The 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship was a CAMS sanctioned Australian motor racing championship open to Group C Touring Cars. It was the 18th running of the Australian Touring Car Championship. The championship began at Symmons Plains Raceway on 7 March and ended at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit on 20 November after eleven rounds.Australian Competition Yearbook, 1978 edition 1977 was the second and final time that the series incorporated the longer distance races which made up the Australian Championship of Makes. These races included the Sandown 400 and the Phillip Island 500K, although notably not the Bathurst 1000.
Reigning champion Allan Moffat (Ford Falcon) dominated the 1977 season. In addition to his victory in the non-championship Hardie-Ferodo 1000 at Bathurst, Moffat won his third Australian Touring Car Championship, leading home new Moffat Ford Dealers teammate Colin Bond for a series 1-2 result. Moffat won the first five rounds of the championship, won a total of seven out of the eleven rounds and won the title by 32 points. Bond recorded a win at Adelaide International Raceway but was put under pressure near the end of the season from Peter Brock after consecutive wins by the Holden Torana driver at Lakeside International Raceway and Sandown Raceway in the Hang Ten 400. In the end Bond finished nine points clear of Brock. The only other round win was claimed by Allan Grice (Holden Torana) at the final round at the Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit.
In previous years the class pointscore system saw a consistent performer threaten the top of the points table. In 1977 though the best performer from the smaller cars was Ford Capri racer Lawrie Nelson who finished fourth in the points, 19 behind Brock. Holden Torana racer Bob Morris took points away from the small car class drivers by racing his Triumph Dolomite early in the series, as well as racing Lakis Manticas' Ford Capri on occasion, effectively spoiling the chances of other drivers in the under three-litre class.
Drivers Drivers that competed in the 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship included the following: EntrantNoCarDriver Moffat Ford Dealers 1 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Allan Moffat Moffat Ford Dealers 1 Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop Allan Moffat Moffat Ford Dealers 2 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Colin Bond Moffat Ford Dealers 2 Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop Colin Bond Marlboro Holden Dealer Team 3 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 John Harvey Bob Jane T-Marts 3 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Bob Jane Gown-Hindhaugh 4 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Bruce Hindhaugh Bill Patterson 05 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Peter Brock Craven Mild 6 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Allan Grice Craven Mild 6 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Allan Grice Channel 7 7 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Bob Morris Channel 7 7 Holden LX Torana A9X SLR5000 Bob Morris Marlboro Holden Dealer Team 8 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Charlie O'Brien Marlboro Holden Dealer Team 8 Holden LX Torana A9X SLR5000 Wayne Negus Peter Janson 9 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Larry Perkins Mercury Outboards 9 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Charlie O'Brien Sidchrome/Melford 10 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Jim Richards Bob Forbes 11 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Bob Forbes Pioneer Electronics 12 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Ron Dickson Marlboro Holden Dealer Team 14 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback John Harvey Kevin Bartlett 14 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Kevin Bartlett Ipec 15 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Peter Janson Bryan Byrt Ford 17 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Dick Johnson Brian Wood Ford 18 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Murray Carter Phillip Industries 19 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Ian Diffen Gown-Hindhaugh 20 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Garth Wigston Gown-Hindhaugh 20 Holden LX Torana A9X SLR5000 Garth Wigston Maurice Andrews 21 Holden Torana Maurice Andrews Citizen Quartz 21 Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop John Goss Pioneer Electronics 22 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Warren Cullen John Goss 22 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop John Goss Pioneer Electronics 22 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Warren Cullen Pioneer Electronics 23 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Warren Cullen Rusty French 23 Ford XC Falcon GS500 Hardtop Rusty French Bill Patterson 24 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Basil Van Rooyen Bill Patterson 25 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Peter Brock Bill Patterson 25 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Peter Brock Bill Patterson 26 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Phil Brock Craven Mild 26 Holden LX Torana A9X SS Hatchback Allan Grice Kevin Kennedy 27 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Kevin Kennedy HM Headers 28 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Jim Keogh Rod Donovan 28 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Rod Donovan Phillip Arnull 29 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Phillip Arnull Graham Ryan 29 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Graham Ryan Garry Willmington 30 Ford XB Falcon GT Hardtop Garry Willmington Lawrie Nelson 32 Ford Capri V6 Lawrie Nelson Lynn Brown 32 Mazda RX-3 Lynn Brown Russell Skaife 34 Ford Capri V6 Russell Skaife Tim Slako 34 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Tim Slako Barry Seton 35 Ford Capri V6 Barry Seton Arthur Hardwick 36 Mazda RX-3 Arthur Hardwick Lakis Manticas 37 Ford Capri V6 Lakis