1987 Australian Formula 2 Championship
Introduction The '''1987 Australian Formula 2 Championship''' was a CAMS sanctioned motor racing title for drivers of Australian Formula 2 racing cars. It was the 20th Australian Formula 2 Championship.The championship was won by Arthur Abrahams driving a modified version of a Cheetah Mk.8 after championship leader Mark McLaughlin (Elfin 852) collided with third placed driver Graeme Smith (Cheetah Mk.7) in the warm-up of the final race of the season. Abrahams only win was at the final race compared to McLaughlin's three. The other race wins were taken by Cheetah driver Derek Pingel and Ralt RT30 driver David Brabham. Abrahams won the championship by 20 points. Smith stayed third, 41 points behind McLaughlin and just four points ahead of Pingel. Magnum driver Neil Israel was a further three points behind.
Calendar The championship was contested over a six-round series with one race per round. * Round 1, Symmons Plains, Tasmania, 8 March* Round 2, Lakeside, Queensland, 5 April* Round 3, Adelaide International Raceway, South Australia, 3 May* Round 4, Amaroo Park, New South Wales, 21 June* Round 5, Mallala Motor Sport Park, South Australia, 9 August* Round 6, Sandown Park, Victoria, 13 September .
Points system Championship points were awarded on a 30–27–24–21–19–17–15–14–13–12–11–10–9–8–7–6–5–4–3–2 basis to the first 20 finishers in each round.
Results  Position Driver No. Car Entrant R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 R6 Total 1 Arthur Abrahams 19 Cheetah Mk.8 Volkswagen Arthur Abrahams 6th 2nd 3rd 2nd 2nd 1st '''152''' 2 Mark McLaughlin 9 Elfin 852 Volkswagen Elfin Sports Cars Pty Ltd 1st 1st 4th 4th 1st DNS '''132''' 3 Graeme Smith 27 Cheetah Mk.7 Volkswagen Graeme Smith 5th 5th 9th 5th 4th Ret '''91''' 4 Derek Pingel 5 Cheetah Mk.8 Volkswagen Derek Pingle Ret 3rd 1st 3rd Ret 13th '''87''' 5 Neil Israel 44 Magnum 863 Volkswagen Magnum Racing Australia 4th 4th 7th Ret 2nd '''84''' 6 Jon Crooke 1 Cheetah Mk.8 Volkswagen Michael Borland 2nd Ret 2nd 9th '''67''' 7 Ian Caldwell 6 Cheetah Mk.6 Toyota Ian Caldwell 10th 15th 10th 9th 10th '''56''' 8 Rohan Onslow 1 Cheetah Mk.8 Volkswagen Michael Borland 3rd 5th '''43''' Grahame Blee 2 Cheetah Mk.6 Toyota Bill Slattery's Truck & Bus Sales 7th Ret 11th 6th Ret '''43''' 10 Ian Richards 11 Richards 201C Volkswagen Ian Richards 3rd Ret 8th Ret '''38''' 11 Wayne Ford 31 Ralt RT3 Volkswagen  Ralt RT3 Ford Wayne Ford 8th Ret 6th DNS '''31''' 12 David Brabham 8 Ralt RT30 Volkswagen Australian Motor Racing Pty Ltd Ret Ret 1st '''30''' Barry Johnson Cheetah Mk.8 Ford Ret 7th 7th '''30''' 14 Dave Thompson 53 Ralt RT4 Nissan Autosport Pty Ltd 6th 10th Ret '''29''' David Goode Elfin 630B 7th 8th '''29''' 16 John Wise Cheetak Mk.7 Volkswagen 3rd '''24''' 17 Chris Hocking Cheetak Mk.6 Toyota 4th '''21''' 18 Peter Beehag 14 PBS 852 Nissan Peter Beehag 5th '''19''' Mike Holmes 22 Elfin 700 Volkswagen Mike Holmes 5th '''19''' 20 Craig Sparks 3 Richards 201 Volkswagen Craig Sparks 6th Ret '''17''' Thomas Crozier 26 Cheetak Mk.8 Volkswagen Thomas Crozier DNS Ret 6th '''17''' 22 Tom Coull 24 Elfin 620B Ford Tom Coull Ret 7th '''15''' 23 Bob Jennings 4 Cheetak Mk.7 Nissan Bob Jennings 8th '''14''' Robert Antel   Elfin GE Two-25 Volkswagen 8th '''14''' 25 Shane Flynn 77 Kaditcha F283A Volkswagen Avanti Spares DNS 9th DNS '''13''' Rodney Moody Cheetak Mk.6 Toyota 9th '''13''' 27 Graham Sharley 30 Cheetah Toyota Graham Sharley 10th '''12''' 28 Salvatore Astuti Cheetak Mk.6 Ford 11th '''11''' 29 Michael Lock 10 Richards 201B Volkswagen Michael Lock 12th '''10''' Ray Cutchie Ralt RT4 Ford 12th '''10''' 31 Mike Drewer 45 Cheetak Mk.7 Toyota Michael John Drewer 13th Ret '''9''' 32 Tony Rees 78 Ralt RT3 AG Rees 14th '''8''' Max Engellenner Crabtree BMW 14th '''8''' Vince McLaughlan Cheetah Mk.8 Volkswagen Ret Ret Ret Ret '''0''' Adrian Martin Ralt RT1 Ford Ret '''0''' Guy Richards Cheetah BMW DNS Ret '''0''' Noel Orphan Elfin 700 Ford Ret '''0''' Rob Newman Cheetah Mk.7 Toyota Ret DNS '''0''' Steve Noble Richards 201B Volkswagen Ret DNS '''0''' Bob Power Ralt RT3 Volkswagen Ret '''0''' Barry Ward Ralt RT30 Volkswagen Ret DNS '''0''' Carl Gibson Elfin 792 Volkswagen Ret '''0''' Phil Sutton Elfin 623 DNS '''0''' Ron Barnacle Wren Volkswagen DNS DNS '''0''' Mark Potter Elfin 700 Ford DNS '''0'''
Notes and references
Further reading * Barry Catford, Australian Formula 2 Championship, Australian Motor Racing Year 1987/88, pages 225–239
External links *  Images of Australian Open Wheelers – 1987, including two from the Amaroo Park round of the AF2C