1978 New Zealand Grand Prix
# 1978 New Zealand Grand Prix

The 1978 New Zealand Grand Prix was a race held at the Pukekohe Park Raceway on 7 January 1978. The race had 20 starters.

It was the 24th New Zealand Grand Prix. The race was won by future Formula One World Champion Keke Rosberg for the second time in succession in the Chevron B39. The rest of the podium was completed by Australian Larry Perkins and American Danny Sullivan.

## Classification

### Qualifying

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Time | Gap |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 0 | Dave McMillan | Team McMillan Ford/Citizen Watches/Pan Am/Segedin Speed & Spares | Ralt RT1 / Ford BDA Hart | 1:04.1 | |
| 2 | 1 | Keke Rosberg | Fred Opert Racing | Chevron B39 / Ford BDA Titan | 1:04.3 | + 0.2 s |
| 3 | 3 | Larry Perkins | Scuderia Veloce | Ralt RT1 / Ford BDA Swindon | 1:04.6 | + 0.5 s |
| 4 | 2 | Bobby Rahal | Fred Opert Racing | Chevron B39 / Ford BDA Morris | 1:05.0 | + 0.9 s |
| 5 | 11 | Ken Smith | La Valise Travel | Chevron B34 / Ford BDA Nicholson | 1:05.0 | + 0.9 s |
| 6 | 4 | Danny Sullivan | March Cars | March 77B / Ford BDA Nicholson | 1:05.0 | + 0.9 s |
| 7 | 9 | Brett Riley | Applied Power | March 77B / Ford BDA Nicholson | 1:05.0 | + 0.9 s |
| 8 | 8 | Andrew Miedecke | A Miedecke | March 763/76B / Ford BDA Dewhurst | 1:05.1 | + 1.0 s |
| 9 | 10 | Richard Melville | Southplant Tool Hire | March 76B / Ford BDA Hooker | 1:05.1 | + 1.0 s |
| 10 | 19 | Steve Millen | Martini Team Schollum | Chevron B42 / Ford BDA Hart | 1:05.4 | + 1.3 s |
| 11 | 18 | David Oxton | Vacation Hotels | Chevron B34 / Ford BDA Hart | 1:05.4 | + 1.3 s |
| 12 | 22 | Ross Stone | R P Stone | Cuda JR3 / Ford BDA Nicholson | 1:06.3 | + 2.2 s |
| 13 | 17 | Robbie Francevic | Team Typhoon | Modus M3 / Ford BDA Hooker | 1:06.3 | + 2.2 s |
| 14 | 5 | Ian Grob | Alan Docking Racing | March 763/77B / Ford BDA Swindon | 1:07.1 | + 3.0 s |
| 15 | 7 | Pierre Dieudonné | Dr Joe Ehrlich | Ehrlich RP3 / Ford BDA Nicholson | 1:07.3 | + 3.2 s |
| 16 | 16 | Norm Lankshear | Farmers Co-op Fielding | Chevron B34 / Ford BDA Nicholson | 1:07.7 | + 3.6 s |
| 17 | 15 | Eric Morgan | Medley Bourbon/Golden Breed Shirts/Shell | Chevron B29 / Ford BDA BMS | 1:07.9 | + 3.8 s |
| 18 | 99 | Reg Cook | Cook Motor Racing | 722 / Ford BDA CMR | 1:08.4 | + 4.3 s |
| 19 | 66 | Graeme Crawford | Paul England Pty. Ltd | Birrana 273 / Ford BDA England | 1:08.8 | + 4.7 s |
| 20 | | Dave Saunders | D Saunders | March 722 / Ford BDA | 1:09.2 | + 5.1 s |

### Race

| Pos | No. | Driver | Team | Car | Laps | Time |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | 1 | Keke Rosberg | Fred Opert Racing | Chevron B39 / Ford BDA Titan | 30 | 32min 49.8sec |
| 2 | 3 | Larry Perkins | Scuderia Veloce | Ralt RT1 / Ford BDA Swindon | 30 | + 1.7 s |
| 3 | 4 | Danny Sullivan | | March 77B / Ford BDA Nicholson | 30 | + 18.1 s |
| 4 | 10 | Richard Melville | | March 76B / Ford BDA Hooker | 30 | + 18.5 s |
| 5 | 11 | Ken Smith | La Valise Travel | March 76B / Ford BDA Nicholson | 30 | + 38.1 s |
| 6 | 18 | David Oxton | Vacation Hotels | Chevron B34 / Ford BDA Hart | 30 | + 40.0 s |
| 7 | 22 | Ross Stone | | Cuda JR3 / Ford BDA Nicholson | 30 | |
| 8 | 17 | Robbie Francevic | | Modus M3 / Ford BDA Hooker | 30 | |
| 9 | 5 | Ian Grob | Sphere Drake Racing | March 763/77B / Ford BDA Swindon | 30 | |
| 10 | 7 | Pierre Dieudonné | | Ehrlich RP3 / Ford BDA Nicholson | 29 | + 1 Lap |
| 11 | 19 | Steve Millen | Martini Team Schollum | Chevron B42 / Ford BDA Hart | 29 | + 1 Lap |
| 12 | 16 | Norm Lankshear | FCDC Fielding | Chevron B34 / Ford BDA Hart | 29 | + 1 Lap |
| 13 | 66 | Graeme Crawford | Paul England Pty. Ltd | Birrana 273 / Ford BDA England | 29 | + 1 Lap |
| 14 | | Dave Saunders | | March 722 / Ford BDA | 27 | + 3 Laps |
| 15 | 0 | Dave McMillan | Team McMillan | Ralt RT1 / Ford BDA Hart | 22 | + 8 Laps |
| Ret | 8 | Andrew Miedecke | | March 763/76B / Ford BDA Dewhurst | 15 | Loose Battery |
| Ret | 2 | Bobby Rahal | Fred Opert Racing | Chevron B39 / Ford BDA Morris | 8 | Valve |
| Ret | 9 | Brett Riley | | March 77B / Ford BDA Nicholson | 7 | Loose Battery |
| Ret | 15 | Eric Morgan | | Chevron B29 / Ford BDA BMS | 6 | Gear Selector |
| Ret | 99 | Reg Cook | | March 742 / Ford BDA CMR | 2 | Misfire |
| DNS | 17 | Steve Emson | | Modus M3 / Ford BDA Nicholson | | Did Not Start |
| DNS | 20 | Hugh Owen | | Ralt RT1 / Ford BDA Nicholson | | Did Not Start |
| DNS | 65 | Peter Larner | Paul England Pty. Ltd | Dolphin / Ford BDA England | | Did Not Start |
| DNA | | Howard Wood | | Lyncar 009 / Ford BDA | | Did Not Start |
| Source(s): |||||||
