1988 Victorian Rally Championship

Table of Contents

Series Regulations
Events
Outright Pointscores
State Recognised Pointscores
Clubman Pointscores
Novice Pointscores

It was an interesting year for the VRC in a number of respects. First, only four rounds were calendared and then weather caused postponements and a cancellation with an additional event, the North Eastern, being co-opted into the series. Second, the dual category scoring introduced the previous year was expanded to a triple category system with points for Group G, PRC and Clubman cars. So there was the possibility of a champion emerging without having placed well in any events, with only the bonus points for outright lessening the chances.

In the end, David Greig and Paul Tirant in their Group G Datsun 1600 were dominant, with two wins and two seconds. Greg Hoinville and Michael Cains finished second overall despite having never placed higher than fifth, but they convincingly won the Clubman award. Greg was one of the few entrants to swap between the PRC and Clubman categories to maximise their points yield, a strategy that they continued into 1989.

Eric Pietila and Mike Rebbechi in the Mazda 323 4WD had a breakthrough win in the final round, the first for a 4WD PRC car. They just won the State Recognised Award.

Some excellent performances by Simon Duerden and Michael Carrol including three top-ten finishes, gave them the Novice award.

To see what else happened during 1988 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1988 year page.

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

Series Regulations

These were specified in the VRC Standing Regulations, but we don’t have a copy.

The VRC was made up exclusively of Special Stage events.

Eligible vehicles were Production Rally Cars, Group G and Clubman Rally Cars,

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

In this third year of the transition away from Group G, outright points were allocated separately to Group G, Production Rally Cars and the new category of Clubman Rally Cars, so effectively creating three separate series. The introduction of the Clubman Rally Car and its privileged points-scoring status was a genuine attempt to encourage those with Group G cars to de-modify them in preparation for the following year when they would be ineligible. An excellent explanation of the transition away from Group G and the role of the Clubman Rally Car category can be found in an article by Bruce Keys, then Executive Officer of the National Rally Committee, in the January 1990 Unicar Magazine.

There was the possibility of a consistently performing Clubman Rally Car winning the championship without ever placing highly in the results. The circuit breaker was 4-3-2-1 bonus points for outright places.

In each division points were allocated 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 for first to tenth. If five or more events were held, competitors dropped their worst (or no) score. But this year with only four rounds, all points counted.

Events

It was a difficult year for VRC events, with several events postponed due to weather and some challenges with Access Control requirements. The latter perhaps contributed to the fact that only four rounds were calendared.

The Blue Ribbon was calendared as Round 1 but was postponed to October. The Akademos was calendared in May as Round 3 but was called off at the last moment due to wet weather also postponed to October. The George Derrick was calendared as the fourth and final round in September but was cancelled and effectively combined with the Blue Ribbon. With only three rounds viable, the Bright North Eastern was added as the final round, taking over the date of the cancelled Alpine Rally.

Click on each event to see further details, including results.

Bayswater Wrecker Stages (FFCC)
Maryborough Blue Ribbon Rally (incorporating the Derrick, LCCA, CCRMIT)
Akademos (MUCC)
Bright North Eastern Rally (NECC)

Outright Pointscores

These points tables have been reconstructed from the available results.

Outright Drivers Pointscores

Outright Navigators Pointscores

State Recognised Pointscores

State Recognised Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Eric Pietila		20		20	40
2	Ross Fraser	6	15	15		36
3	Michael Morris	12		20		32
4	Greg Hoinville	4	12	12	1	29
5	Mark Smedley		10		12	22
6=	Mike Reeves	20				20
6=	Simon Duerden		6	8	6	20
8=	Tony Cooper	15				15
8=	Pat Barber				15	15
10	Neil Cuthbert		3	10		13
11	Geoff Maguire		4		8	12
12=	Chris Neilsen	10				10
12=	Kevin Robe				10	10
14=	Andrew Brent	8				8
14=	Dean Nixon		8			8
16	Peter Schey			6		6
17=	Peter Fyfe		2		2	4
17=	Greg Walker			4		4
17=	Terry Naish				4	4
20=	Glen Cuthbert	3				3
20=	Kevin Parry			3		3
20=	Darren Good				3	3
23=	Nigel Letty	2				2
23=	John Wilson			2		2
25=	Gary Kendrick	1				1
25=	Grant Hore		1			1
25=	Darren Bellingham			1		1

State Recognised Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Mike Rebbechi		20		20	40
2	Ashley Fraser	6	15	15		36
3	Michael Cairns	4	12	12	1	29
4	Joel Wald		10		12	22
5=	David Proctor	20				20
5=	Michael Carroll		6	8	6	20
5=	Jennifer Hall			20		20
8=	Jill Sutton	15				15
8=	Jim Maude				15	15
10=	Glen Michell	12				12
10=	Patric Casey		4		8	12
12=	David Ridley	10				10
12=	Daryl Adams			10		10
12=	Greg Day				10	10
15=	Bryce Norton	8				8
15=	Trevor Nixon		8			8
17	Neil Schey			6		6
18=	Terry Nixxon			4		4
18=	Neil Cook				4	4
20=	Jeff Langerway	3				3
20=	Colin Elliot		3			3
20=	Peter Manners			3		3
23=	Steve Young	2				2
23=	Denis Baker		2			2
23=	Kevin WIlson			2		2
23=	Grant Cary				3	2
27=	Barbara Kendrick	1				1
27=	Paul Loughnan		1			1
27=	Nathan Garratt			1		1
27=	Gerry Bashford				2	1

