1985 Victorian Rally Championship

It was a fiercely contested VRC in 1985 with six different event winners across the seven rounds. Admittedly two of those wins were from “part timers” Hugh Bell and Steve Ellis whose main focus was on the ARC. Another was from Geoff Portman and Peter “Twigger” Gale taking the Nissan Bluebird out for a run.

But in the end the championship was closely fought between Brian Smith and John Birrell in the Sigma and David Jones with Peter Curtain in the Commodore. While Jones took a victory in the Zodiac, Smith and Birrell took the championship by a mere 3 points despite having not scored a round win.

To see what else happened during 1985 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1985 year page.

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

Brian Smith in action with David McKenzie on the 1985 ARC Round in Tasmania

Series Regulations

These were specified in Standing Regulations, but we don’t have a copy!

The VRC was made up exclusively of Special Stage events.

Awards were made for outright champions, State Recognised (previously Grade 2, Grade 3 also assumed to be eligible) and Clubman (Grades 3 and 4 only).

In each division points were allocated 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 for first to  tenth with the best five results to count from the seven rounds.

Events

There were seven VRC events this year. The Golden Hills Rally was originally calendared as the first round and the Sandi Surf Jeans (ex Blue Ribbon) Rally as Round 3, but the latter was cancelled and the Golden Hills Rally took its date. The Akademos was calendared in May but was postponed to November and became a joint VRC/ARC round after the cancellation of the Alpine.

  1. Peter Stevens Nissan Begonia Rally (BLCC)
  2. Golden Hills Rally (SDCC)
  3. Rent-a-Wreck Stages (FFCC)
  4. Canon Zodiac Rally (CRBCC)
  5. George Derrick Memorial Rally (CCRMIT)
  6. Melton Toyota Djerriwarrh Rally (MMSC)
  7. Akademos Rally (MUCC)

Outright Pointscores

Outright Drivers Pointscores

PlaceDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Brian Smith151515151272
2David Jones121520121069
3Terry Harris1220121559
4=Hugh Bell202040
4=Phil Horan10201040
6=Peter “Pud” Thompson10202335
6=Keith Morling812104135
8Andrew Martin388827
9Grant Walker1410621
10=Alan Friend428620
10=Glen Cugley641020
10=Geoff Portman2020
13Rowan Quill124218
14Chris Neilson21517
15Jim Kennedy63615
16David Chestnut83213
17=Les Adams88
17=Greg Hoinville628
19Andrew McCathie66
20=Steve McLaughlan145
20=Jeff Moorhead415
22=Julian O’Brien33
22=Brendan McCashney33
22=Warwick Freemantle33
25Graham Alexander22
26=Col Adams11
26=Bob Watson11
26=Laurie Weston11

Outright Navigators Pointscores

PlaceNavigatorR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1John Birrell151515151272
2Peter Curtain121520121069
3Bryan Oliver1220121559
4=Steve Ellis202040
4=Suzi Wiseman10201040
6Helen Wylie8121030
7Philip Martin88824
8Denis O’Brien1410621
9=Kayleen Slater641020
9=Jim Maude2020
9=Peter Gale2020
12=Paul Paterson124218
12=Gray Parsonson215118
14Ray Hartnell83213
15=Horton Poulter42612
15=Jim Davis6612
17=Phil Wylie6410
17=Chris Robson1010
19=Tony Sartori88
19=Daryl Williams88
21=Noel Richards1236
21=Robin Smalley66
23Rick Thorpe145
24Tom Mullins44
25=Brian Ortlepp33
25=David James33
25=Alan Patterson33
25=Grant Waddington33
25=Adrian Spring33
30=Garth Bradbury22
30=David Stewart22
32=Ken Moore11
32=Mike Star11
32=Simon Scott11

State Recognised Pointscores

State Recognised Drivers Pointscores

PlaceDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Terry Harris2020202080
2Keith Morling2020158871
3Andrew Martin10312121552
4Grant Walker412151041
5=Rowan Quill2012840
5=Alan Friend108121040
5=Glen Gugley21581540
8David Chestnut15101430
9Jim Kennedy15621
10Steve McLaughlan41216
11Greg Hoinville10414
12Andrew McCathie12113
13Graham Alexander21012
14Jeff Moorhead8311
15=Julian O’Brien88
15=Warwick Freemantle268
17=Chris Neilson66
17=Col Adams66
17=Max Carmody26
17=Brenden McCashney66
17=Les Dowell66
22=David Grieg55
22=Mike Dunn55
24=Jeff Lagerway44
24=Jerry Justus44
26=Alan Begg33
26=Scott Chirnside33
26=Max Hart33
26=Humphrey Enter33
26=Laurie Weston33
26=Graeme Palmer33
32=Ron Brown112
32=Adrian Kruger22
32=Joe Brkic22
35=Paul Frisk11
35=Karl Robertson11
35=Murray Brown11

