Australian Sports Sedan Championship
Encyclopedia
The Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS
sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of cars complying with Australian Sports Sedan regulations. This class, essentially a silhouette racing car class
, caters for cars of essentially free construction but utilising some of the bodywork of a closed, series production vehicle.
The championship was run each year from 1976 to 1981. Following the 1981 championship Sports Sedans were merged by CAMS into the Australian GT Championship
. The national Sports Sedan series returned as a championship in its own right in 1991 and ran until 2003. Each championship was decided over a series of races, with the exception of the 1994 title which was contested over two races at one meeting at Sandown Raceway
in Victoria
.
A National Series for Sports Sedans replaced the Australian Sports Sedan Championship for 2004 and has been included in the CAMS Nationals Racing Championships (now known as the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships
) since its inception in 2006.
A Sports Sedan series has been run each year since 2004, this being recognised by CAMS
as a National Series rather than as an official Australian Championship. Each series has been open to cars built to American Transam or New Zealand TraNZam rules as well as cars complying with CAMS Group 3D Sports Sedan regulations.
Series winners have been :
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of cars complying with Australian Sports Sedan regulations. This class, essentially a silhouette racing car class
Silhouette racing car
A silhouette racing car is a race car which, although bearing a superficial resemblance to a production model, differs mechanically in fundamental ways. The purpose of silhouette cars is to provide a manufacturer with a tangible link to their consumer product offering so as to derive maximum...
, caters for cars of essentially free construction but utilising some of the bodywork of a closed, series production vehicle.
The championship was run each year from 1976 to 1981. Following the 1981 championship Sports Sedans were merged by CAMS into the Australian GT Championship
Australian GT Championship
The Australian GT Championship is a CAMS-sanctioned national title for drivers of GT cars, held annually from 1960 to 1963, from 1982 to 1985 and from 2005. Each championship up to and including the 1963 title was contested over a single race and those after that year over a series of races...
. The national Sports Sedan series returned as a championship in its own right in 1991 and ran until 2003. Each championship was decided over a series of races, with the exception of the 1994 title which was contested over two races at one meeting at Sandown Raceway
Sandown Raceway
Sandown International Raceway is a motor racing circuit in Melbourne, Victoria, approximately south east of the city centre. It is considered a power circuit with its front straight being 899m long and back straight 910m long.-History:...
in Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
.
A National Series for Sports Sedans replaced the Australian Sports Sedan Championship for 2004 and has been included in the CAMS Nationals Racing Championships (now known as the Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships
Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships
The Shannons Nationals Motor Racing Championships is a series of motor racing events held across five states of Australia. It was first held as the CAMS National Racing Championships in 2006 and adopted its present name the following year when it gained Shannons Insurance as a new partner.The...
) since its inception in 2006.
List of champions
Winners of the Australian Sports Sedan Championship are shown below.| Year | Champion | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 1976 1976 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1976 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group B Sports Sedans. It was the inaugural Australian Sports Sedan Championship.-Calendar:... |
Allan Moffat Allan Moffat Allan George Moffat, OBE is an Australian racing driver known for his four wins in the Australian Touring Car Championship, six wins in the Sandown 500 and his four wins in the Bathurst 1000... |
Chevrolet Monza Chevrolet Monza The Chevrolet Monza is a subcompact, four-passenger automobile produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1975–1980 model years. The Monza is based on the Chevrolet Vega, sharing its wheelbase, width and 140 CID inline-4 engine... Ford Capri RS3100 Ford Capri Ford Capri was a name used by the Ford Motor Company for three different automobile models. The Ford Consul Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Britain between 1961 and 1964. The Ford Capri coupé was produced by Ford of Europe from 1969 to 1986... |
| 1977 1977 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1977 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Sports Sedans complying with Group B regulations.The championship was contested over a seven round series.... |
Frank Gardner Frank Gardner (driver) Frank Gardner OAM was a racing driver from Australia. He was best known as a Touring car racing and Sports car racing driver. He also participated in nine World Championship Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on 11 July 1964. He scored no championship points... |
Chevrolet Corvair Chevrolet Corvair -First generation :The 1960 Corvair 500 and 700 series four-door sedans were conceived as economy cars offering few amenities in order to keep the price competitive, with the 500 selling for under $2,000... |
| 1978 1978 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1978 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Group B Sports Sedans. It was the third Australian Sports Sedan Championship title to be awarded by CAMS.-Calendar:... |
Allan Grice Allan Grice Allan Maxwell Grice OAM , known to motor-racing fans as Gricey, is an Australian former racing driver and politician, most famous for twice winning the prestigious Bathurst 1000 , and as a privateer driver of a Holden in the Australian Touring Car Championship.Grice also had a successful second... |
Chevrolet Corvair |
