The 1973 Tasman Series was a motor racing competition staged in New Zealand and Australia[1] for cars complying with the Tasman Formula.[2] The series, which began on 6 January and ended on 25 February after eight races,[1] was the tenth Tasman Series.[3] Officially known as the Tasman Championship for Drivers, it was organised jointly by the Motorsport Association New Zealand Incorporated and the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport.[4] The championship was won by Graham McRae, driving a McRae GM1 Chevrolet.[1]

Races

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A McRae GM1, similar to the car driven by 1973 Tasman Series winner Graham McRae

The series was contested over eight rounds.[1]

Round[1] Name[1] Circuit[1] Date[1] Winning driver[1] Winning car[1] Winning entrant Report
New
Zealand
1 New Zealand Grand Prix Pukekohe 6 January   John McCormack Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden Ansett Team Elfin[5] Report
2 Levin International Levin 13 January   Graham McRae McRae GM1 Chevrolet STP[5] Report
3 Lady Wigram Trophy Wigram 20 January   Graham McRae McRae GM1 Chevrolet STP[5] Report
4 Rothmans International[5] Teretonga 28 January   Alan Rollinson McRae GM1 Chevrolet McKechnie Racing Organisation[5] Report
Australia 5 Surfers Paradise International Surfers Paradise 4 February   Frank Matich Matich A50 Repco Holden Frank Matich[6] Report
6 Chesterfield 100 Warwick Farm 11 February   Steve Thompson Chevron B24 Chevrolet Servis Racing Team[6] Report
7 Chesterfield 100[6] Sandown 18 February   Graham McRae McRae GM1 Chevrolet STP[6] Report
8 Chesterfield 100[7] Adelaide 25 February   John McCormack Elfin MR5 Repco-Holden Ansett Team Elfin[7] Report

Points system

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Points were awarded at each race on the following basis:[8]

Position 1 2 3 4 5 6
Points 9 6 4 3 2 1

All races were counted towards the final totals for each driver.[8]

Series standings

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Pos[1] Driver[1] Car[1] Entrant[5] Puk Lev Wig Ter Sur War San Ade Pts
1   Graham McRae McRae GM1 Chevrolet STP 4 1 1 10 2 3 1 Ret 40
2   John McCormack Elfin MR5 Repco Holden Ansett Team Elfin 1 Ret Ret 4 6 6 2 1 29
3   Frank Matich Matich A50 Repco Holden Frank Matich Racing Pty Ltd
Frank Matich[6]
Ret 2 4 Ret 1 2 4 Ret 27
4   Steve Thompson Chevron B24 Chevrolet Servis / Alan Brodie
Servis Racing Team[6]
3 Ret 3 6 Ret 1 7 3 22
5   Alan Rollinson McRae GM1 Chevrolet McKechnie Racing Organisation 2 Ret Ret 1 Ret Ret Ret 2 21
6   Max Stewart Lola T330 Chevrolet Max Stewart Motors
Lola Cars Ltd[6]
Ret Ret Ret 3 3 5 3 4 17
7   Warwick Brown Lola T300 Chevrolet Team Target Ret 3 2 7 DNS 10
8   Sam Posey Surtees TS11 Chevrolet Champ Car Inc Ret Ret Ret 2 5 7 6 Ret 9
9   Johnnie Walker Matich A50 Repco Holden Johnnie Walker[7] 4 4 5 Ret 8
10   David Oxton Begg FM5 Chevrolet GN Begg Engineering Co Ret 5 5 9 4
11   Kevin Bartlett Lola T300 Chevrolet Chesterfield Filter Racing Ret 4 7 8 10 8 Ret 9 3
12   Garry Pedersen Begg FM4 Chevrolet Wright Machinery Ltd 5 12 12 2
=   Noritake Takahara Brabham BT36 Ford Takahara Racing Inc 7 9 10 5 8 2
=   Dexter Dunlop McRae GM1 Chevrolet Dunlop Racing Ret 6 6 11 9 11 9 Ret 2
=   Bob Muir McLaren M10B Chevrolet Pat Burke Racing[7] Ret 5 2
16   Garrie Cooper Elfin MR5 Repco Holden Ansett Team Elfin[7] Ret Ret 6 1
=   Ken Smith March 722 Ford Air NZ Motor Racing 6 7 1
Pos Driver Car Entrant Puk Lev Wig Ter Sur War San Ade 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)

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Tasman Series, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1974 Edition, pages 40 to 59
  2. ^ Official programme, Final Round, Tasman International Series, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday, February 25, 1973, page 3
  3. ^ Tasman Series, www.sergent.com.au Retrieved on 21 February 2015
  4. ^ Tasman Championship for Drivers, CAMS Manual of Motor Sport 1973, pages 88 to 91
  5. ^ a b c d e f Official Programme, Teretonga, 28 January 1973, page 29
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Official Programme, Sandown, Saturday & Sunday, February 17 & 18 1973, page 65
  7. ^ a b c d e Official programme, Final Round, Tasman International Series, Adelaide International Raceway, Sunday, February 25, 1973, page 31
  8. ^ a b Tasman Series 1973, www.sergent.com.au Retrieved on 21 February 2015
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