Clubman Pointscores

Clubman Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Greg Hoinville	12	20	20	4	56
2	Simon Duerden	3	12	12	12	39
3	Neil Cuthbert		10	15		25
4=	Tony Cooper	20				20
4=	Pat Barber				20	20
6	Peter Fyfe	2	8		6	16
7=	Andrew Brent	15				15
7=	Dean Nixon		15			15
7=	Kevin Roben				15	15
10=	Glen Cuthbert	10				10
10=	Nigel Letty	8	2			10
10=	Peter Schey			10		10
10=	Terry Naish				10	10
14=	Greg Walker			8		8
14=	Darren Good				8	8
16=	Gary Kendrick	6				6
16=	Grant Hore		6			6
16=	Kevin Parry			6		6
19=	Mick Whitmore	4				4
19=	Greg (?) Beanland		4			4
19=	John Wilson			4		4
22=	Barry Collins		3			3
22=	Darren Bellingham			3		3
22=	Phil Downs				3	3
25=	Anthony Bunn			2		2
25=	Terry Goode				2	2
27=	Peter Buchanan	1				1
27=	Alan Wilson		1			1
27=	Robert Schultz			1		1
27=	Phil Lyons				1	1

Clubman Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Michael Cains	12	20	20	4	56
2	Michael Carroll	3	12	12	12	39
3=	Jill Sutton	20				20
3=	Jim Maude				20	20
5=	Bryce Norton	15				15
5=	Trevor Nixon		15			15
5=	Daryl Adams			15		15
5=	Greg Day				15	15
9=	Jeff Langerway	10				10
9=	Colin Elliot		10			10
9=	Neil Schey			10		10
9=	Neil Cook				10	10
13=	Steve Young	8				8
13=	Gerry Bashford	2			6	8
13=	Denis Baker		8			8
13=	Terry Nixon			8		8
13=	Grant Cary				8	8
18=	Barbara Kendrick	6				6
18=	Paul Loughnan		6			6
18=	Peter Manners			6		6
21=	Graham Mashiter	4				4
21=	Rick Hunter		4			4
21=	Kevin Wilson			4		4
24=	Bill Clark		3			3
24=	Nathan Garratt			3		3
24=	Annette Howarth				3	3
27=	Cameron Jay		2			2
27=	Anthony Dall’Oste			2		2
27=	Lyn Fredericks				2	2
30=	Peter Mills	1				1
30=	Alan Wilson		1			1
30=	Bruce Dillon			1		1
30=	Bob Martin				1	1

Novice Pointscores

Novice Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Simon Duerden	15	20	20	20	75
2	Peter Fyfe	12	15		15	42
3	Greg Walker	8	6	15	8	37
4	Mick Whitmore	20				20
5	Grant Hore	2	12			14
6=	John WIlson			12		12
6=	Terry Goode				12	12
8=	Peter Buchanan	10				10
8=	Greg Beanland		10			10
8=	Darren Bellingham			10		10
8=	Phil Lyons				10	10
12=	Alan Wilson		8			8
12=	Anthony Bunn			8		8
14	Brendan Edgerton	3	4			7
15=	Martin Grigg	6				6
15=	Robert Schultz			6		6
15=	Michael Parker				6	6
18=	Stephen Marron	4				4
18=	Bill Moulding			4		4
18=	Vance Wheeler				4	4
21=	John Brach		3			3
21=	Paul Leicester				3	3
23=	Bernard Phelan		2			2
23=	Peter Mill				2	2
25=	Paul Thomas	1				1
25=	Barry Crocker		1			1
25=	Ray Carr				1	1

Novice Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	Total
1	Michael Carroll	15	20	20	20	75
2	Terry Nixon	8	6	15	8	37
3	Gerry Bashford	12			15	27
4	Graham Mashiter	20				20
5	Denis Baker		15			15
6=	Paul Loughnan		12			12
6=	Kevin Wilson			12		12
6=	Lyn Fredericks				12	12
9=	Peter Mills	10				10
9=	Rick Hunter		10			10
9=	Nathan Garratt			10		10
9=	Bob Martin				10	10
13=	John Wilson		8			8
13=	Anthony Dall’Oste			8		8
15	Graeme Holding	3	4			7
16=	Alan Growse	6				6
16=	Bruce Dillon			6		6
16=	Gary Cook				6	6
19=	Gavin Blewett			4		4
19=	Shane Davis				4	4
21=	Angela Murray	4				3
21=	John Humm		3			3
21=	Steve Dunbar				3	3
24=	Debra McDougall	2				2
24=	Ryan Irwin		2			2
24=	Brian Hunt				2	2
27=	Vin Jennings	1				1
27=	Cody Crocker		1			1
27=	Matthew Carr				1	1