob Jane Racing | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | 3 |
| 15 | Alfredo Costanzo | Elfin Mono Ford | A Costanzo | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| = | Mal Aldred | MRC Lotus 22 Ford | Motor Racing Components | - | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | 2 |
| = | Maurie Quincey | Elfin 600B Ford | Maurie Quincey Ltd | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | 2 |
| 18 | Col Green | Elfin Mono "Mk1" Ford | C Green | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | 1 |
References
edit- ^ a b c Conditions for Australian National titles, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, 1968, pages 70-71
- ^ Racing Car News, August 1972 (Gold Star Supplement)
- ^ "Gold Star Winners - 1957 - 2009". formula3.com.au. Retrieved 9 June 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q The Early CAMS Gold Star Series 1957 to 1970 Retrieved on 5 March 2012
- ^ a b c West Nine, The Rest Nil, Racing Car News, May 1968, pages 68-69
- ^ Birdman Bartlett, Racing Car News, September 1968, pages 34-35