1968 Tasman Series

{{Motorsport season

| link = Tasman Series

| subheader = Champion
{{flagicon|United Kingdom}} Jim Clark

| year = 1968

}}

The 1968 Tasman Championship for Drivers was a motor racing series contested over eight races during January, February and March 1968, with four races held in New Zealand and four in Australia.The Tasman Championship for Drivers – Season 1968, 1968 CAMS Manual of Motor Sport, pages 66 to 69 The championship was open to Racing Cars fitted with non-supercharged engines with a capacity equal or inferior to 2500cc. It was the fifth annual Tasman Championship.

The championship won by Jim Clark, driving a Lotus 49T.[https://web.archive.org/web/20080723204810/http://www.tasman-series.com/races/1968/round8/round8.asp IX South Pacific Trophy, www.tasman-series.com, as archived at web.archive.org]

It was the third and final Tasman Championship win for Clark who was killed in a Formula 2 crash on the ultra fast Hockenheim circuit in West Germany just over a month after the series concluded. Clark won the last of his fifteen career Tasman Series wins when he won the 1968 Australian Grand Prix at the Sandown Raceway in Melbourne, only 0.1 seconds in front of the Dino 246 Tasmania of Chris Amon after a famous duel between the pair.

Reigning {{f1|1967}} Formula One World Champion Denny Hulme finished equal seventh in the series in his Formula 2 Brabham with a best finish of third in Round 3 for the Lady Wigram Trophy, his first race of the series.

Schedule

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"
colspan=2\| Round ! Name ! Circuit ! Date ! Winning driver ! Winning car ! Winning team ! Report
rowspan=4\| New Zealand ! 1 \| New Zealand Grand Prix \| Pukekohe \| 6 January \| {{flagicon\|NZL}} Chris Amon \| Dino 246 Tasmania \| C.Amon \| Report
2 \| Levin International \| Levin \| 13 January \| {{flagicon\|NZL}} Chris Amon \| Dino 246 Tasmania \| C.Amon \| Report
3 \| Lady Wigram Trophy \| Wigram \| 20 January \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Jim Clark \| Lotus 49T \| Team Lotus \| Report
4 \| Teretonga International \| Teretonga \| 27 January \| {{flagicon\|NZL}} Bruce McLaren \| BRM P126 \| Owen Racing Organisation \| Report
rowspan=4\| Australia ! 5 \| Surfers Paradise 100 \| Surfers Paradise \| 11 February \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Jim Clark \| Lotus 49T \| Team Lotus \| Report
6 \| Warwick Farm International \| Warwick Farm \| 18 February \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Jim Clark \| Lotus 49T \| Team Lotus \| Report
7 \| Australian Grand Prix \| Sandown \| 25 February \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Jim Clark \| Lotus 49T \| Team Lotus \| Report
8 \| South Pacific Trophy \| Longford \| 4 March \| {{flagicon\|GBR}} Piers Courage \| McLaren M4A \| P.Courage \| Report

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 90%;"

colspan=2| Round

! Name

! Circuit

! Date

! Winning driver

! Winning car

! Winning team

! Report

rowspan=4| New
Zealand

! 1

| New Zealand Grand Prix

| Pukekohe

| 6 January

| {{flagicon|NZL}} Chris Amon

| Dino 246 Tasmania

| C.Amon

| Report

| Levin International

| Levin

| 13 January

| {{flagicon|NZL}} Chris Amon

| Dino 246 Tasmania

| C.Amon

| Report

| Lady Wigram Trophy

| Wigram

| 20 January

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Clark

| Lotus 49T

| Team Lotus

| Report

| Teretonga International

| Teretonga

| 27 January

| {{flagicon|NZL}} Bruce McLaren

| BRM P126

| Owen Racing Organisation

| Report

rowspan=4| Australia

! 5

| Surfers Paradise 100

| Surfers Paradise

| 11 February

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Clark

| Lotus 49T

| Team Lotus

| Report

| Warwick Farm International

| Warwick Farm

| 18 February

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Clark

| Lotus 49T

| Team Lotus

| Report

| Australian Grand Prix

| Sandown

| 25 February

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Clark

| Lotus 49T

| Team Lotus

| Report

| South Pacific Trophy

| Longford

| 4 March

| {{flagicon|GBR}} Piers Courage

| McLaren M4A

| P.Courage

| Report

Points system

Points were awarded at each race on the following basis:

class="wikitable" align="center"

align="center"

! Position

align="center"

! Points

| 9

| 6

| 4

| 3

| 2

| 1

Championship placings were determined by the total number of points scored by a driver in all races.

