V8 Supercar Championships
Encyclopedia
V8 Supercars Australia awards five championships Level One and Level Two for Drivers, Manufacturers Championship and Level One Teams Championship and Level Two Privateers Team Championship.
circuit) to more permanent road courses (such as the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
). The largest single event is the Bathurst 1000
.
The racing is very close and aggressive between all the V8 Championship Series teams, with usually less than a second separating the top 25 cars. Teams design and construct their own cars and engines (Some teams opt to buy engines from stronger teams, eg SBR, 888, BJR and PCR use SBR developed Ford V8's, while HRT, HSVDT and Perkins Engineering use HMS developed Holden V8's while the rest of the Holden teams use their own developed Holden V8's) leading to minor/major (depending on teams) engineering differences among teams despite the cars being the same make.
Both Ford
and Holden
provide significant, though varying, levels of sponsorship to the majority of teams that run their cars. From 1996 to 2002, V8 Supercars Holden Racing Team
, had a decisive competitive edge over most of the opposition. More recently, the sport has seen the return to prominence of Ford
through Marcos Ambrose
and Stone Brothers Racing
, winning in 2003 and 2004, as well as team-mate Russell Ingall who kept the title at SBR, winning a tight series in 2005
V8 Supercars is Australia's third largest sport behind AFL
Football and Horse racing
.
The first Australian Touring Car Championship
under the V8 Supercar rules was won by Glenn Seton
with his team-mate former Formula One
world champion Alan Jones taking second in the championship.
won the inaugural title in 2005 with Russell Ingall
(1st in Series) and Marcos Ambrose
(3rd) combining for a winning 3778 point haul. In 2006, the Toll HSV Dealer Team won, with Rick Kelly
winning the championship, and Garth Tander
in fourth place.
has been decided by the Manufacturers Championship. Out of thirteen rounds, seven wins from drivers of one manufacturer are required to win. In 2004, Holden
won 7-6, but for the last two seasons, Ford have won by the same 7-6 score line.
The Development series has been such a success that it itself has also fielded full grids up to 34 cars on many occasions. Although as of 2009 numbers have dipped to less than half that number.
Both young up-and-coming drivers hoping to break into a Level One drive, and privateer hobby racers, race in the Level Two category.
sprang up in 2008 for deregistered cars from both v8 Supercar series.
Level One
The Level One Australian Touring Car Championship now known as the V8 Supercar Championship Series caters for the 31 fully professional cars run by the 14 two-car and 3 one-car well-sponsored V8 Supercar teams. The series is commercially successful and highly competitive, with races all over Australia, one in New Zealand, and in 2006, the first race in Bahrain. Tracks range from street circuits (such as the AdelaideAdelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
circuit) to more permanent road courses (such as the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit is a motor racing racing circuit on Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia. The circuit was opened in 1956.-Road circuit:...
). The largest single event is the Bathurst 1000
Bathurst 1000
The Bathurst 1000 is a touring car race held annually at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia...
.
The racing is very close and aggressive between all the V8 Championship Series teams, with usually less than a second separating the top 25 cars. Teams design and construct their own cars and engines (Some teams opt to buy engines from stronger teams, eg SBR, 888, BJR and PCR use SBR developed Ford V8's, while HRT, HSVDT and Perkins Engineering use HMS developed Holden V8's while the rest of the Holden teams use their own developed Holden V8's) leading to minor/major (depending on teams) engineering differences among teams despite the cars being the same make.
Both Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
provide significant, though varying, levels of sponsorship to the majority of teams that run their cars. From 1996 to 2002, V8 Supercars Holden Racing Team
Holden Racing Team
The Holden Racing Team is a Melbourne based motor racing team. HRT is the most successful V8 Supercar racing team in the history of the category, having won the drivers championship six times, and the series signature race the Bathurst 1000 seven times...
, had a decisive competitive edge over most of the opposition. More recently, the sport has seen the return to prominence of Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
through Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
and Stone Brothers Racing
Stone Brothers Racing
Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...
