1987 Australian Drivers' Championship

The 1987 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title contested over a single race for Australian Formula 2 racing cars.[1] The race, billed as the "Australia Cup for the 1987 CAMS Gold Star", was staged at the Adelaide Street Circuit in South Australia on Friday, 13 November 1987.[2] This was the first year that the championship had been restricted to Australian Formula 2 cars[3] and is the only year to date in which the title has been awarded on the results of a single race rather than a series of races.[4]

David Brabham won the race after a remarkable drive from grid position 38 after poor qualifying caused by missing almost all of practice with carburettor and electrical problems.

While Brabham picked his way through the field the battle for the race saw Rohan Onslow and Mark McLaughlin take the lead after polesitter Arthur Abrahams was left on the grid with a failed ignition ballast restrictor. McLaughlin led for much of the race but his Elfin slowed near the end of the race and was swamped by Onslow then Brabham. With two laps remaining Brabham caught and passed Onlow and pulled away for a 1.7-second victory.

Ian Richards and John Wise fought over fourth for much of the event but Wise slowed near the end of the race with Shane Flynn taking fifth ahead of Chris Hocking.

Classification

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Results as follows.[5]

Pos No. Driver Team Car Laps
1 8 David Brabham Australian Motor Racing Ralt RT30 Volkswagen 15
2 71 Rohan Onslow Michael Borland Cheetah Mk. 8 Volkswagen 15
3 9 Mark McLaughlin Elfin Sports Cars Pty Ltd Elfin 852 Volkswagen 15
4 22 Ian Richards Ian Richards Richards 201C Volkswagen 15
5 70 Shane Flynn Avanti Spares Kaditcha Volkswagen 15
6 74 Chris Hocking Chris Hocking Cheetah Mk. 6 Volkswagen 15
7 12 Sam Astuti Salvatore Astuti Cheetah Mk. 6 Ford 15
8 44 Neil Israel Magnum Racing Australia Magnum 863 Volkswagen 15
9 29 Wayne Walker Wayne Walker Chevron B42 Ford 15
10 27 Graeme Smith Graeme Smith Cheetah Mk. 8 Volkswagen 15
11 7 Vince McLaughlan Kevin McLaughlan Cheetah Mk. 8 Volkswagen 15
12 34 Carl Gibson Carl Gibson Elfin 792 Volkswagen 15
13 37 Richard Davison Richard Davison Cheetah Mk. 8 Volkswagen 15
14 78 Tony Rees AG Rees Ralt RT3 Volkswagen 15
15 32 John Wise John Wise Cheetah Mk. 7 Volkswagen 15
16 18 Rodney Moody Rodney Moody Cheetah Mk. 6 Toyota 15
17 28 David Goode David Goode Elfin 630 Ford 15
18 2 Grahame Blee Bill Slattery's Bus & Truck Sales Cheetah Mk. 6GE Volkswagen 15
19 73 Adrian Martin Adrian Martin Ralt RT1 Ford 15
20 31 Wayne Ford Wayne Ford Ralt RT3 Ford 15
26 Ron Barnacle Ron Barnacle Wren
25 Rob Newman Rob Newman Cheetah Mk. 7 Toyota
Ret 45 Mike Drewer Mike Drewer Cheetah Mk. 7 Toyota 6
Ret 33 Mike Holmes Mike Holmes ME1 Volkswagen 3
Ret 46 Stephen Noble John Silman Richards 201 Volkswagen 3
Ret 14 Peter Beehag Peter Beehag PBS 852 Nissan 2
Ret 24 Tom Coull Tom Coull Elfin 620 Ford 1
Ret 1 Arthur Abrahams Arthur Abrahams Ransberg-Cheetah Volkswagen 0
DNS Derek Pingel Cheetah Mk.8 Volkswagen
DNS Michael Lock Richards 201 Volkswagen
  • Note: Given that there were thirty six cars on the grid,[1] there are eight drivers not accounted for in the above table.

References

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  1. ^ a b Catford, Barry (1987–88). Wilson, Stewart (ed.). "Formula 2 Australia Cup". Australian Motor Racing Year. 17. Killara: Berghouse Publishing Group Pty. Ltd.: 240–243 & 318. ISSN 0158-4138.
  2. ^ Official Souvenir Program, Adelaide, 12–15 November 1987
  3. ^ Gold Star History Retrieved from Formula 3 Australia on 19 August 2008
  4. ^ Australian Drivers’ Championship / CAMS Gold Star Retrieved from CAMS Online Manual of Motor Sport on 19 August 2008
  5. ^ Howard, Graham (1986). "1950". In Howard, Graham (ed.). The Official 50-race history of the Australian Grand Prix. Gordon, NSW: R & T Publishing. pp. 148–157. ISBN 0-9588464-0-5.