1998/99 AUSCAR season

Written here will be the history of the 1998/99 AUSCAR season as it comes to hand.

Round 2 – Calder Park Thunderdome 

Round 2 – Calder Park Thunderdome saw 15 cars line up for the two races, the first race was won by past champion Matthew White whilst Leigh Watkins won Race 2 in his EF Falcon.

Race 2 is notable for having then 16 year old Paul Dumbrell behind the wheel of the #7 Wynns sponsored Commodore.

Race 1 results (Top 8)

1. Matthew White
2. Leigh Watkins
3. Nathan Pretty
4. Tony Malley
5. Anthony Leitch
6. Nicole Pretty
7. Darryl Speers
8. Amin Chahda

Race 2 results (Top 4)

1. Leigh Watkins
2. Matthew White
3. Darren McDonald
4. Nathan Pretty

Last Round 

The last round of the season and a Ford was at the top trying to hold on.

19 cars lined up in Race 2 for what was unknowingly the final race that AUSCAR would ever have by themselves before the 1999/00 season was a combination of AUSCAR and Sportsman cars.

It was Matthew White vs Leigh Watkins, the past champion vs a man who could deliver Ford its first AUSCAR title after a decade of effort.

Leigh held a ten point lead and for a bit of time he did fall to third as Nathan Pretty got by him which could of landed him trouble.

Anthony Leitch had a spin in his #66 Commodore and Darren McDonald went out of the race with what appeared to be mechanical issues.

Leigh got by Nathan Pretty to hold second place and he was in the box seat for the title in front of a crowd that was pretty good for a series winding down.

Matthew White won the race but with Leigh Watkins finishing right behind him it meant that Leigh was the champion by a narrow margin.

Final Results (Race 2)

1. Matthew White
2. Leigh Watkins
3. Nathan Pretty
4. Shane Houlahan
5. Rodney Jane