Australian Saloon Car Series
Encyclopedia
The Australian Saloon Car Series is an Australia
n motor racing series for drivers of Group 3K Saloon Cars. The Saloon Car category was devised as a low cost amateur sedan racing formula which would potentially replace the ageing HQ Holden category. The original regulations were focused around large Australian sedans of early 1990s vintage with eligibility limited to VN
and VP
series Holden Commodore
s and the EA
and EB
series Ford Falcon
s The regulations limited the cars to six cylinder versions rather than the V8 engined models, as the latter might make the category too similar to Commodore Cup
. The cars are slightly modified from their road going versions, with an emphasis on safety for racing.
The Saloon Car category made its debut at the 2000 Adelaide 500 meeting in what was the first round of a three round series. The annual series was officially sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
from 2002 and state level series have also evolved in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The category has been particularly successful in Western Australia.
The first major change in the category regulations saw an update in vehicle eligibility for the 2006 season with the Holden VT Commodore
and the Ford AU Falcon
models added to the field. The newer models proved instantly more competitive and the older cars soon slipped down the field and were relegated to class results or state level series.
In the same year the series was granted “National Championship” status by the CAMS
and officially became the Australian Saloon Car Championship. After a second year as a Championship in 2007 it reverted to its “National Series” status for 2008.
The category’s most successful driver has been Bruce Heinrich who has won the national series five times, including the two Australian Saloon Car Championship titles.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n motor racing series for drivers of Group 3K Saloon Cars. The Saloon Car category was devised as a low cost amateur sedan racing formula which would potentially replace the ageing HQ Holden category. The original regulations were focused around large Australian sedans of early 1990s vintage with eligibility limited to VN
Holden VN Commodore
The Holden VN Commodore was the sixth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car produced by the Australian automotive marque, Holden. It is essentially made out of an Opel donor body mated to either a Buick V6 or Holden V8, depending on the model, with slight tweaks to the front and rear ends...
and VP
Holden VP Commodore
The Holden VP Commodore is an automobile which was produced by Australian automaker Holden from 1991 to 1993. It is the seventh generation Holden Commodore....
series Holden Commodore
Holden Commodore
The Holden Commodore is an automobile manufactured since 1978 by the Holden subsidiary of General Motors in Australia, and, formerly, in New Zealand. In the mid-1970s, Holden established proposals to replace the long-serving Kingswood nameplate with a smaller, Opel-based model...
s and the EA
Ford EA Falcon
-Model range:The EA series was available in seven model variants:* Falcon GL Sedan* Falcon GL Wagon* Falcon S Sedan* Fairmont Sedan* Fairmont Wagon* Fairmont Ghia Sedan* Fairmont Ghia Wagon...
and EB
Ford EB Falcon
The Ford EB Falcon is a car which was produced by the Ford Motor Company in Australia between 1991 and 1993.Visually the 1991 EB remained nearly identical to its predecessor. The most noticeable change was the transfer of the Ford emblem from the tip of the bonnet to the grille...
series Ford Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
s The regulations limited the cars to six cylinder versions rather than the V8 engined models, as the latter might make the category too similar to Commodore Cup
Commodore Cup
The Commodore Cup is an Australian motor racing series. The series, a one-make series originally devised by Victorian racers Maurie Platt and David Gittus, is named for the car all competitors must use in competition, the Holden Commodore. Eligibility is limited to specific Commodore models....
. The cars are slightly modified from their road going versions, with an emphasis on safety for racing.
The Saloon Car category made its debut at the 2000 Adelaide 500 meeting in what was the first round of a three round series. The annual series was officially sanctioned by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
from 2002 and state level series have also evolved in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia. The category has been particularly successful in Western Australia.
The first major change in the category regulations saw an update in vehicle eligibility for the 2006 season with the Holden VT Commodore
Holden VT Commodore
The Holden VT Commodore, Berlina, and Calais are the tenth iteration of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors...
and the Ford AU Falcon
Ford AU Falcon
The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia...
models added to the field. The newer models proved instantly more competitive and the older cars soon slipped down the field and were relegated to class results or state level series.
