The Sun-7 Chesterfield Series was an Australian touring car racing series staged at Amaroo Park in Sydney, New South Wales from 1971 to 1981. The actual series name varied from year to year, according to the commercial sponsorship secured by the series promoters, the Australian Racing Drivers Club.
Initially run for Group E Series Production Touring Cars the series switched to the new Australian Group C Touring Car regulations in 1973. The series was a precursor to the later AMSCAR touring car series which was run at Amaroo Park from 1982.
History In 1971 Lakis Manticas won the inaugural "Sun-7" title driving a Morris Cooper S, with points being allocated evenly among the three engine capacity classes.
The tight Amaroo Park circuit suited the Holden Torana GTR XU-1s. Leading Sydney-based Torana drivers, such as the Holden Dealer Team's Colin Bond, Bob Morris, Don Holland and Allan Grice were prominent in the series. John Goss in the McLeod Ford entered Ford Falcon GT and Ford stalwart Fred Gibson were regular front-runners, while Chrysler drivers Leo Geoghegan and Doug Chivas also appeared. Colin Bond won the series three times in a row, from 1972 to 1974.
For 1975 the Sun-7 Rothmans Series was restricted to cars with an engine capacity of under 3 litres, meaning that larger engined cars such as the Holden Torana SL/R 5000 and Ford Falcon GT could no longer compete. In the 3 litre era some of the main contenders included Bo Seton's Ford Capri, Don Holland and Allan Grice in Mazda RX-3's and Bob Morris in a Triumph Dolomite.
For the 1981 series the engine capacity limit of the competing cars was increased from 3.0 litres to 3.5 litresBetter Brakes 3.5 Litre Series, Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1981/82, pages 188 to 189 and the following year the 3.5 litre capacity limit was removed for what was now entitled the AMSCAR.Better Brakes AMSCAR, Australian Motor Racing Yearbook, 1982/83, page 198
Winners
Year Series name Driver Car Team 1971 Sun-7 SeriesPeter Wherrett, Holland takes Sun-7 opener, Racing Car News, April 1971 Lakis ManticasRacing Car News, October 1971 Morris Cooper S British Leyland Works Team 1972 Sun-7 SeriesDavid Hassall, Into the Lion's Den, Brocky, 2009 Colin BondRacing Car News, October 1972 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Holden Dealer Team 1973 Sun 7 Better Brakes Gold Medal SeriesOfficial Programme, Sun 7 Better Brakes Gold Medal Series, Amaroo Park Raceway, Sunday 18 Aug. 1973 Colin BondSydney Morning Herald - 19 August 1973 - pg 15 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Holden Dealer Team 1974 Sun-7 Chesterfield SeriesFalcon GT By The Years: 1974, www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au Retrieved on 25 June 2019 Colin BondBob Morris's LJ XU-1 Torana, www.bowdensown.com.au Retrieved via web.archive.org on 24 February 2014 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Holden LH Torana SL/R 5000 ] Holden Dealer Team 1975 Sun-7 Rothmans SeriesOfficial Programme, Sun 7 Rothmans Series, Amaroo Park Raceway, Sunday 20 July 1975 Barry SetonAmaroo Park 3-Litre Series, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1976 Edition, pages 82 to 84 Ford Capri GT 3000 Mk.I 1976 Rothmans Sun-7 SeriesRothmans Sun-7 Series, Australian Competition Yearbook, 1977 Edition, pages 114 to 120 Allan Grice Mazda RX-3 Mazda House Racing 1977 Sun-7 Rothmans Touring Car SeriesProgramme of Events, Official Programme, Amaroo Park, 14 August 1977, page 5 Barry SetonSeton wins by a point, The Sydney Morning Herald, 15 August 1977, page 22 Ford Capri V6 1978 Rothmans Sun-7 SeriesRothmans SUN-7 Series, Australian Competition Yearbook Number 8, pages 142 to 143 Peter Williamson Toyota Celica 1979 Better Brakes Under 3 Litre SeriesMotor Racing, The Sydney Morning Herald, 13 August 1979, page 24 Barry Seton Ford Capri 1980 Better Brakes Touring Car SeriesMotor Racing, The Sydney Morning Herald, 14 July 1980, page 23 Barry Seton Ford Capri 1981 Better Brakes 3.5 Litre Series Steve Masterton Ford Capri V6
Multiple winners By driver Wins Driver Years 4 Barry Seton 1975, 1977, 1979, 1980 3 Colin Bond 1972, 1973, 1974
By manufacturer Wins Manufacturer 5 Ford 3 Holden
References