State Recognised Navigators Pointscores

PlaveNavigatorR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Bryan Oliver2020202080
2Helen Wylie20201555
3Philip Martin312121542
4Denis O’Brien412151041
5=Paul Paterson2012840
5=Kayleen Slater21581540
7Ray Hartnell1510429
8Horton Poulter1081028
9Phil Wylie12820
10Rick Thorpe41216
11Jim Davis1515
12Gray Parsonson6814
13=David Stewart21012
13=Daryl Williams1212
15=David James1010
15=Robin Smalley1010
17=Brian Ortlepp88
17=Tom Mullins88
17=Adrian Spring268
20=Ken Moore66
20=Alan Patterson66
20=Grant Waddington66
20=Robert Holcombe66
24=Garth Bradbury145
24=David Vears55
24=Simon Third55
27=Paul Tirant44
27=Peter Lochner44
29=Haydn West33
29=P. Ford33
29=Phil Curtis33
29=Mike Star33
29=Simon Scott33
29=Rod Beet33
35=Barry Collins112
35=B. Ralph22
35=John Wardell22
35=Bob Garden22
35=Robert Brown22
40=Doug Rutherford11
40=Ian McKenzie11
40=Ian Swenser11
40=Rob David11

Clubman Pointscores

Clubman Drivers Pointscores

PlaceDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Andrew Martin151515202085
2Grant Walker1020201565
3Rowan Quill20201252
4Warwick Freemantle1281232
5Graham Alexander481527
6=Andrew McCathie151622
6=Ron Brown661022
6=Jeff Moorhead121022
9Steve McLaughlan2020
10Jeff Lagerway1515
11=Neil Wrigley436114
11=Brendan McCashney10414
13=Julian O’Brian1212
13=Alan Begg1212
13=Gerry Justus21012
13=Les Dowell1212
17=Max Carmody1010
17=David Greig1010
17=Bruce Dillon8210
20=Scott Chirnside88
20=Paul Frisk88
20=Adrian Kruger88
20=Graham Palmer88
24=Murray McKenzie336
24=M. Briggs66
24=Eric Pieleta66
24=Joe Brkic66
28Rohan Teagle2
29=David Bamford44
29=Kim Drummond44
29=Noel Cutler44
29=Murray Brown44
33=Owen Polanski213
33=L. Wheeler33
33=Greg Beanland33
33=Bill Johnston33
37Garry O’Sullivan
38=A. Huggins22
38=Bruce Campbell22
40=Neil Gehan11
40=M. Alderman11
40=Chris Dempsey11
40=Daryl Hendrick11

Clubman Navigators Pointscores

PlaceNavigatorR1R2R3R4R5R6R7Total
1Philip Martin1515202070
2Denis O’Brien1020201565
3Paul Paterson20201252
4Adrian Spring1281232
5David Stewart81523
6Rick Thorpe2020
7Phil Wylie15116
8=Paul Tirant1515
8=David James1515
10Grant Waddington10414
11=Wayne Couacaud43613
11=Brian Ortlepp1212
11=Barry Collins6612
11=P. Ford1212
11=W. Slater6612
11=Tom Mullins1212
11=Robert Holcombe1212
18=B. Ralph1010
18=David Vears1010
18=Jodie Bruce1010
18=John Dowling8210
18=Simon Scott1010
18=Peter Lochner1010
24=Haydn West88
24=Garth Bradbury88
24=Bob Garden88
24=Rod Beet88
28=Karyn McKenzie336
28=John Algtalo66
28=Ian Swenser66
31=Jeff Osborn224
31=Robert Brown44
31=Vicki Bamford44
31=J. Hunt44
31=Brenda Skurrie44
31=Robert David44
37=T. Gerring33
37=Domenic Romano33
37=Cameron Jay33
40=Andrew Robbins
40=Tony Kent
42=Sue Stephen22
42=Scott Riddell22
42=Malcolm Owen22
42=Tim Collins22
46=John Bell11
46=P. Carroll11
46=Andrew Lawrence11
46=David Greer11
46=Alan Campbell11