# 1997 Australian GT Production Car Championship

The 1997 Australian GT Production Car Championship was an Australian motor racing competition for Group 3E Series Production Cars. The championship, which was contested over an eight round series, was organised and administered by Procar Australia. It was recognised by the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport as the second Australian GT Production Car Championship.
The championship was won by Peter Fitzgerald driving a Porsche 911 RSCS Type 993.

## Schedule

The title was contested over an eight round series with two races per round.
* Round 1: Lakeside, Queensland, 4 May
* Round 2: Phillip Island, Victoria, 1 June
* Round 3: Calder Park, Victoria, 22 June
* Round 4: Amaroo Park, New South Wales, 20 July
* Round 5: Winton, Victoria, 10 August
* Round 6: Mallala Motor Sport Park, South Australia, 24 August
* Round 7: Lakeside, Queensland, 26 October
* Round 8: Amaroo Park, New South Wales, 9 November

## Points system

Outright championship points were awarded on a 15-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis to the first ten finishers in each race. An additional point was awarded to the driver setting the fastest qualifying lap for each race. Class points were awarded on a 15-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis to the first ten finishers in each class in each race.

## Championship standings

| Position | Driver | No | Car | Entrant | Lak. | Phi. | Cal. | Ama. | Win. | Mal. | Lak. | Ama. | Total |
| 1 | Peter Fitzgerald | 3 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Falken Tyres | 32 | 29 | 24 | 24 | 31 | 28 | 30 | 30 | 228 |
| 2 | John Bowe | 27 | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Positive Hype Pty Ltd | - | 27 | 27 | 32 | 25 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 189 |
| 3 | Ed Aitken | 8 | Porsche 993 RSCS | E Aitkin | - | 16 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 20 | 18 | 22 | 120 |
| 4 | Domenic Beninca | 52 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Beninca Racing | 22 | 20 | 25 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 6 | - | 109 |
| 5 | Max Dunn | 46 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Dunn Furrugia Racing | 18 | 10 | - | 10 | 10 | 11 | - | 16 | 75 |
| 6 | Andrej Pavicevic | 11 | Subaru Impreza WRX | Andrej Pavicevic | 11 | 4 | 11 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 11 | 9 | 56 |
| 7 | Garry Waldon | 27 28 | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Positive Hype Pty Ltd Palmer Motorsport | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | - | 36 |
| 8 | Ross Almond | 26 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III | Ross Almond | - | - | 5 | 7 | - | 5 | 9 | 8 | 34 |
| 9 | Chris Kousparis | 6 | Subaru Impreza WRX | Nepean EFI | 6 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 33 |
| 10 | Alfredo Costanzo | 10 | Maserati Ghibli Cup | Cisco System Maserati | 2 | 8 | - | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | 24 |
| 10 | Ray Lintott | 5 | Dodge Viper GTS | Wagon Wheels Chrysler Jeep | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 24 |
| 12 | John Smith | 77 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Gerhard Hassler | - | - | - | 18 | - | - | - | - | 18 |
| 13 | John Bourke | 9 | Toyota Supra RZ | | - | 6 | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | 16 |
| 13 | Neal Bates | 5 | Dodge Viper GTS | | - | - | - | - | 16 | - | - | - | 16 |
| 15 | Peter Boylan | 7 | Subaru Impreza WRX | PM Boylan | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 3 | 13 |
| 16 | Gerhard Hassler | 88 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Gerhard Hassler | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | 11 |
