When Sedans Were King
Australian Saloon Car Champions of the 1970s
Text and Image Copyright Graham Mison

1971-80 Australian Saloon Car Federation Open Division National Title winners

Years   Location   Winner   2nd   3rd
1971 - 72   Tralee ACT   Kevin Dalton   Alan Butcher   David House
1972 - 73   Liverpool NSW   David House   Peter Crick   Paul Ash
1973 - 74   Northern Park Vic   David Wignall   Russell Hoffman   David House
1974 - 75   Toowoomba Qld   David House   Kevin Drew   Neville Harper
1975 - 76   Rowley Park SA   Grenville Anderson   Peter Timberlake   David House
1976 - 77   Carrick Tas   Allan Blake   Merv Hargreaves   Howie Fiedler
1977 - 78   Claremont WA   Grenville Anderson   Frank Ashmore   Ben Ludlow
1978 -79   Toowoomba Qld   Russell Hoffman   Grenville Anderson   Phil Marshall
1979 - 80   Bagot Park NT   Grenville Anderson   Nev Pezutti   Daren Munro
 After a number of events loosely termed Australian titles the recently formed ASCF organised the first recognised National title at Canberra's Tralee Park Speedway. This title was a points based one with Victorian Kevin Dalton declared the winner in his Holden V8 Monaro. This was the only title run in this way in the 1970s.

 The title race was allocated under the rotational system to a different state each year with tracks from that state able to bid for the right to run the event. Only Queensland's Toowoomba doubled up in the decade of the '70s.

 An interesting fact is that all 9 champions of the '70s were GMH mounted and apart from Dalton they all drove Toranas making the decade, at least on the national scene, the decade of the Giant Killer.

 The decade also saw the legendary Grenville Anderson rise to prominence with 3 titles and a second. The other stand out being David House with 2 titles and 3 thirds, he being a podium finisher 5 years in a row. House could be considered the master of the early part of the decade with Grenville taking over in the second half.

 It should also be noted that this list applies to what were called Open Saloons and that another Division called Standard Saloons also had a national title from the 1974 - 75 season onwards. The Open Class eventually became Super Sedans as we know them now and the Standards developed into today's Modified Production class.

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