| 1979 1979 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1979 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group B Sports Sedans. It was the fourth Australian Sports Sedan Championship.-Calendar:The title was contested over a nine round series.... |
Allan Grice Allan Grice Allan Maxwell Grice OAM , known to motor-racing fans as Gricey, is an Australian former racing driver and politician, most famous for twice winning the prestigious Bathurst 1000 , and as a privateer driver of a Holden in the Australian Touring Car Championship.Grice also had a successful second... |
Chevrolet Corvair |
| 1980 1980 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1980 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was open to drivers of Sports Sedans complying with CAMS Group B regulations. The title was contested over an eleven round series*Round 1, Oran Park Raceway, New South Wales, 23 March... |
Tony Edmondson | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Repco Holden |
| 1981 1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Sports Sedans complying with CAMS Group B regulations.-Calendar:The championship was contested over an eleven round series.... |
Tony Edmondson | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1991 | Greg Crick | Honda Prelude Honda Prelude The Honda Prelude was a sports coupe produced by Japanese automaker Honda from 1978 until 2001. It replaced the Honda S800, a front-engined, front wheel drive sports car... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1992 1992 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1992 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for Sports Sedans. The championship, which was the 8th Australian Sports Sedan Championship, was won by Tasmanian Kerry Baily driving a Toyota Celica Supra.-Calendar:... |
Kerry Baily | Toyota Celica Supra-Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1993 1993 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1993 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Group 2D Sports Sedans.The championship was contested over an eight round series:* Round 1, Oran Park, New South Wales, 7 March... |
Kerry Baily | Toyota Supra Toyota Supra The Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1994 1994 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1994 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Sports Sedans complying with Group 2D regulations... |
Brian Smith | Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1995 | Cameron McLean | BMW M3 BMW M3 The BMW M3 is a high-performance version of the BMW 3 Series, developed by BMW's in-house motorsport division, BMW M. M3 models have been derived from the E30, E36, E46 and E90/E92/E93 3-series, and sold with coupé, sedan and convertible body styles... |
| 1996 1996 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1996 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was open to drivers of Sports Sedans complying with CAMS Group 2D regulations. The title was contested over a four round series with two races staged at each round.*Round 1, Lakeside, Queensland, 5 May... |
John Briggs | Honda Prelude Honda Prelude The Honda Prelude was a sports coupe produced by Japanese automaker Honda from 1978 until 2001. It replaced the Honda S800, a front-engined, front wheel drive sports car... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1997 1997 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1997 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 2D Sports Sedans. The championship was contested over a three round series with two races per round.* Round 1, Winton Raceway, Victoria, 18 May... |
Kerry Baily | Toyota Supra Toyota Supra The Toyota Supra is a sports car/grand tourer that was produced by Toyota Motor Company from 1979 to 2002. The styling of the Toyota Supra was derived from the Toyota Celica, but it was both longer and wider. Starting in mid-1986, the Supra became its own model and was no longer based on the Celica... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1998 1998 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1998 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group 2D Sports Sedans. It was the 14th Australian Sports Sedan Championship to be awarded by CAMS.-Calendar:... |
Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 1999 1999 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 1999 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was open to drivers of Sports Sedans complying with CAMS Group 2D regulations. The championship was decided over a five round series.*Round 1, Oran Park Raceway, Sydney, New South Wales, 2 May... |
Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2000 2000 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 2000 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Sports Sedans. It was the sixteenth Australian Sports Sedan Championship.-Calendar:The championship was contested over a five round series.... |
Kerry Baily | Nissan 300ZX Nissan 300ZX The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2001 2001 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 2001 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of Group 3D Sports Sedans . The championship was contested over a five round series with two races per round.-Calendar:-Results:-External links:... |
Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2002 2002 Australian Sports Sedan Championship The 2002 Australian Sports Sedan Championship was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title open to Group 3D Sports Sedans . The title, which was the 18th Australian Sports Sedan Championship, was won by Tony Ricciardello driving an Alfa Romeo GTV Chevrolet.... |
Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2003 | Kerry Baily | Nissan 300ZX Nissan 300ZX The Z31 chassis designation was first introduced in 1983 as a 1984 Nissan/Datsun 300ZX in the US only. The 300ZX, as its predecessors, was known as a Nissan in other parts of the world. This continued in the US until 1985 model year when Nissan standardized their brand name worldwide and dropped... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
National Sports Sedan Series
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
as a National Series rather than as an official Australian Championship. Each series has been open to cars built to American Transam or New Zealand TraNZam rules as well as cars complying with CAMS Group 3D Sports Sedan regulations.
