The 15th BP Rally, organised by the Light Car Club of Australia, was held from May 9 to 14. The Directors were Mike Osborne, Frank Kilfoyle, Ian Home and Wal Harris, with the ever present assistance of John Pryce.
BP goes deep into NSW, but Vic Peugeot prevails
Ross Runnalls summarises the event (with some additional comments from Jeff Beaumont) …
After many years trying, and a disappointing last year, Bob Watson broke through for a win with twice previous winner Geoff Thomas as navigator, in a rear wheel drive Peugeot 504.
After a four year absence the BP returned to NSW, heading as far north as Forbes, under the guidance of new director, and previous winner, Mike Osborne. His assistants were Kilfoyle, Ian Home, Wal Harris and Pryce. Only three Broadbent’s maps, but 11 survey maps plus one NSW Forestry map were required.
Four crews started from Brisbane and from Hobart, in addition to the traditional Goulburn, Adelaide and Melbourne Assembly start points, and once off the ferry the Tasmanians went straight to Chadstone to join the Victorian starters.
The format was similar to last couple of years with one overnight stop and one day stop, but at 1848 miles would be the longest Trial Stage yet.
The Assembly Stage finished at Echuca early Thursday morning 11 May, and after a 12 hour break, the Trial Stage commenced at 3.30 am on eight divisions ending at the following towns: Shepparton (depart 9.45 am), Corryong (depart 4 pm), Wagga Wagga for overnight break (depart 8.30 am Friday), Griffith (depart 3 pm), Forbes (depart 11.20 pm), Albury for nine hour daytime break (depart 6 pm), Wangaratta (depart 1.15 am Sunday), Bendigo (depart 10 am), Camberwell, convoy to Chadstone at 2.30 pm.
Colin Bond with new navigator, Chris Jessup from Victoria, won the first two divisions to be down only two points at Corryong, followed by Davis/Haas 7 and Watson/Thomas and Barwick/Red 11. The slippery forests around Batlow took their toll particularly for Bond who got stuck and WD’ed Laurel Hill.
Colin Bond / Chris Jessup lost the lead when they were bogged on a hill. Tasmanians Lin Gigney / Ross Kelly led briefly, until they ran out of fuel.
At the Wagga sleep break Watson/Thomas had moved into the lead followed by teammates McPherson/Beaumont, positions they held to the finish. Gigney/Kelly and Wilson/Mitchell starred at times, but Bond/Jessup worked their way back up to third at the end.
At the finish control at Bendigo, after a difficult final run through the Huntly Forest, the winner was not initially clear. Double checking of scores sheets by the LCCA scoring team, led by President John Ould, confirmed that Bob Watson had achieved one of his most cherished ambitions and had won the BP Rally by a scant couple of minutes from team-mates McPherson and Beaumont.
The teams prize (no Manufacturers award any more) was taken out by the trio of Torana XU1s – Bond/Jessup, McLeod/Lock and Philip/Bonhomme.
43 crews started and 30 finished.
A short video by Darryl Reid can be viewed here (1972 is the first 1m10s).