Championship standings

valign="top"|

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 85%"

valign="top"

!valign="middle"| Pos

!valign="middle"| Driver

!valign="middle"| Car[http://www.sergent.com.au/motor/tasman1968.html Tasman Series 1968, www.sergent.com.au (linked round results pages)] Retrieved 22 November 2017

!Puk

!Lev

!Wig

!Ter

!Sur

!War

!San

!Lon

!valign="middle"| Pts

align="center"

! 1

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GBR}} Jim Clark

|align="left"|Lotus 49T Cosworth

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|align="right"| 44

align="center"

! 2

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Chris Amon

|align="left"| Dino 246 Tasmania

|style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|align="right"| 36

align="center"

! 3

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GBR}} Piers Courage

|align="left"|McLaren M4A Cosworth

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1

|align="right"| 34

align="center"

! 4

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GBR}} Graham Hill

|align="left"|Lotus 49T Cosworth

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|align="right"| 17

align="center"

! =

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Frank Gardner

|align="left"|Brabham BT23D Alfa Romeo

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|align="right"| 17

align="center"

! 6

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Bruce McLaren

|align="left"|BRM P126

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#ffffbf;"| 1

|align="right"| 11

align="center"

! 7

|align="left"|{{flagicon|MEX}} Pedro Rodríguez

|align="left"|BRM P126
BRM P261

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfdfdf;"| 2

|align="right"| 8

align="center"

! =

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Denny Hulme

|align="left"|Brabham BT23 Cosworth

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 8

align="center"

! 9

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Jim Palmer

|align="left"|McLaren M4A Cosworth

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#ffdf9f;"| 3

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|align="right"| 3

align="center"

! 10

|align="left"|{{flagicon|GBR}} Richard Attwood

|align="left"|BRM P126

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|align="right"| 4

align="center"

! 11

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Leo Geoghegan

|align="left"|Lotus 39 Repco

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 3

align="center"

! =

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Roly Levis

|align="left"|Brabham BT18 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 4

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10

|align="right"| 3

align="center"

! 13

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Kevin Bartlett

|align="left"|Brabham BT11A Coventry Climax

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 2

align="center"

! =

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Red Dawson

|align="left"|Brabham BT7A Coventry Climax

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 2

align="center"

! =

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Paul Bolton

|align="left"|Brabham BT22 Coventry Climax[http://www.oldracingcars.com/brabham/bt22/ic-1-66 www.oldracingcars.com] Retrieved 22 November 2017

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 5

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 2

align="center"

! 16

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Graeme Lawrence

|align="left"|Brabham BT18 Ford

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|align="right"| 1

align="center"

! =

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Bill Stone

|align="left"|Brabham BT6 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10

|style="background:#dfffdf;"| 6

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Bryan Faloon

|align="left"|Brabham BT4 Coventry Climax

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 13

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} David Oxton

|align="left"|Brabham BT16 Ford

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Glyn Scott

|align="left"|Lotus 27 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 10

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Jack Brabham

|align="left"|Brabham BT21E Repco

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 7

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} John Harvey

|align="left"|Brabham BT11A Coventry Climax

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Frank Radisich

|align="left"|Lotus 22 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Malcolm Aldred

|align="left"|Lotus 22 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Alfredo Costanzo

|align="left"|Elfin Mono Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 8

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} John Nicholson

|align="left"|Lotus 27 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Ian Ferguson

|align="left"|Lotus 27 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} John McCormack

|align="left"|Brabham BT4 Coventry Climax

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 9

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Ken Smith

|align="left"|Lotus 41 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 12

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 11

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Don MacDonald

|align="left"|Brabham BT10 Ford

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 11

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 12

|style="background:#ffcfcf;"| DNQ

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Graham McRae

|align="left"|Brabham BT6 Ford

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#cfcfff;"| 14

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Peter Yock

|align="left"|Lotus 33 BRM

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#ffcfcf;"| DNQ

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Vince Anderson

|align="left"|Brabham BT11A Coventry Climax

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Grahame Harvey

|align="left"|Brabham BT6 Ford

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Greg Cusack

|align="left"|Brabham BT23 Repco

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Brian Page

|align="left"|Brabham BT6 Ford

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Max Stewart

|align="left"|Rennmax Ford

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Fred Gibson

|align="left"|Brabham Coventry Climax

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|AUS}} Mel McEwin

|align="left"|Lotus 32B Coventry Climax

|style="background:#efcfff;"| Ret

|align="right"| 0

align="center"

! —

|align="left"|{{flagicon|NZL}} Tony Batchelor

|align="left"|Brabham BT6 Ford

|style="background:#ffffff;"| DNS

|align="right"| 0

valign="top"

!valign="middle"| Pos

!valign="middle"| Driver

!Car

!Puk

!Lev

!Wig

!Ter

!Sur

!War

!San

!Lon

!valign="middle"| Pts

|valign="top"|

References

1968

Tasman Series