Ardc Amscar

[hadlou]

Hi

I search all over the web to find informations about the AMSCAR series but only a few...

Could you explain in which tracks it was held?
which drivers and cars participate in?
How long does it run?

thanks

[ART Racing]

The Australian Racing Drivers Club (ARDC) AMSCAR series was run at Amaroo Park in the west of Sydney, Australia in the 80's. It was originally for Australian Group C touring cars, then Group A from 1985. Couldn't tell you actual dates it ran from/to. Amaroo Park is sadly no longer, the ARDC now operates from Eastern Creek.

[racer69]

As ART Racing says the AMSCAR Series was run (pretty much) solely at Amaroo Park (except 3 rounds at Eastern Creek in 1997), generally over 4-6 rounds each year. Some of the rounds doubled as ATCC or Endurance Championship rounds. The meetings usually consisted of 2 or 3 heats (except the rounds that doubled as ATCC or Endurance Series rounds, which were single race meetings)

The AMSCAR Series had it's origins in the Rothmans/Sun7 Under 3-Litre touring car series conducted at Amaroo Park from 1975/76 until 1981 (for 1981 the series became an under 3.5ltr series, to accomodate the JPS BMW 635csi of Allan Grice).

In 1979 the first AMSCAR Series was run for the 'big cars' of Australian touring car racing, alongside the Under 3-Litre Series. Bob Morris won the first series, clean-sweeping all the races.

For 1980 though there was a new set of Group C touring car regulations, and big cars were thin on the groud. There were a bunch of 'match races' held for the big cars at Amaroo meetings, but no AMSCAR Series was held. This also happened in 1981.


In 1982 though, with the big cars regaining popularity, the ARDC dropped the Under 3.5ltr Series, they concentrated their efforts (the ARDC had the same plans for Bathurst, concentrate on the big cars) and rebirthing the AMSCAR Series name. The series had varying formats over the years (for instance in 1982, the format was 1 race for the V8s, 1 race for the rotaries & smaller cars, then a combined final. This format lasted just the first year)

The AMSCAR Series lasted through until the end of 1993. In 1994 TEGA was awarded the rights to touring car racing in Australia by CAMS, and their attendance at race meetings came as a package deal with a sanctioning fee. A small series at Amaroo didn't have a hope....

Quite a shame. The AMSCAR Series at first had a better TV deal than the ATCC, and in later years the same TV deal, and the meetings always gave great exposure to the other lower classes. It was great fun, but never really attracted the top Australian drivers at the one time, usually they'd all make sporadic one-off appearances in between ATCC rounds. The stalwarts were Frank Gardner & the teams he was involved with, and in later years the Nissan/Gibson team....

But... in 1997 (when the ARDC was at war with the V8 fraternity of Bathurst), the AMSCAR series was once again restarted (called the AMSCAR Sedan Series this time) as a series for V8Supercar privateers, to compete on a control tyre. The series ran rounds at Amaroo & Eastern Creek (as the ARDC by then had moved in there). A round was also planned at Mt Panorama as a support event for the 1997 AMP Bathurst 1000 Super Touring race, but with canned due to a poor entry. It was seen as a rebel series by AVESCO, and only lasted the one year.

Here's a list of the AMSCAR Champions.

1979 - Bob Morris (Holden Torana A9X)
1982 - Allan Grice (Holden Commodore VC)???
1983 - Terry Shiel (Mazda RX7)
1984 - Steve Masterton (Ford Falcon XE)
1985 - Jim Richards (BMW 635csi)
1986 - Tony Longhurst (BMW 325i)
1987 - Jim Richards (BMW M3)
1988 - Colin Bond (Ford Sierra RS500)
1989 - Tony Longhurst (Ford Sierra RS500)
1990 - Tony Longhurst (Ford Sierra RS500)
1991 - Tony Longhurst (BMW M3 Evo)
1992 - Jim Richards (Nissan GTR)
1993 - Mark Skaife (Holden Commodore VP)
1997 - Mal Rose (Holden Commodore VS)

[Falcadore]

You could say though that this series lead to the creation two and a bit years later on the V8 Lites Series, now known as the Dunlop V8 Supercars Series. The small mini-revolt of privateer teams awakened AVESCO to unhappiness in the lower ranks. That unhappiness has never really gone away as the privateers had to share space with entries from Level 1 teams in the first year, not just the high-profile Stone Brothers David Besnard Falcon but John Faulkner Racing also had a season long preference.

[david5]

These were great meetings though. I attended many at Amaroo & it was always a fantastic day out. The ARDC knew how to run a meeting too, as the last car from one race entered pitlane, the first car for the next race was exiting, non stop all day. Saw some famous cars race there as well, Halsteds Pantera, Bap Romanos Kaditcha, JB in the Veskanda & they were just the supports.