2003 Australian Drivers' Championship
The 2003 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of cars conforming to Formula 4000 regulations.[1] The title was contested over a six-round, twelve race series which was promoted as the 2003 Holden Australian Drivers' Championship for the CAMS Gold Star.[1] It was the 47th Australian Drivers' Championship.[2]
New Zealander Daniel Gaunt won the championship[2] driving three different Reynards for two different teams over the course of the season. Gaunt only won two of the twelve races but achieved a race finishing consistency his rivals lacked and finished eight points ahead of his nearest rivals. Second place was tied between Jonny Reid and Paul Trengove,[3] both driving Reynards.
Apart from the seven wins claimed by Gaunt and Reid, three wins were taken by another New Zealander, Nelson Hartley (Reynard 94D & Reynard 97D), and two wins by Ricky Occhipinti (Reynard 97D and 98D).
Race calendar
The 2003 Australian Drivers' Championship was contested over a six-round series with two races per round.[1]
Round | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning team | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | R1 | Wakefield Park Raceway Goulburn, New South Wales |
21–23 February | ![]() |
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Hocking Motorsport |
R2 | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia | ||||
2 | R1 | Winton Motor Raceway (Benalla, Victoria) |
23–25 May | ![]() |
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Hocking Motorsport |
R2 | ![]() |
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Hocking Motorsport | ||||
3 | R1 | Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (Phillip Island, Victoria) |
4–6 July | ![]() |
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Hocking Motorsport |
R2 | ![]() |
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Hocking Motorsport | ||||
4 | R1 | Winton Motor Raceway (Benalla, Victoria) |
1–3 August | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia |
R2 | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia | ||||
5 | R1 | Mallala Motor Sport Park (Mallala, South Australia) |
29–31 August | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia |
R2 | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia | ||||
6 | R1 | Eastern Creek International Raceway (Eastern Creek, New South Wales) |
28–30 November | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia |
R2 | ![]() |
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Ralt Australia |
Points system
Championship points were awarded on a 20–15–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1 basis for the first ten positions in each race.[1]
The round winner for each round was determined by the aggregation of championship points awarded in that round.[1] Where more than one driver had been awarded equal points, the round result was determined by the placings in Race 2.[1]
Results
Wakefield Park | Winton | Phillip Island | Winton | Mallala | Eastern Creek | |||||||||||||
Position [4] | Driver [4] | No [5] | Car [5] | Entrant [5] | Race 1 [4] | Race 2 [4] | Race 1 [4] | Race 2 [4] | Race 1 [4] | Race 2 [4] | Race 1 [4] | Race 2 [4] | Race 1 [4] | Race 2 [4] | Race 1 [4] | Race 2 [4] | Total [4] | |
1 | Daniel Gaunt | 69 & 12 | Reynard 92D, 96D & 94D Holden | Pure Power Racing & Ralt Australia | 8 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 8 | 15 | 15 | - | 20 | 20 | 15 | 15 | 140 | |
2 | Jonny Reid | 12 | Reynard 96D Holden | Ralt Australia | 12 | 20 | - | - | 10 | - | 20 | 20 | 10 | - | 20 | 20 | 132 | |
2 | Paul Trengove | 34 | Reynard 95D Holden | CPA Australia | - | - | 15 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 12 | 132 | |
4 | Ricky Occhipinti | 32 | Reynard 97D & 98D Holden | Formula Uno Racing | 20 | 12 | 20 | 8 | - | - | 10 | 12 | 15 | 12 | 8 | 8 | 125 | |
5 | Nelson Hartley | 11 & 75 | Reynard 94D & 97D Holden | Ralt Australia & Hocking Motorsport | 15 | 15 | 8 | 20 | 20 | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | 104 | |
6 | Ian Peters | 24 | Reynard 91D Holden | EDS | 10 | 6 | 4 | 6 | - | 6 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 71 | |
7 | Terry Clearihan | 27 | Reynard 92D Holden | National Neon Signs Canberra | 6 | - | 10 | - | 15 | 10 | - | 6 | - | 10 | 6 | - | 63 | |
8 | Rohan Carrig | 49 | Reynard 92D Holden | Arlec / CRD Motorsport | - | 4 | - | 4 | 6 | 8 | - | - | 6 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 39 | |
9 | Mikel Miller | 75 | Reynard 97D Holden | Hocking Motorsport | - | 10 | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | |
10 | Darren Hossack | 74 | Reynard Holden | Hocking Motorsport | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | 10 | - | - | - | - | 18 | |
11 | Michael Caruso | 11 | Reynard Holden | Ralt Australia [4] | - | - | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | |
12 | Michael Joannou | 17 | Reynard 96D Holden | Mantis Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | 4 | 3 | 11 | |
13 | Peter Hill | 4 | Reynard 94D Holden | Greg Murphy Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 10 | 10 | |
14 | Mark Ellis | 17 | Reynard Holden | Mantis Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | - | 7 | |
15 | Ken Smith | 11 | Reynard 97D Holden | Ralt Australia | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 |
Note: All cars were required to be fitted with a 3.8-litre Holden V6 engine.[6]
Silver Star
Position [7] | Driver [7] | No [5] | Car [5] | Entrant [5] | Points [7] |
1 | Ian Peters | 24 | Reynard 91D Holden | EDS | 197 |
2 | Terry Clearihan | 27 | Reynard 92D Holden | National Neon Signs Canberra | 125 |
3 | Rohan Carrig | 49 | Reynard 92D Holden | Arlec / CRD Motorsport | 117 |
Note: Approved competitors were awarded points towards a Silver Star Trophy based on their finishing positions in each race relative to other such nominated competitors.[1] These points had no reflection on the Australian Drivers' Championship classification.[1]
Yokohama Rookie of the Year Award
The Yokohama Rookie of the Year Award was won by Daniel Gaunt.[3] The award was open to drivers who had contested less than two races for the Australian Drivers' Championship since 1989.[1]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Sporting Regulations – 2003 Holden Australian Drivers’ Championship for the CAMS Gold Star Retrieved on 5 May 2012
- ^ a b "Gold Star Winners - 1957 - 2009". formula3.com.au. Retrieved 10 June 2010.
- ^ a b Gold Star Glory for Dreamchaser - 01.12.03, www.f4000.com, as archived at web.archive.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p 2003 Holden Australian Drivers Championship – Points Allocation, Retrieved from www.f4000.com circa 2004. Website no longer current.
- ^ a b c d e f 2003 Race Results Archive at www.natsoft.biz Archived 21 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved on 5 May 2012
- ^ Grant Rowley, Fortune formula, program, Konica V8 Supercar Series, Round 6, 30–31 August 2003, Mallala, pages 30 & 31
- ^ a b c '03 Silver Star, www.f4000.com, as archived at web.archive.org