Falcon: AU
Round Results:
Round 1 Eastern Creek - 4th
Round 2 Adelaide Parklands Circut - 5th
Round 3 Waneroo (Barbagallo) - 2nd
Round 4 Phillip Island - 3rd
Round 5 Hidden Valley - 7th
Round 6 Sandown - 6th
Round 7 Queensland Raceway - 16th
Round 8 Calder Park - 4th
Round 9 Symmons Plains - 5th
Round 10 Winton Motor Raceway (Long) - DNF
Round 11 Oran Park - 10th
ENDURANCE ROUNDS - Co Driver: Neil Crompton
Endurance rounds from here in are incorporated into the championship.
Round 12 Queensland 500 - 4th
Round 13 FAI Bathurst 1000 - 5th
SPECIAL EVENTS
Albert Park Hot Wheels V8 Supercar Showdown - DNF
Surfers Paradise V8 Supercar Challenge - 9th
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To the untrained, uninformed eye Glenn Seton Racing ceased to exist in 1999. Replaced by Ford Australia's re-energised approach to V8 racing; Ford Tickford Racing. It was proclaimed as a official factory team, similar to the Holden Racing Team (who were owned by the Scotsman Tom Walkinshaw, who ran British company Tom Walkinshaw Racing).
Ford Credit remained on the FTR Falcon's, Tickford at the time were a British company whose job it was to provide add-on's for the Falcon range of cars' from LPG to 17 inch alloy wheels. Tickford also had a major designing stake in the XR range of Falcons.
1999 was the first year Ford teams had to come to grips with the failings of the AU Falcon. Minimal front downforce was attributed to the lack of performance from the Falcon, coupled with a sophisticated front MacPhearson suspension set-up the Ford became a handful. This was attributed to TEGA disallowing the initial front spoiler Ford Australia came out with after careful wind tunnel testing, giving Ford months to design a replacement that resembled the EL Falcon.
The curse of the AU was finally lifted in 2003, many years after the problems first emerged.
Team mate Neil Crompton bagged two consecutive 3rd placings at Symmons Plains only to come undone in the third race. This was the last year the V8 Supercars came to Symmons Plains, a decision following state funding of an upgrade at the Tasmanian circut allowed the V8s to return in 2004.
The Bathurst 1000 witnessed the very last race by Ford legend Dick Johnson, who decided to retire in that year. He came 4th at the event alongside son Steven Johnson who outbattled the #5 FTR Falcon of Glenn Seton and Neil Crompton.
The 1999 FTR branding excercise was to be proved as a limp wristed effort by Ford Australia to re-enter V8 Racing aggresivley.
