1971 Classic Rally

The Classic Rally was held on (date TBA).

ARC Round 1 – 1971 GMHMC Classic Rally

Jeff Beaumont tells the story…
 

Bob Watson started the new 1971 Australian Rally Championship as he finished last season, with an outright victory in the Renault R8 Gordini. For this new season he had a new navigator, Andy Chapman, due to the retirement of Jim McAuliffe.

At the start it looked like a battle between the three-car factory teams, being the Renaults and the Toranas. Also expected to do well was Evan Green in a Cooper S and a team of three Colts.

Peter Haas was the event director and he ran the cars through south central Gippsland, centered around Foster.

The rally was certainly full of drama. Colin Bond hit a bank heavily on Grand Ridge Road. Stewart McLeod left the road and bent the suspension in his XU-1.

At the half-way break Bob Watson was leading, from Bruce Hodgson’s Lotus Cortina with Mike Mitchell navigating

An amazing performance saw Matt Philip / Chris Jessup lift their Colt 1100 Fastback to third place, then they moved up a place when Hoddo broke a rear axle.

At the finish Bob Watson was comfortably out in front and scored maximum points from the diminutive Colt of the young local clubman crew, Matt Philip and Chris Jessup running in their first ever national rally.

Racing Car New report

A report appeared in April Unicar.

A story in Racing Car News on Allan Lawson’s Honda.

Bob Watson and Andy Chapman in the R8 Gordini

Results and entry list

PlaceDriverNavigatorCarPoints
1Bob WatsonAndy ChapmanRenault R8 Gordini49
2Matt PhilipChris JessupColt 1100 Fastback90
3Allan LawsonTom SnooksHonda 9 Coupe96
4Barry FergusonDave JohnsonTorana XU-1100
5=Len McKayBrian AlleryEscort105
5=Roger BonhommeGeoff ThomasRenault R8 Gordini105