# 2001 Australian Drivers' Championship

The 2001 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned national motor racing title for drivers of cars conforming to Formula Holden regulations, with the winner awarded the 2001 CAMS Gold Star. This, the 45th Australian Drivers' Championship, was promoted as the 2001 Holden Australian Drivers' Championship.
Rick Kelly dominated the series driving a Birrana Racing Reynard 94D Holden. Kelly won twelve of the 16 races and finished 151 points ahead of runner up Christian Murchison (Reynard 97D Holden), the largest winning points margin in ADC history. Third in the point score was Alan Gurr (Reynard 94D Holden). The four races not won by Kelly were won by Birrana Racing teammates, both former champions making guest appearances. Dual champion Simon Wills took three victories with three-time champion Paul Stokell winning the final race of the season at Winton Motor Raceway.

## Teams and drivers

| Entrant | Chassis | No | Driver | Rounds |
| Birrana Racing | Reynard 94D | 1 | Simon Wills | 2–3 |
| Birrana Racing | Reynard 94D | 1 | Paul Stokell | 8 |
| Birrana Racing | Reynard 94D | 2 | Rick Kelly | All |
| Birrana Racing | Reynard 95D | 9 | Brenton Ramsay | 7–8 |
| Paul Stephenson Racing | Reynard 92D | 3 | Paul Stephenson | 1–2 |
| Ralt Australia | Reynard 94D | 11 | Alan Gurr | 1, 3–8 |
| Ralt Australia | Reynard 92D | 11 | Alan Gurr | 2 |
| Ralt Australia | Reynard 97D | 12 | Emerson Newton-John | 5 |
| Ralt Australia | Reynard 97D | 12 | Chris Staff | 8 |
| John Herman Racing | Reynard 94D | 12 | Con Toparis | 4 |
| Millar Motors | Reynard 92D | 17 | Mark Ellis | 2–3, 5, 7 |
| NRC Racing | Reynard 95D | 19 | Stewart McColl | 1–3 |
| NRC Racing | Reynard 95D | 20 | Emerson Newton-John | 1–3 |
| Cantech Engineering | Reynard 91D | 24 | Ian Peters | 2–8 |
| National Neon Signs | Ralt RT23 | 27 | Terry Clearihan | 2–8 |
| Carrig Motorsport | Reynard 89D | 49 | Rohan Carrig | 1–2, 4, 7–8 |
| Greg Murphy Racing | Reynard 94D | 22 | Tim Leahey | 8 |
| Greg Murphy Racing | Reynard 97D | 28 | Roger Oakeshott | 8 |
| Greg Murphy Racing | Reynard 95D | 66 | Peter Hill | 1–7 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 28 | Roger Oakeshott | 1–7 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 74 | Chris Staff | 1–2 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 74 | Con Toparis | 3 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 74 | Dale Brede | 4 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 74 | Chris Hocking | 5 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 74 | Akihiro Asai | 7–8 |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 97D | 75 | Christian Murchison | All |
| Hocking Motorsport | Reynard 96D | 76 | Emerson Newton-John | 7–8 |

