1971 Victorian Trials Championship

The 1971 Victorian Trials Championship was fiercely contested with six different winners across the seven rounds. In the end, Mal McPherson in his Renault R8 Gordini narrowly won from Gil Davis, with one win each.

Davis campaigned a twin-cam Cortina in the first two events before moving into the Mollison Motors Monaro. Peter Janson had two wins in a similar Monaro but did not contest the early rounds.

McPherson’s navigator, Roger Bonhomme, who missed the first round, finished second in the navigators’ championship which was won by Peter Haas, navigating for Gil Davis. Haas won after taking a successful appeal to the Australian Motor Sports Appeal Court over a deleted passage control in the North Eastern Trial.

Roger Bonhomme provided a preview of the 1971 VTC in Racing Car News.

To see what else happened during 1971 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1971 year page.

To see other years of the Victorian Rally Championship, go to the VRC page.

Mal McPherson and Roger Bonhomme in their R8 Gordini

Series Regulations

There were no specific restrictions on the kinds of events that could be rounds of the VTC. All events were timed to the minute, but there were virtually no tied placings. Most events had a significant degree of navigation.

Only the outright award was given. Points were allocated 9-6-4-3-2-1 for first to sixth with the best five of seven results to count.

Events

VRC events this year were as follows. Click on each event for full details and results.

  1. HAC Invitation Rally
  2. Blue Ribbon Rally
  3. Experts Trial
  4. Midyear Rally
  5. George Derrick Memorial Trial
  6. North Eastern Rally
  7. Cooper Memorial Trial

Pointscores

Best five results count, total shown in brackets where different.

Drivers Pointscores

PlaceDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Mal McPherson 6694631 (33½)
2Gil Davis 94664329 (32)
3Tony Roberts422919½
4Peter Janson99119
5John Dixon 933217
6David Cuthbert 2911
7Peter Robertson46111

Navigators Pointscores

PlaceNavigatorR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Peter Haas 94664329 (32)
2Roger Bonhomme 694627½
3Mike Mitchell399122
4Jim McAuliffe422919½
5=Chris Jessup 93214
5=Jeff Beaumont46414
7Andy Chapman2911