Series winners have been :
| Series | Winner | Vehicle |
| 2004 Tranzam Sports Sedan Series | Darren Hossack Darren Hossack Darren Hossack, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver. Hossack currently competes in Sports Sedans and Superkarts.-Early career:... |
Saab 900 Saab 900 The Saab 900 was a car produced by Saab Automobile from 1978 until 1998 in two generations. The first generation from 1978 to 1993 is known as the "classic"; the generation from 1994 to 1998 is known as the "new generation" .... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2005 Tranzam Sports Sedan Series | Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2006 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series | Dean Randle | Saab 9-3 Saab 9-3 The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2007 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series 2007 Australian Sports Sedan Series The 2007 Kerrick Australian Sports Sedan series was the seventeenth running of a national series for Sports Sedans in Australia. It began on 22 April 2007 at Oran Park Raceway and ended on 9 December at Sandown Raceway after fifteen races.... |
Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2008 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series 2008 Australian Sports Sedan Series The 2008 Kerrick Australian Sports Sedan series was the 18th running of a national series for Sports Sedans in Australia. It began on 17 May 2008 at Mallala Motor Sport Park and ended on 30 November at Sandown Raceway after fifteen races... |
Darren Hossack Darren Hossack Darren Hossack, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver. Hossack currently competes in Sports Sedans and Superkarts.-Early career:... |
Audi A4 Audi A4 The first generation Audi A4 debuted in 1994, with production starting November 1994. It was built on the Volkswagen Group B5 platform, which it shared with the fourth generation Volkswagen Passat . It had a front-mounted longitudinal engine and front-wheel drive... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2009 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series 2009 Australian Sports Sedan season The 2009 Kerrick Australian Sports Sedan series was the 19th running of a national series for Sports Sedans in Australia. It began on 25 April 2009 at Wakefield Park and ended on 22 November at Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit after fifteen races.... |
Des Wall | Chevrolet Corvette Chevrolet Corvette C5 The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors for the 1997 through 2004 model years.- Overview :... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2010 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series 2010 Australian Sports Sedan season The 2010 Australian Sports Sedan season was the 26th season of Australian Sports Sedan motor racing in which a national championship or national series has been contested. The season featured the 2010 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, which began on 6 March 2010 at Wakefield Park and ended on 24 October... |
James Sera | Saab 9-3 Saab 9-3 The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |
| 2011 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series 2011 Australian Sports Sedan season The 2011 Australian Sports Sedan season was the 27th season of Australian Sports Sedan motor racing in which a national championship or national series has been contested. The season featured the 2011 Kerrick Sports Sedan Series, which began on 14 May 2011 at Mallala Motor Sport Park and ended on 6... |
Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello Tony Ricciardello, , is a multiple-championship winning Australian race car driver.Son of Sports Sedan racer and team owner Basil Ricciardello, Tony was brought up into the Western Australian racing scene... |
Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV Alfa Romeo Alfetta Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo... -Chevrolet Chevrolet Small-Block engine The Chevrolet small-block engine is a series of automobile V8 engines built by the Chevrolet Division of General Motors using the same basic small engine block... |