The Cooper Memorial was held on 15 November.
VTC Round 7 – 1969 WDCC Cooper Memorial Trial
Jeff Beaumont tells the story…
Holden Monaros continued their successful run in the final round of this year’s Victorian Trials Championship, whilst the Renault Team did not compete due to preparations for the forthcoming Alpine Rally. Tony Roberts’ Porsche 911 was disassembled back home in the garage in Melbourne, so he became a non-starter.
Graham Alexander / Peter Haas won the Rally very comfortably, with Roger Bonhomme / Jeff Beaumont in third place in the Holden Dealer Team Monaro. They were separated by Richard Creed / Bill Philip in their 1600 VW Beetle.
The event started from the WDCC clubrooms in West Geelong and headed up towards Bannockburn and Meridith for route charted sections along boggy tracks. The flooded Durdiwarrah Ford created a few problems for some crews.
A quick run across the Lal Lal Falls brought crews to the end of the first Divison at a magnificent central control for service and a meal break.
The second Division started badly for Bonhomme / Beaumont in the HDT Monaro, when it bogged on a wrong road! Graham Alexander was flying out in front, with Peter Haas doing a fine job with the navigation, in the Winter & Taylor Monaro. David Forster was having brake issues which kept his speed down considerably.
The next four controls were quick loops in the Enfield – Staffordshire Reef area. Kevin Mills was having a fine run in his Cooper S until he suffered major mechanical problems in the Garibaldi Pine Forest.
The event ended with several loops around Mt Doran, where steady rain turned the clay roads into slippery rinks.