In the same year the series was granted “National Championship” status by the CAMS
Confederation of Australian Motor Sport
The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport , has been the governing body of Australian motorsport since 1953. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile ....
and officially became the Australian Saloon Car Championship. After a second year as a Championship in 2007 it reverted to its “National Series” status for 2008.
The category’s most successful driver has been Bruce Heinrich who has won the national series five times, including the two Australian Saloon Car Championship titles.
Series winners
| Year | Winner | Car |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Shane Beikoff | Holden VN Commodore Holden VN Commodore The Holden VN Commodore was the sixth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car produced by the Australian automotive marque, Holden. It is essentially made out of an Opel donor body mated to either a Buick V6 or Holden V8, depending on the model, with slight tweaks to the front and rear ends... |
| 2001 | Tony Evangelou | Holden VN Commodore Holden VN Commodore The Holden VN Commodore was the sixth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car produced by the Australian automotive marque, Holden. It is essentially made out of an Opel donor body mated to either a Buick V6 or Holden V8, depending on the model, with slight tweaks to the front and rear ends... |
| 2002 | Bruce Heinrich | Ford EA Falcon Ford EA Falcon -Model range:The EA series was available in seven model variants:* Falcon GL Sedan* Falcon GL Wagon* Falcon S Sedan* Fairmont Sedan* Fairmont Wagon* Fairmont Ghia Sedan* Fairmont Ghia Wagon... |
| 2003 | Bruce Heinrich | Ford EA Falcon Ford EA Falcon -Model range:The EA series was available in seven model variants:* Falcon GL Sedan* Falcon GL Wagon* Falcon S Sedan* Fairmont Sedan* Fairmont Wagon* Fairmont Ghia Sedan* Fairmont Ghia Wagon... |
| 2004 | Clint Harvey | Holden VN Commodore Holden VN Commodore The Holden VN Commodore was the sixth model of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car produced by the Australian automotive marque, Holden. It is essentially made out of an Opel donor body mated to either a Buick V6 or Holden V8, depending on the model, with slight tweaks to the front and rear ends... |
| 2005 | Bruce Heinrich | Ford EA Falcon Ford EA Falcon -Model range:The EA series was available in seven model variants:* Falcon GL Sedan* Falcon GL Wagon* Falcon S Sedan* Fairmont Sedan* Fairmont Wagon* Fairmont Ghia Sedan* Fairmont Ghia Wagon... |
| 2006 2006 Australian Saloon Car Championship The 2006 Australian Saloon Car Championship was open to drivers of Saloon Cars complying with CAMS Group 3K regulations.The title was contested over a seven round series with three races per round.* Round 1, Wakefield Park Raceway, New South Wales, 5 March... # |
Bruce Heinrich | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
| 2007 2007 Australian Saloon Car Championship The 2007 Australian Saloon Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing championship open to Group 3K Saloon Cars. It was the seventh national series for Saloon Cars and the second to be contested as the Australian Saloon Car Championship.... # |
Bruce Heinrich | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
| 2008 | Steve Kwiatkowski | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
| 2009 | Shawn Jamieson | Holden VT Commodore Holden VT Commodore The Holden VT Commodore, Berlina, and Calais are the tenth iteration of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors... |
| 2010 | Tim Rowse | Holden VT Commodore Holden VT Commodore The Holden VT Commodore, Berlina, and Calais are the tenth iteration of the Holden Commodore, a full-size car built by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors... |
| 2011 | Matt Lovell | Ford AU Falcon Ford AU Falcon The Ford AU Falcon and Fairmont are the first of the sixth generation series of the Ford Falcon, a full-size car produced by Ford Australia... |
- Note: In 2006 & 2007 only, the series had National Championship status and was officially known as the Australian Saloon Car Championship.