Manticas Alan Taylor 37 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Alan Taylor Phil McDonnell 38 BMW 3.0Si Phil McDonnell David Seldon 38 Triumph Dolomite Sprint David Seldon Allan Bryant 38 Mazda RX-3 Allan Bryant ATP Australia 40 Ford Capri V6 Alan Cant Geoff Leeds 41 Mazda RX-3 Geoff Leeds Brian Sampson 43 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Brian Sampson Rogar Automotive 43 Mazda RX-3 Nick Louis Kim Harley 44 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Kim Harley Ben Penhall 44 Mazda RX-3 Ben Penhall Paul Gulson 44 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Paul Gulson John Stoopman 44 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 John Stoopman TB Penhall 45 Mazda RX-3 Ben Penhall Barry Lawrence 45 Triumph Dolomite Sprint Barry Lawrence Brian Wood Ford 46 Ford Capri V6 Ray Farrar Ross Burbidge 46 Mazda RX-3 Ross Burbidge Graham Parsons 47 Holden Torana Graham Parsons Graeme Wilson 47 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Graeme Wilson Terry Shiel 48 Mazda RX-3 Terry Shiel Ian Messner 49 Ford Escort Ian Messner Brian Wood Ford 49 Ford Escort MkII RS2000 Lyndon Arnel Brian Potts 50 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Brian Potts Brian Potts 50 Mazda RX-3 Brian Potts Jim Hunter 51 Mazda RX-3 Jim Hunter Warren Torr 51 Mazda RX-3 John Duggan Vic Wilson 52 Ford Capri V6 Vic Wilson Ian Messner 52 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 Ian Messner Lennox Motors 53 Volkswagen Golf GTI Chris Heyer Allan Gough 53 Holden Gemini Allan Gough Mike Minear 54 Holden Gemini Mike Minear Roger Stanley 55 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Roger Stanley Peter Stoopman 55 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Peter Stoopman Gordon Rich 57 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Gordon Rich Ron Gillard 57 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Ron Gillard Ray Cutchie 58 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 Ray Cutchie David Cannon 58 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 David Cannon Douglas Hi-Fi 59 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTAm Frank Porter Ray Gulson 61 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Ray Gulson Geoff Wade 61 Triumph Dolomite Sprint Geoff Wade Gil Gordon Alfa Geelong 62 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT Warwick Henderson Wayne Mitchell 63 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Wayne Mitchell Alfa Romeo Club 63 Alfa Romeo GT1300 Junior Robin Dudfield Peter Kuebler 63 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Peter Kuebler Martin Power 64 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Martin Power Ian Chilman 64 Honda Civic Ian Chilman Jim Liang-Peach 65 Triumph Dolomite Sprint Jim Liang-Peach David Clement 66 Mazda RX-3 David Clement John White 66 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 John White Ross Bond 66 Holden Torana Ross Bond Peter Granger 67 BMW 2002 Peter Granger Brian Wood Ford 69 Ford Escort RS2000 Rod Stevens Ralph Radburn 69 Triumph Dolomite Sprint Ralph Radburn Ferris Car Radios 70 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Barry Allen Peter Williamson Toyota 70 Toyota Celica Peter Williamson Alan Welling 71 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Alan Welling Brian Wood Ford 71 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 Rod Stevens Alf Grant 71 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Alf Grant Roger Stanley 72 Holden Torana Roger Stanley Neville Bridges 73 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Neville Bridges Bernie Stack 74 Volkswagen Passat 1300 Bernie Stack Stephen Land 74 Datsun 1200 Stephen Land Hair Affair 75 Morris Clubman GT Jim Stewart Ray Molloy 76 Morris Clubman GT Ray Molloy Ron Hodgson 77 Triumph Dolomite Sprint Bob Morris Bob Morris 77 Ford Capri V6 Bob Morris Barry Sheales Holden 77 Holden Gemini Allan Gough Geoff Newton 78 Ford Capri V6 Geoff Newton Hugh Donaldson 78 Fiat 124 Hugh Donaldson Darryl Wilcox 79 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Darryl Wilcox Ian Wells 79 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 Ian Well Wynn's Friction Proofing 79 Ford Capri V6 John Faulkner John Millyard 80 Ford Capri V6 John Millyard Ian Lees 80 Ford Capri V6 Ian Lees Graeme Blanchard Holden 81 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Graeme Blanchard Tony Niovanni 82 Holden Gemini Tony Niovanni Graeme Wilson 84 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Graeme Wilson Graeme Wilson 84 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 Graeme Wilson Stuart Saker 85 Ford Escort Stuart Saker Pat Hogan 86 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 Pat Hogan Graham Mein 87 Ford Escort MkI RS2000 Graham Mein David Seldon 88 Triumph Dolomite Sprint David Seldon Bob Holden/Shell Sport 88 Ford Escort RS2000 Greg Toepfer Kerry Cox 89 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Kerry Cox Peter Lander 89 Morris Clubman GT Peter Lander Wayne Sweetland 90 Holden Torana Wayne Sweetland Graham Harrison 91 Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Graham Harrison Ken Harrison 91 Ford Escort Ken Harrison Gary Whittaker 92 Toyota Corolla Gary Whittaker Robyn Hamilton 93 Holden Gemini Robyn Hamilton Gary Leggatt 94 Fiat 128 3P Gary Leggatt Deane Hill 95 Holden Gemini Deane Hill Ray Kaleda 97 Holden Torana Ray Kaleda Greville Arnel 97 Ford Escort Greville Arnel Martin Power 97 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Martin Power David Langman 98 Holden LH Torana SLR5000 L34 David Langman Graeme Adams 99 Ford Capri V6 Graeme Adams Louis Stoopman Jr 99 BMW 2002tii Louis Stoopman J Russell Worthington 100 Mazda RX-3 Russell Worthington Jeff Ogg 101 Mazda RX-3 Jeff Ogg Geoff Moran 102 Ford Capri V6 Geoff Moran Eric Olsen 103 Mazda RX-3 Eric Olsen Barry Jones 108 Mazda RX-3 Barry Jones Mollison Motors 109 Honda Civic Matthew Phillip Max Patterson 111 Honda Civic Max Patterson John Nelson 114 Datsun 1600 John Nelson Annette Williams 118 Holden LJ Torana GTR XU-1 Annette Williams
Calendar The 1977 Australian Touring Car Championship was contested over eleven rounds.