The Akademos was held on 26 May. Jeff Beaumont tells the story:
VRC Round 3 – 1973 MUCC Akademos
The Akademos has been traditionally run by the Melbourne University Car Club. The name “Akademos“ is an amalgam of: Academic (akadem) and Motorsport (mos).
This year the event was directed by Geoff Sproat and was run in the dry, dusty areas north of Bairnsdale.
This Akademos attracted a capacity field of 45 crews . The event would feature another extremely close finish, with the top 3 cars separated by just a single point! It certainly demonstrated the quality and depth of talent in the 1973 VRC.
The first Division started with three stages north of Stockdale then a series of stages around Bullumwaal before a break at Bruthen. The second half was all in the forests north of Bruthen.
Peter Janson retired his XU-1 with broken transmission and the same issue stopped Peter Davis’ Escort.
A very rugged and challenging 39 mile (62 km) loop over Morris Peak claimed a dozen crews, including Bob Bird who clipped a bank and retired.
George Fury was driving very well indeed in his 2 litre Cortina, and led by 3 points at the Division end at Bruthen. However, he and Monty were about to endure a hectic second and final division. They lost over a minute down a wrong road and then suffered a puncture. They then drove furiously to make up the leeway, scoring fastest times.
The final result at Bairnsdale showed Fury/Suffern had tied on points with Watson and Beaumont, with Gil Davis / Peter Haas just a single point behind.
Amazingly the Fury Cortina won the Akademos on a count back.
