The 1969 Midyear Rally, organised by the Monash Sporting Car Club, was held on July 12.
Wet Midyear attracts record field
Many people remember the 1969 Midyear Rally for two reasons. First, it attracted one of, if not the largest field of entries in any Victorian rally. A total of 176 entries were received with 159 starters of which 96 finished. Second, the event, which was directed by Bill Philip, was a very wet and muddy adventure through the Murrindindi forests with many crews bogged or unable to climb some of the hills.
It was an open restricted event, with classified crews ineligible to enter. Nevertheless, the entry list (below) contains many familiar names!
The event started at Chadstone Shopping Centre where Peter Janson flagged off the first lot of cars. With such a large field it would be almost six hours before the last car departed, by which time the first cars were nearing the finish! The event finished at Kalatha Camp with many of the later cars not arriving until well after dawn.
The event was won by Bob Bird and Peter Mason in a VW Beetle.
Reportedly Graeme Emmett, who started third last in a Peugeot 403, fitted chains and passed close to a hundred cars!
