# 1998 Australian Drivers' Championship

The 1998 Australian Drivers' Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing title for drivers of cars conforming to Formula Holden regulations. The title was contested over a six-round, twelve race series with the winner awarded the CAMS Gold Star. Officially the "Holden Australian Drivers' Championship for the CAMS Gold Star", it was the 42nd Australian Drivers' Championship.
New Zealand racer Scott Dixon won the championship driving a (Reynard 92D) for SH Racing, to give the team their first ADC title after coming close to victory in 1997 with Jason Bargwanna. Dixon won five of the twelve races to finish ahead of Victorian racers Mark Noske (Reynard 95D) and Todd Kelly (Reynard 92D). Noske and Kelly each took three race wins, with Simon Wills (Reynard 92D) winning one, the first of his record 23 Australian Drivers' Championship career race victories.

## Calendar

The championship was contested over six rounds with two races per round.
| Round | Circuit | Date |
| 1 | Sandown International Motor Raceway | 1 February |
| 2 | Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit | 19 April |
| 3 | Winton Motor Raceway | 3 May |
| 4 | Mallala Motor Sport Park | 24 May |
| 5 | Calder Park Raceway | 21 June |
| 6 | Oran Park International Raceway | 2 August |

## Points system

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

## Championship standings

| | | | | | Sandown | Sandown | Phillip Island | Phillip Island | Winton | Winton | Mallala | Mallala | Calder | Calder | Oran Park | Oran Park | Total |
| Position | Driver | No. | Car | Entrant | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | R1 | R2 | |
| 1 | Scott Dixon | 47 | Reynard 92D | SH Racing | 20 | 15 | 15 | 10 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 15 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 187 |
| 2 | Todd Kelly | 2 | Reynard 92D | Todd Kelly | 15 | 20 | – | 20 | 12 | 10 | 15 | – | 15 | 7.5 | 10 | 20 | 144.5 |
| 3 | Mark Noske | 10 | Reynard 95D | Arthur Abrahams | 8 | – | 20 | 15 | 15 | 20 | 12 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 20 | – | 136 |
| 4 | Brenton Ramsay | 9 | Reynard 91D & Reynard 94D | Birrana Racing Pty Ltd | 10 | – | 12 | 12 | 4 | 12 | – | 10 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 84 |
| 5 | Markus Friesacher | 11 & 19 | Reynard 91D & Reynard 92D | Ralt Australia & Arthur Abrahams | 12 | – | 10 | 8 | 10 | – | 10 | – | 10 | – | – | 6 | 66 |
| 6 | Darren Edwards | 3 & 11 | Reynard 92D & Reynard 91D | Ralt Australia Pty Ltd | – | – | 4 | 6 | – | – | 8 | – | 12 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 55 |
| 7 | John de Vries | 12 | Reynard 91D | Ralt Australia Pty Ltd | 4 | 10 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 3 | – | 2 | 2 | 49 |
| 8 | Simon Wills | 13 & 31 | Reynard 92D | Greg Murphy Racing | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | 20 | – | – | 15 | 8 | 46 |
| 9 | Owen Osborne | 34 | Reynard 92D | NHP Electrical | – | – | 8 | – | – | – | 6 | – | – | 3 | 6 | 3 | 26 |
| 10 | Akihiro Asai | 74 | Reynard 94D | Chris Hocking | – | – | 1 | 3 | 8 | – | – | 6 | – | – | 3 | 4 | 25 |
| 11 | Les Crampton | 15 | Reynard 91D | Sun Wipes Formula Racing Team | – | 12 | 3 | – | – | 2 | – | – | 4 | 1 | – | – | 22 |
| 12 | Dale Brede | 27 | Ralt RT23 | National Capital Motors | – | 6 | – | – | – | | 4 | 8 | 1 | 1.5 | – | – | 20.5 |
| 13 | Chas Jacobsen | 87 | Reynard 92D | Chas Jacobsen | – | – | 2 | 4 | – | 4 | 1 | 3 | – | – | – | – | 14 |
| 14 | Bob Power | 48 | Ralt RT23 | Robert Power | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 6 | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 10 |
| 15 | Garry Haywood | 26 | Reynard 90D | Garry Haywood | 1 | 8 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 9 |
| 16 | Damien Digby | 69 | Reynard 92D | Damien Digby | – | 4 | – | – | 3 | – | – | 2 | – | – | – | – | 9 |
| 17 | Steve Cramp | 21 | Reynard 94D | Stephen Cramp | 6 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 8 |
| 18 | Craig Bastian | 23 | Reynard 92D | Chris Hocking | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | – | 6 |
| 19 | Paul Stephenson | 8 | Reynard 91D | Paul Stephenson | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 20 | Chas Talbot | 14 | March 87B | Chas Talbot | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 21 | Lars Johansson | 36 | Reynard 94D | Lautentius Consultants | – | – | – | – | – | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 3 |
| 22 | Chris Hocking | 74 | Reynard 94D | Chris Hocking | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 2 |
| 23 | Roger Oakeshott | 28 | Lola T93-50 | Barshott Racing | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | 0.5 | – | – | 1.5 |
| 24 | Brian Sampson | 78 | Lola T91/50 | Brian Sampson | – | – | – | – | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 |
* Formula Holden regulations mandated the use of an approved Holden V6 engine.
* Race 2 of Round 5 at Calder was stopped due to adverse weather and half points were awarded to placegetters.

## Notes & references

* 1 2 3 4 1998 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 7–10
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 1998 Holden Australian Drivers' Championship, www.formulaholden.com/archive/1998hadc_pa.htm, Retrieved 30 March 2007, webpage no longer active
* ↑ 2002 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, page 14-4
* 1 2 Jason Parker, Very young guns, V8 Supercars – '98 Season Review, pages 88 to 90
* 1 2 3 4 Official Programme, Sandown International Motor Raceway, 1 February 1998
* 1 2 1998 Motor Sport Calendar, CAMS Report, Summer 1997
* 1 2 3 4 5 Race Results, racetime.com.au, website no longer active
* 1 2 3 4 Official Programme, Mallala, 24 May 1998
* 1 2 3 1998 HADC Overall Point Score, Formula Holden Association Inc
* ↑ formulaholden.com shows full points for Race 2 of Round 2 at Calder. Austion Action states that half points were awarded. 1998 HADC Overall Point Score totals support the "half points" scenario
* ↑ 1998 HADC Overall Point Score shows 25 points for Osborne
* ↑ 1998 HADC Overall Point Score shows 24 points for Crampton
* ↑ 1998 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 7–26
* ↑ Dixon youngest Star, Australian Auto Action, 26 June – 2 July 1998, page 42