1969 Blue Ribbon

The Blue Ribbon was held on 26 July.

VTC  Round 3   –   1969  VSSC Blue Ribbon Rally

Jeff Beaumont tells the story…

The Blue Ribbon was a typical Bob Simpson affair, with tight times over good roads calling for quick accurate navigation. The result was a clean sweep for Renault, giving Bob Watson and Jim McAuliffe a further lead in this year’s Championship chase.

The 30 entrants started the rally at Gisborne, with the initial competitives through the Daylesford forests, with a series of loops.

Tony Roberts / Mike Osborne, in the Porsche 911, were setting the pace, keenly chased by the Renaults until the Porsche crew dropped small amount of time due to a loosely worded instruction.

At the Seymour break Watson and Janson were leading from Roberts  and  Colin Wilson / Tony Wunderlich in the 16 TS.

The second Division ran down the Great Dividing Range to Ghin Ghin, where Bill Evans scored a quick time ( downhill ) in his Datsun 1000. Crews then plunged into the Mt Disappointment Forests, where fog became a serious nuisance.

Loops around Harry’s Nose and Comet Creek saw a number of crews overshoot junctions due to the fog. The final run was up Hill Range Road to the finish at Broadford Reservoir where three Renaults ended up on the podium.

A full report appeared in Racing Car News.

Results and entry list

PLACEDRIVERNAVIGATORCARPOINTS
1Bob WatsonJim McAuliffeRenault 16TS17
2Peter JansonNeville PriceRenault R8 Gordini21
3Colin WilsonTony WunderlichRenault 16TS24
4Tony RobertsMike OsbornePorsche 91139
5Mal McPhersonRobin SharpleyRenault 16TS45
6Gordon FrohlingPeter BattrickZepher Mk II78

Detailed results