1999 Shell Championship Series


The 1999 Shell Championship Series was a motor racing series for V8 Supercars which began on 28 March 1999 at Eastern Creek Raceway and ended on 14 November at the Mount Panorama Circuit after 13 rounds. The Australian Touring Car Championship was renamed for 1999 in what was essentially a marketing decision, however the winner of the newly named series was also awarded the 1999 Australian Touring Car Championship title by CAMS. 1999 was the first season since 1977 in which the longer distance, endurance race events were included in the championship. For the first time in the championship's history, tyres supplied by Bridgestone specified for all cars.
The series was won by Craig Lowndes of the Holden Racing Team.

Teams and drivers

The following drivers and teams competed in the 1999 Shell Championship Series. The series consisted of 11 rounds of sprint racing with one driver per car and two rounds of endurance racing with each car shared by two drivers.

Race calendar

The 1999 Shell Championship Series consisted of 13 rounds which included eleven sprint rounds of two or three races and two endurance races. It was the first time since 1977 that endurance races had been included in the championship.
Rd.Race title
Circuit		Location / StateDateWinnerTeamReport
1Eastern Creek RacewayEastern Creek, New South Wales26–28 MarchMark SkaifeHolden Racing TeamReport
2Sensational Adelaide 500
Adelaide Street Circuit		Adelaide, South Australia8–11 AprilCraig LowndesHolden Racing TeamReport
3Barbagallo RacewayPerth, Western Australia30 April – 2 MayCraig LowndesHolden Racing Team
4Phillip IslandPhillip Island, Victoria14–16 MayMark SkaifeHolden Racing Team
5Hidden Valley RacewayDarwin, Northern Territory4–6 JuneJason BrightStone Brothers Racing
6Sandown International RacewayMelbourne, Victoria25–27 JuneMark SkaifeHolden Racing TeamReport
7Queensland RacewayIpswich, Queensland9–11 JulyGarth TanderGarry Rogers Motorsport
8Calder Park RacewayMelbourne, Victoria23–25 JulyMark SkaifeHolden Racing Team
9Symmons Plains RacewayLaunceston, Tasmania6–8 AugustMark SkaifeHolden Racing TeamReport
10Winton Motor RacewayBenalla, Victoria20–22 AugustJason BargwannaGarry Rogers Motorsport
11Oran Park RacewaySydney, New South Wales3–5 SeptemberMark SkaifeHolden Racing TeamReport
12Queensland 500
Queensland Raceway		Ipswich, Queensland17–19 SeptemberRussell Ingall
Larry Perkins		Perkins EngineeringReport
13FAI 1000
Mount Panorama Circuit		Bathurst, New South Wales11–14 NovemberSteven Richards
Greg Murphy		Gibson MotorsportReport

Championship standings

Privateers award

The Privateers award was contested over all rounds except Rounds 2, 12 & 13. Unlike 1998, points were awarded to the driver rather than the team. The best five scores from the ten rounds could be retained by each driver.
Pos.DriverCarEntrantPoints
1Cameron McLeanFord EL FalconGreenfield Mowers Racing250
2Rodney ForbesHolden VS CommodoreBob Forbes Corporation242
3Steve ReedHolden VS CommodoreLansvale Smash Repairs230
4Mick DonaherHolden VS CommodoreUltra Tune Racing220
5David ParsonsHolden VS CommodoreSmiths Trucks & Challenge Recruitment214
6Mike ImrieHolden VS CommodoreSaabwreck Motorsport176
7Chris SmerdonHolden VS CommodoreChallenge Motorsport156
8Bob ThornFord EL FalconSupercheap Auto142
9Mike ConwayFord EL FalconCadillac Productions128
10Trevor AshbyHolden VS CommodoreLansvale Smash Repairs126