John Leffler on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
John Leffler (May 27, 1940 - June 11, 2021) was a former Australian racing driver. Leffler is best known for driving open-wheelers and winning the
John Leffler (May 27, 1940 - June 11, 2021) was a former Australian racing driver. Leffler is best known for driving open-wheelers and winning the Australian Drivers' Championship
The Australian Drivers' Championship was a motor racing championship contested annually from 1957 to 2014 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor ...
in 1976.
Leffler drove Morris Cooper
The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...
s for many years in the 1960s. He finished second in the 1969 Rothmans 12 Hour Classic at Surfers Paradise driving a Morris Cooper S
The Mini is a small, two-door, four-seat car, developed as ADO15, and produced by the British Motor Corporation (BMC) and its successors, from 1959 through 2000. Minus a brief hiatus, original Minis were built for four decades and sold during ...
In the early 1970s he turned his hand to Formula Ford
Formula Ford, also known as F1600 and Formula F, is an entry-level class of single seater, open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held across the world form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. Formula For ...
racing a Bowin P6F in which he won the 1973 TAA Formula Ford Driver to Europe Series. In 1974 he contested the Australian Formula 2
Australian Formula 2, sometimes abbreviated to AF2 or ANF2, is a "wings and slicks" formula racing category in Australia. The category is one of Australia's oldest, dating back to 1964. The current format of AF2 was introduced in 1978. Brian Shea ...
Championship and finished third.
In 1975 Leffler stepped up to the Australian Drivers' Championship
The Australian Drivers' Championship was a motor racing championship contested annually from 1957 to 2014 by drivers of cars complying with Australia's premier open-wheeler racing category as determined by the Confederation of Australian Motor ...
(the "Gold Star") and driving a Bowin P8
The Bowin P8 is a Formula 5000 and Formula 2 racing car, which was designed and built between 1972 and 1974 by Bowin.
Specifications
The chassis was a high-rigidity monocoque design of high-strength alloy and steel, utilising the latest tec ...
Chevrolet finished fifth in the series. The following year he secured the 1976 Australian Drivers' Championship
The 1976 Australian Drivers' Championship was an Australian motor racing competition open to Australian Formula 1 cars and Australian Formula 2 cars.Conditions for Australian Titles, The Australian Formula 1 Championship, 1976 CAMS Manual of Mot ...
title in a Lola T400
After the great success of the T332 in the 1974 Formula 5000 season (18 out of 21 top 3 finishes in the US), much was expected of the new high-tech Lola T400. Described by development driver Frank Gardner as "the most sophisticated Formula 5000 ...
with a string of consistent placings but without actually winning a round.
Leffler also co-drove for some of the leading Australian touring car
Touring car and tourer are both terms for open cars (i.e. cars without a fixed roof).
"Touring car" is a style of open car built in the United States which seats four or more people. The style was popular from the early 1900s to the 1930s.
Th ...
drivers in endurance events. He co-drove with Bob Morris at the 1974 Sandown 250 finishing second in a Ron Hodgson Motors
Ron Hodgson Motors (later known as Ron Hodgson Channel 7 Racing) was a Parramatta-based car dealership, primarily associated with Holden. One of the largest dealerships of its kind in Australia, on several occasions it lent its name and faciliti ...
Holden Torana GTR XU-1
The Holden Torana is a mid-sized car that was manufactured by Holden from 1967 to 1980. The name apparently comes from an word meaning "to fly" in an unconfirmed Aboriginal Australian language. The original HB series Torana was released in 1 ...
and at the 1978 Bathurst 1000 he came second with Allan Grice
Allan Maxwell Grice (born 21 October 1942), known to motor-racing fans as "Gricey", is an Australian former racing driver and politician, most famous for twice winning the prestigious Bathurst 1000 (1986 and 1990), and as a privateer driver of ...
in a Craven Mild Racing Holden LX Torana SS A9X Hatchback. He is not related to Jason Leffler
Jason Charles Leffler (September 16, 1975 – June 12, 2013) was an American professional open-wheel and stock car racing driver. Leffler began racing in the open-wheel ranks, competing in the 2000 Indianapolis 500 before moving to primaril ...
the IndyCar driver who was killed in 2013
Career results
References