The Cooper Memorial was held on 2 November.
VRC Round 7 – 1968 WDCC Cooper Memorial Trial
Jeff Beaumont tells the story…
David Forster and Jeff Beaumont combined well to score an excellent victory in the final round of this year’s Victorian Rally Championship.
They were certainly getting used to driving their ex-factory HR Holden S2 and showed that they were a match for the big factory HK Holdens. Their nimbler HR was most suited to the dry and tight conditions that were encountered on this event.
The result didn’t make any difference to the state title, which was secured by Bob Watson / Jim McAulife at the previous event. In fact, this was the only round for which they were not on the podium, finishing in fourth place.
This year’s rally was a 350 mile overnight event, starting and finishing at Ballan. The Director was Bruce Wookey, assisted by Graham Harrison and Geoff King, on behalf of the WDCC.
From the start crews transported to Blackwood, where a central control was established at the Recreation Ground for the night. The first division then swung east towards Gisborne, through the Lerderderg Forest, then back to central control via the Campaspe River area.
The second Division headed up through Korweinguboora, then across towards Creswick and back via Spargo Creek.
The third and final loop travelled across towards Gisborne and up to Trentham and finally back to Blackwood, where Forster and Beaumont were declared winners on a countback from Roberts and Osborne in the four cylinder Torana. Bonhomme / Price rounded out the podium.