The 1970 Tasman Series was a motor racing competition staged in New Zealand and Australia for cars complying with the Tasman Formula. It was the seventh Tasman Series, beginning on 3 January and ending on 22 February after seven races. The series was won by Graeme Lawrence of New Zealand, driving the Ferrari 246T[1] that fellow New Zealander Chris Amon raced to win the 1969 Tasman Series.

1970 was a transitional year for the series, being the first year not involving the European Formula One teams which had given the Tasman Series its distinctive style. It was also the first year in which stock production engines of up to five litres cubic capacity were allowed, in short, Formula 5000. Entries arrived from both Europe and the United States, although not of the same quality of the earlier Tasman Formula era. Traditional 2.5 litre Tasman cars, like Lawrence's Ferrari, continued to race along with the 1.6 litre cars that filled much of the lower end of the grids during the Tasman era.

Results edit

Races edit

The Bay Park International, held on 28 December 1969, one week before the first round, was a non-championship event. Additional information sourced from:[2]

Round Name Circuit Date Winning driver Winning car Winning team Report
New
Zealand
Bay Park International[3][4] Bay Park 28 December   Ron Grable McLaren M10A Chevrolet Report
1 Levin International Levin 3 January   Graeme Lawrence Dino 246 Tasmania Report
2 New Zealand Grand Prix Pukekohe 10 January   Frank Matich McLaren M10A Chevrolet Rothmans Team Matich Report
3 Lady Wigram Trophy Wigram 17 January   Frank Matich McLaren M10A Chevrolet Rothmans Team Matich Report
4 Teretonga International Teretonga 24 January   Graham McRae McLaren M10A Chevrolet Report
Australia 5 Rothmans 100[5] Surfers Paradise 8 February   Graham McRae McLaren M10A Chevrolet Report
6 International 100[6] Warwick Farm 15 February   Kevin Bartlett Mildren Mono Waggott Alec Mildren Racing Report
7 Golden 100[7] Sandown 22 February   Neil Allen McLaren M10B Chevrolet Report

Standings edit

All scores from points-scoring races were counted

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6
Points 9 6 4 3 2 1
Pos Driver LEV PUK WIG TER SUR WAR SAN Pts
1   Graeme Lawrence 1 3 Ret 4 3 3 2 30
2   Frank Matich 3 1 1 4 Ret Ret 25
3   Kevin Bartlett Ret 5 Ret 5 2 1 Ret 19
=   Max Stewart 2 9 3 Ret 9 2 4 19
5   Graham McRae DNS Ret Ret 1 1 Ret Ret 18
6   Ron Grable DNS 4 2 2 5 Ret Ret 17
7   Neil Allen ?? 8 Ret 4 1 12
8   Mike Goth 4 7 5 3 8 6 Ret 10
9   Ulf Norinder 6 6 Ret Ret 6 8 3 7
10   Derek Bell 9 2 Ret DNS 6
11   Bill Simpson Ret Ret 4 Ret Ret Ret 3
12   Dennis Marwood 5 Ret Ret Ret 2
=   John Harvey 5 Ret 2
=   Alfredo Costanzo Ret 5 2
15   Derrick Williams 10 10 9 6 10 ?? Ret 1
=   Mike Campbell Ret Ret 6 DNS Ret 10 Ret 1
=   Tony Stewart 6 1
Pos Driver LEV PUK WIG TER SUR WAR SAN Pts
Colour Result
Gold Winner
Silver Second place
Bronze Third place
Green Points finish
Blue Non-points finish
Non-classified finish (NC)
Purple Retired (Ret)
Red Did not qualify (DNQ)
Did not pre-qualify (DNPQ)
Black Disqualified (DSQ)
White Did not start (DNS)
Withdrew (WD)
Race cancelled (C)
Blank Did not practice (DNP)
Did not arrive (DNA)
Excluded (EX)

Key edit

Abbreviation Circuit
LEV Levin
PUK Pukekohe
SAN Sandown
SUR Surfers Paradise
TER Teretonga
WAR Warwick Farm
WIG Wigram

References edit

  1. ^ "sergent.com.au – Contains Tasman Series information". Archived from the original on 9 March 2000. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  2. ^ Allen Brown. "Tasman Cup (F5000) races « Formula 5000 « OldRacingCars.com". Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  3. ^ Klopfer, Wolfgang (2005). Formula 5000 in New Zealand & Australia. ISBN 978-3-8334310-12.
  4. ^ Brown, Allen. "Tasman Cup Formula 5000 1970". Old Racing Cars. Retrieved 16 July 2019.
  5. ^ Official Programme, Surfers Paradise International Motor Circuit, Sunday 8th Feb. 1970
  6. ^ Official Programme, Warwick Farm, 5 Feb. 1970
  7. ^ Official Programme, Sandown, Sunday 22nd February 1970