1977 Victorian Rally Championship

Table of Contents

Series Regulations
Events
Pointscores

The VRC was hotly contested over six events with four different winners. Gil Davis and David Long emerged victors by a narrow margin from rising stars Geoff Portman and Ross Runnalls, both crews with two wins apiece.

This was Gil’s second VRC title and all the more remarkable because he was out of the country for much of August and September driving the fourth “service” Peugeot for the three car Australian team in the Singapore Airlines London to Sydney Marathon. A bad accident in Turkey saw him spend some time in a Turkish jail, but he returned to Australia and recovered in time for the next VRC heat at the beginning of October.

To see what else happened during 1977 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1977 year page.

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

Series Regulations

There were no specific restrictions on the kinds of events that could be rounds of the VRC. There were no special stage events. All events were timed to the minute, resulting in some tied placings. Two events, the Experts and Derrick, involved map reading.

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

Events

The 1977 VRC comprised six rounds as follows. Click on each round to see the full story and results.

Pointscores

Best 5 results count, total shown in brackets where different.

Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Gil Davis	5	9		2	9	2	27
2	Geoff Portman			9	5	2	9	25
3	David Dyball	9	1	1	2	2	3	16 (18)
4	Chris Power		4		2	6		12
5	Bob Waterhouse				9			9
6=	John Dixon		6					6
6=	Peter Corkran			6				6
8=	Norm Crofts	5						5
8=	Chris Brown				5			5
10=	Wayne Muldoon	2		2				4
10=	Garry Harrowfield			4				4
10=	Warwick Smith						6	4
10=	Peter Janson						4	4
10=	David Jones					4		4
15=	Graham Toner	3						3
15=	Alan Heaphy		3					3
15=	Ian Smith			3				3
18=	Ian Swan		2					2
18=	Phil Bernadou					2		2
20=	Doug Chapple	1						1
20=	Ian Sichlau						1	1

Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	David Long	5	9		2	9	2	27
2	Ross Runnalls			9	5	2	9	25
3	Noel Kelly	9	1	1	2	2	3	16 (18)
4	Paul Paterson				9		4	13
5	Mick Brasier		4		2	6		12
6	Geoff Boyd			4			6	10
7=	Ian Richards		6					6
7=	Ian Ellis			6				6
9=	Bill Johnston	5						5
9=	Simon Brown				5			5
11=	Warwick Smith	2		2				4
11=	Ian Pearson					4		4
13=	Mike Mitchell	3						3
13=	Mike Prendergast		3					3
13=	Jim Maude			3				3
16=	Jeff Marsh		2					2
16=	Phil Rainer					2		2
18=	Bruce Ford	1						1
18=	David McKenzie						1	1