A report on 1981 Australian Touring Car Championship

Dick Johnson won the championship driving a Ford XD Falcon.
Colin Bond placed third driving a Ford Capri Mk II. The car is pictured in 2005.
Kevin Bartlett placed 11th driving a Chevrolet Camaro. The car is pictured in 1997
Bob Muir placed 20th driving a Ford XD Falcon. The car is pictured in 2009.

CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Group C Touring Cars.

- 1981 Australian Touring Car Championship
Dick Johnson won the championship driving a Ford XD Falcon.

4 related topics with Alpha

Overall

Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)

1980 Hardie-Ferodo 1000

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The 21st running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race.

The 21st running of the Bathurst 1000 touring car race.

Layout of the Mount Panorama Circuit (1938-1986)
Seton/Smith Ford Capri, winner of the 2000-3000cc class (image from 2017)
Bartlett/Forbes Chevrolet Camaro
Morris/O'Brien/Moffat Ford XD Falcon
Muir/Hibbard Ford Falcon
Bond/Masterton Ford Capri

Johnson would go on to repay the faith shown in him by Edsel Ford and the Australian public, using the $144,000 he received to build a new Falcon in which he would go on to win the 1981 ATCC and the crash shortened 1981 James Hardie 1000.

Ford Falcon GL station wagon

Ford Falcon (XD)

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Full-size car that was produced by Ford Australia from 1979 to 1982.

Full-size car that was produced by Ford Australia from 1979 to 1982.

Ford Falcon GL station wagon
Falcon GL sedan, with S Pack
Dick Johnson and John French won the 1981 James Hardie 1000 driving a Ford Falcon (XD)
Falcon GL wagon
Falcon GL sedan with ESP option
Fairmont sedan
Fairmont Ghia sedan
Fairmont Ghia sedan with ESP option
Falcon GL utility (with "S Pack" option)
Falcon GL van (with Sundowner option)
European Mk2 Ford Granada (For Comparison)

Dick Johnson drove a 351 cuin Group C Falcon XD, commonly called "Tru-Blu" (due to the cars blue paint and the name of the steel products from the main sponsor - Palmer Tube Mills), to win the 1981 and 1982 Australian Touring Car Championships.

Spectators watching Round 1 of the 1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship

Lakeside International Raceway

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Motor racing circuit located in Kurwongbah, Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia.

Motor racing circuit located in Kurwongbah, Moreton Bay Region, Queensland, Australia.

Spectators watching Round 1 of the 1981 Australian Sports Sedan Championship

For much of the circuit's life these meetings were the largest of the year and played host to some brilliant racing, the highlight of which was the 1981 title showdown between local hero Dick Johnson and reigning champion Peter Brock.

Colin Bond in 2016

Colin Bond

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Retired Australian racing driver.

Retired Australian racing driver.

Colin Bond in 2016
Colin Bond in the Holden Dealer Team Monaro at Lakeside International Raceway in 1970.
Bond and Shepheard in the Holden Dealer Team Torana GTR XU-1 on their way to another win in the Warana Rally, round four of the 1972 Australian Rally Championship.
1974 ARC winners Colin Bond and George Shepheard in the HDT Torana GTR XU-1 at the Warana Rally, round five of the 1974 Australian Rally Championship.
Reproduction of the 1976 Bathurst Bond/Harvey Torana
Bond placed second in the 1980 Australian Rally Championship driving this Ford Escort RS1800
Bond placed third in the 1981 Australian Touring Car Championship driving a Ford Capri Mk.II

He was also third in the 1981 and 1988 Australian Touring Car Championships, 1981 in a Ford Capri Mk.II for the Masterton Homes team and 1988 in a Ford Sierra RS500 in what was his first ATCC in an outright car since 1978.