, winning in 2003 and 2004, as well as team-mate Russell Ingall who kept the title at SBR, winning a tight series in 2005
V8 Supercars is Australia's third largest sport behind AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
Football and Horse racing
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
.
The first Australian Touring Car Championship
Australian Touring Car Championship
The Australian Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing award held in Australia since 1960. The series itself is no longer contested, but the title lives on, with the winner of the V8 Supercar Championship Series awarded the trophy and title of Australian Touring Car Champion.-History:The...
under the V8 Supercar rules was won by Glenn Seton
Glenn Seton
Glenn Seton is an Australian racing driver.Seton, father of Courtney and Aaron Seton and husband to Jayne Seton, retired from full time racing after the 2005 V8 Supercar season, and is only one of five drivers to have competed in over 200 rounds in the series. The other drivers are Dick Johnson ,...
with his team-mate former Formula One
Formula One
Formula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1 and referred to officially as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of single seater auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" designation in the name refers to a set of rules with which...
world champion Alan Jones taking second in the championship.
Teams Championship
In 2005, the "Team's Championship" was created by simply adding together the points of the team's drivers. Stone Brothers RacingStone Brothers Racing
Stone Brothers Racing is an Australian motor racing team competing in the International V8 Supercars Championship, formed in 1998 by experienced New Zealand-born motorsport veterans, Ross Stone and Jim Stone after buying out their partner in their previous racing team...
won the inaugural title in 2005 with Russell Ingall
Russell Ingall
Russell Ingall is an Australian V8 Supercar driver. Ingall won the V8 Supercar Championship for the first time in 2005, he was also the Championship runner up in 1998, 1999 and 2001. Ingall has also won the Bathurst 1000 motor race twice, in 1995 and 1997...
(1st in Series) and Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
(3rd) combining for a winning 3778 point haul. In 2006, the Toll HSV Dealer Team won, with Rick Kelly
Rick Kelly
Rick Kelly is a current V8 Supercar racing driver, currently living in Melbourne, Victoria. He is the younger brother of former Bathurst 1000 champion, Todd Kelly...
winning the championship, and Garth Tander
Garth Tander
Garth Tander is a multiple-championship winning Australian motor racing driver. Since 1998 Tander has been a competitor in touring car racing series V8 Supercar Championship Series. Tander was the 2007 series champion for the HSV Dealer Team and is a three-time winner in Australia's most...
in fourth place.
Manufacturers Championship
Each year (since 2004), supremacy between Ford and HoldenHolden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
has been decided by the Manufacturers Championship. Out of thirteen rounds, seven wins from drivers of one manufacturer are required to win. In 2004, Holden
Holden
GM Holden Ltd is an automaker that operates in Australia, based in Port Melbourne, Victoria. The company was founded in 1856 as a saddlery manufacturer. In 1908 it moved into the automotive field, before becoming a subsidiary of the U.S.-based General Motors in 1931...
won 7-6, but for the last two seasons, Ford have won by the same 7-6 score line.
Level Two
The privateers were split from the main series in the year 2000. Their Level Two series is now officially known as the Fujitsu V8 Supercar Series (although occasionally known as the V8 Supercar Development Series) and runs identical specification V8 Supercars, apart from differences with engine management systems and older chassis'.The Development series has been such a success that it itself has also fielded full grids up to 34 cars on many occasions. Although as of 2009 numbers have dipped to less than half that number.
Both young up-and-coming drivers hoping to break into a Level One drive, and privateer hobby racers, race in the Level Two category.
Third tier
A third-tier competition, not directly associated with V8 Supercar, the V8 Touring Car National SeriesV8 Touring Car National Series
The V8 Touring Car National Series is an Australian motor racing competition for touring cars. It is effectively a third tier series for V8 Supercar competitors. While the vehicles and the series itself is not officially associated with V8 Supercars and its teams and series, the cars must be...
sprang up in 2008 for deregistered cars from both v8 Supercar series.