1968 Alpine Rally

The Alpine Rallye was held on 23 November.

ARC  Round 5:   LCCA 1968 Alpine Rally

Jeff Beaumont tells the story…

A few crews were en-route to London for the start of the London to Sydney Rally and therefore missed out on competing in the 1968 Alpine Rallye.

This provided Frank Kilfoyle with the opportunity to take advantage but sadly for him, it did not eventuate. His Cortina suffered fuel problems in the mountains around Omeo. He and Peter Meyer finally finished in fourth place, which gave the championship to his team mates the absent Harry Firth and Graham Hoinville.

This Alpine Rallye only attracted 22 entries and started outside the Light Car Club Australia headquarters in Queens Road, Albert Park. The field then headed to Bairnsdale, followed by loops to Omeo and back.

The event finish was at Philip Island, where the rally cars completed televised laps around the race track, as part of a national race meeting.

Roger Bonhomme and Neville Price, in Dent’s Cooper S, were battling for the lead with Tony Roberts but they left the road and rolled the Mini Cooper heavily into a tree. Roger was transported to Hospital in Traralgon but released shortly later, after observation for concussion. Sadly the car was written off.

Tony Roberts / Mike Osborne finally won the grueling 2 day rally in their modified Viva / Torana. The car had been undergoing a development program throughout the year and was usually driven by Reg Lunn.

In second place were young guns David Forster and Jeff Beaumont in the HR Holden, in their first ever Australian Championship Rally. This promising young privateer crew had just won their first ever VRC event, the Cooper Memorial, a few weeks earlier in their ex-factory HR Holden, where they finished ahead of Roberts and Watson.

Victorian crews filled the first six positions.

Full report from Racing Car News.

1968 Alpine Cover

Results and entry list

Entry List

PLACEDRIVERNAVIGATORCARPOINTS
1Tony RobertsMike OsborneViva / Torana
2David ForsterJeff BeaumontHR Holden16¾
3Mal McPhersonRobin SharpleyR8 Gordini21¼
4Frank KilfoylePeter MeyerCortina GT22¼
5Reg LunnPeter HaasHK Holden32½
6Bob McInnesTom SwansonCooper S41¼
7Gil DavisDavid LongAnglia 150041½

Detailed results

Route