| 16 | Peter McKay | 10 | Maserati Ghibli Cup | Cisco System Maserati | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | 4 | 11 |
| 18 | Murray Carter | 18 | Nissan 200SX Turbo | Murray Carter | 4 | 1 | 4 | - | - | - | - | - | 9 |
| 19 | Wayne Park | 2 | HSV GTSR | JC Motorsport | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 19 | Beric Lynton | 23 | BMW 323i | Beric Lynton BMW | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | 8 |
| 19 | Kevin Weeks | 70 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Kevin Weeks | 6 | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 8 |
| 22 | Paul Freestone | 14 | Lotus Esprit | | - | - | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 22 | Guy Gibbons | 35 | Subaru Impreza WRX | Guy Gibbons | 1 | - | 5 | - | - | - | - | - | 6 |
| 22 | John Cowley | 2 | HSV GTSR | JT Cowley | - | - | - | 1 | - | - | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 25 | Troy Searle | 15 | BMW 323i | Roadchill Express | - | - | - | - | 1 | - | 2 | - | 3 |
| 26 | Phil Kirkham | 71 | Mazda 626 | Rebound Clothing Company | - | - | - | - | - | - | 2 | - | 2 |
| 26 | Ian McAlister | 66 | Volvo 850 T5R | Ian McAlister | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| 28 | Anthony Robson | 49 | Toyota MR2 Bathurst | Osborne Motor Sport | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1 | 1 |
| Class A : Super Cars ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Peter Fitzgerald | 3 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Falken Tyres | 30 | 27 | 24 | 24 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 222 |
| 2 | John Bowe | 27 | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Positive Hype Pty Ltd | - | 27 | 25 | 30 | 24 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 179 |
| 3 | Ed Aitken | 8 | Porsche 993 RSCS | E Aitkin | - | 16 | 16 | 12 | 16 | 18 | 20 | 22 | 120 |
| 4 | Domenic Beninca | 52 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Beninca Racing | 22 | 20 | 25 | 18 | 10 | 8 | 6 | - | 109 |
| 5 | Max Dunn | 46 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Dunn Furrugia Racing | 18 | 10 | - | 10 | 10 | 11 | - | 16 | 75 |
| 6 | Ross Almond | 26 | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo III | Ross Almond | 11 | 4 | 5 | 7 | - | 7 | 11 | 10 | 55 |
| 7 | Garry Waldon | 27 28 | Ferrari F355 Challenge | Positive Hype Pty Ltd Palmer Motorsport | 20 | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | - | 38 |
| 8 | Alfredo Costanzo | 10 | Maserati Ghibli Cup | Cisco System Maserati | 6 | 8 | - | - | 7 | 7 | - | - | 28 |
| 9 | Ray Lintott | 5 | Dodge Viper GTS | Wagon Wheels Chrysler Jeep | - | 12 | - | - | - | - | - | 12 | 24 |
| 10 | John Smith | 77 | Porsche 993 RSCS | G Hassler | - | - | - | 18 | - | - | - | - | 18 |
| 11 | John Bourke | 9 | Toyota Supra RZ | | - | 6 | - | - | 10 | - | - | - | 16 |
| 11 | Neal Bates | 5 | Dodge Viper GTS | | - | - | - | - | 16 | - | - | - | 16 |
| 13 | Peter McKay | 10 | Maserati Ghibli Cup | Cisco System Maserati | - | - | - | 7 | - | - | - | 5 | 12 |
| 14 | Paul Freestone | 14 | Lotus Esprit | | - | - | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | 11 |
| 14 | Gerhard Hassler | 88 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Gerhard Hassler | - | - | - | - | - | 11 | - | - | 11 |
| 16 | Kevin Weeks | 70 | Porsche 993 RSCS | Kevin Weeks | - | - | - | - | - | 8 | - | - | 8 |
| 17 | Carlos Rolfo | 22 | Nissan 300ZX | Carlos Rolfo | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - | 2 |
| Class B : High Performance Cars ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Andrej Pavicevic | 11 | Subaru Impreza WRX | Andrej Pavicevic | 27 | 30 | 30 | 20 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 224 |