## Calendar

The championship was contested over an eight-round series with two races per round.
| Rnd | Rnd | Circuit | Date | Pole position | Fastest lap | Winning driver | Winning team |
| 1 | R1 | Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (Phillip Island, Victoria) | 23–25 March | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 1 | R2 | Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit (Phillip Island, Victoria) | 23–25 March | | Stewart McColl | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 2 | R1 | Adelaide Street Circuit (Adelaide, South Australia) | 6–8 April | Simon Wills | Simon Wills | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 2 | R2 | Adelaide Street Circuit (Adelaide, South Australia) | 6–8 April | | Simon Wills | Simon Wills | Birrana Racing |
| 3 | R1 | Hidden Valley Raceway (Darwin, Northern Territory) | 11–13 May | Simon Wills | Simon Wills | Simon Wills | Birrana Racing |
| 3 | R2 | Hidden Valley Raceway (Darwin, Northern Territory) | 11–13 May | | Simon Wills | Simon Wills | Birrana Racing |
| 4 | R1 | Canberra Street Circuit (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory) | 8–10 June | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 4 | R2 | Canberra Street Circuit (Canberra, Australian Capital Territory) | 8–10 June | | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 5 | R1 | Calder Park Raceway (Melbourne, Victoria) | 13–15 July | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 5 | R2 | Calder Park Raceway (Melbourne, Victoria) | 13–15 July | | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 6 | R1 | Oran Park Raceway (Sydney, New South Wales) | 27–29 July | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 6 | R2 | Oran Park Raceway (Sydney, New South Wales) | 27–29 July | | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 7 | R1 | Mallala Motor Sport Park (Mallala, South Australia) | 10–12 August | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 7 | R2 | Mallala Motor Sport Park (Mallala, South Australia) | 10–12 August | | Rick Kelly | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 8 | R1 | Winton Motor Raceway (Benalla, Victoria) | 7–9 September | Rick Kelly | Paul Stokell | Rick Kelly | Birrana Racing |
| 8 | R2 | Winton Motor Raceway (Benalla, Victoria) | 7–9 September | | Rick Kelly | Paul Stokell | Birrana Racing |

## Points system

Championship points were awarded on a 20–15–12–10–8–6–4–3–2–1 basis for the first ten places in each race.

## Championship results

| Pos | Driver | PHI | PHI | ADE | ADE | DAR | DAR | CAN | CAN | CAL | CAL | ORA | ORA | MAL | MAL | WIN | WIN | Points |
| 1 | Rick Kelly | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 293 |
| 2 | Christian Murchison | 3 | 3 | Ret | 9 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | DNS | 2 | 2 | Ret | 4 | Ret | 142 |
| 3 | Alan Gurr | Ret | DNS | 3 | 3 | Ret | 4 | 3 | Ret | 10 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 130 |
| 4 | Peter Hill | 6 | 4 | 5 | 4 | DNS | 11 | 5 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 6 | 6 | 111 |
| 5 | Emerson Newton-John | 2 | Ret | DNS | Ret | 4 | Ret | | | 3 | 3 | | | 4 | Ret | 7 | 3 | 75 |
| 6 | Stewart McColl | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 74 |
| 7 | Terry Clearihan | | | Ret | 4 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 5 | Ret | 4 | 5 | Ret | 7 | 8 | DNS | 69 |
| 8 | Ian Peters | 9 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 10 | 9 | 65 |
| 9 | Simon Wills | | | Ret | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | 60 |
| 10 | Roger Oakeshott | 8 | 5 | 4 | DNS | Ret | 8 | Ret | 8 | Ret | 10 | 6 | 7 | Ret | Ret | Ret | 8 | 38 |
| 11 | Paul Stokell | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 2 | 1 | 35 |
| 12 | Chris Hocking | | | | | | | | | 4 | 5 | | | 6 | 5 | | | 32 |
| 13 | Brenton Ramsay | | | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | 3 | 3 | 7 | 28 |
| 14 | Con Toparis | | | | | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | | | | | | | | | 22 |
| 15 | Rohan Carrig | 10 | Ret | 7 | 8 | | | 8 | 9 | 9 | 10 | | | 8 | 8 | Ret | DNS | 22 |
| 16 | Mark Ellis | DNS | DNS | DNS | DNS | 8 | 9 | | | 7 | 9 | | | 7 | 6 | | | 21 |
| 17 | Dale Brede | | | | | | | Ret | 3 | | | | | | | | | 12 |
| 18 | Paul Stephenson | 7 | 6 | DNS | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 19 | Tim Leahey | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 11 | 4 | 10 |
| 20 | Chris Staff | 5 | Ret | Ret | DNS | | | | | | | | | | | Ret | Ret | 8 |
| 21 | Akihiro Asai | | | | | | | | | | | | | - | - | 9 | DNS | 2 |
| Pos | Driver | PHI | PHI | ADE | ADE | DAR | DAR | CAN | CAN | CAL | CAL | ORA | ORA | MAL | MAL | WIN | WIN | Points |