| 2 | Chris Kousparis | 6 | Subaru Impreza WRX | Nepean EFI | 20 | 22 | 22 | 30 | 24 | 27 | 20 | 12 | 177 |
| 3 | Ian McAlister | 66 | Volvo 850 T5R | Ian McAlister | 11 | 12 | 12 | 20 | 11 | 12 | 10 | 14 | 102 |
| 4 | Murray Carter | 18 | Nissan 200SX Turbo | Murray Carter | 14 | 12 | 20 | - | 10 | 20 | - | - | 76 |
| 5 | Colin Osborne | 13 | Toyota MR2 Bathurst | Osborne Motor Sport | 7 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 10 | 14 | - | 72 |
| 5 | Peter Boylan | 7 | Subaru Impreza WRX | PM Boylan | 18 | 16 | - | - | - | - | 18 | 20 | 72 |
| 7 | Anthony Robson | 49 | Toyota MR2 Bathurst | Osborne Motor Sport | 5 | 10 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 8 | - | 15 | 69 |
| 8 | John Cowley | 2 | HSV GTSR | JT Cowley | - | 5 | 7 | 20 | - | 16 | 10 | 10 | 68 |
| 9 | Guy Gibbons | 35 | Subaru Impreza WRX | Guy Gibbons | 11 | 10 | 18 | - | - | - | - | - | 39 |
| 10 | Wayne Park | 2 | HSV GTSR | JC Motorsport | 15 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 15 |
| 11 | Richard Davis | 25 | HSV GTSR | Richard Davis | - | - | - | - | - | 6 | - | - | 6 |
| Class C : Production Cars Over 2500cc ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Chris Sexton | 99 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | 30 | - | 30 | 27 | 22 | 12 | 27 | - | 148 |
| 2 | Denis Cribbin | 99 38 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | - | 30 | - | - | 22 | - | - | 24 | 76 |
| 3 | Robert Chadwick | 20 | Mitsubishi TE Magna | Robert Chadwick | - | - | - | - | - | 30 | 10 | 8 | 48 |
| 4 | Paul Gover | 44 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | - | - | - | - | 30 | - | - | - | 30 |
| 4 | Mark Cohen | 55 | Holden VS Commodore SS | M Cohen | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 30 | 30 |
| 6 | Michael Stahl | 44 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | - | - | - | 27 | - | - | - | - | 27 |
| 6 | Tony Cross | 44 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | 27 | - | 27 |
| 8 | Chris Nixon | 44 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | - | - | - | - | - | 22 | - | - | 22 |
| 9 | Toby Hagon | 44 | Ford EL Falcon XR6 | Prodrive Racing | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | 20 |
| Class D : Production Cars 1851 - 2500cc ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Beric Lynton | 23 | BMW 323i | Beric Lynton BMW | 30 | 30 | 27 | 25 | 20 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 205 |
| 2 | Troy Searle | 15 | BMW 323i | Roadchill Express | 22 | 10 | 20 | 23 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 22 | 184 |
| 3 | Phil Kirkham | 71 | Mazda 626 | Rebound Clothing Company | 22 | 24 | 25 | 12 | 24 | 20 | - | 30 | 157 |
| 4 | Peter Phelan | 16 | Peugeot 405 Mi16 | P Phelan | - | 10 | 18 | 14 | 14 | - | - | - | 56 |
| 5 | Allan Letcher | 33 | Honda Civic VTiR | Burswood Motorsport | 16 | - | - | 22 | - | - | - | - | 38 |
| 6 | Jamie Cartwright | 71 | Mazda 626 | Rebound Clothing Company | - | - | - | - | - | - | 20 | - | 20 |
| 7 | David Wood | 16 | Peugeot 405 Mi16 | P Phelan | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 16 |
| 8 | Chris Smith | 33 | Honda Civic VTiR | Burswood Motorsport | - | - | - | - | 14 | - | - | - | 14 |
| Class E : Production Cars 0 - 1850cc ||||||||||||||
| 1 | Trevor Haines | 17 60 | Ford Laser TX3 | T Haynes Carlos Rolfo | - | - | 30 | 27 | 24 | 27 | 24 | 22 | 154 |
| 2 | Nigel Stones | 42 | Suzuki Swift GTi | Nigel Stones | - | - | - | 27 | 30 | 27 | 30 | 30 | 144 |
| 3 | Carlos Rolfo | 22 | Ford Laser TX3 Suzuki Swift GTi | Carlos Rolfo | 30 | 30 | - | - | - | - | 20 | 22 | 102 |
| 4 | Jason Veltruski | 14 | Suzuki Swift GTi | J Veltruski | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | 16 | 16 |