1989 Victorian Rally Championship

Table of Contents

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

It was always going to be an interesting year with the dual PRC/Clubman points system. And so it turned out to be! Six rounds and six different winners. But not only six different drives but five different models of cars – two rounds won by Clubman Escorts and the remainder by four different PRC cars – Commodore, Laser TX3, Galant VR4 and Mazda 323 Familia.

In the end it was consistency that earned Greg Hoinville and Michael Cains the championship, taking points in all rounds (but having to drop one), even though they only had one win, shared with Grant Walker on the Akademos. As he had done the previous year, Hoinville entered his PRC Escort into the Clubman category in some events to maximise their points yield. Pat Barber and Jim Maude were their closest rivals but despite a win, a second and a third, two DNFs were costly in terms of the championship, but they won the State Recognised award. Likewise Grant Walker had a win, a second and a fifth but two DNFs were costly.

Neil Cuthbert and Daryl Adams in a Datsun 1600 won the Clubman award by a single point from Peter Fyfe and Gerry Bashford in a Mazda 323 4WD,

Brenden Edgerton and Graeme Holding convincingly won the Novice award in their Mitsubishi Lancer.

To see what else happened during 1989 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1989 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 Regulation but we don’t have a copy.

The VRC was made up exclusively of Special Stage events.

Eligible vehicles were Production Rally Cars 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. There were also car class awards as follows: Class A up to 1300cc, Class B 1301-1600cc, Class C 1601-2000cc, Class D over 2000cc, Class E: 4WD.

This was the fourth year in the transition away from Group G and the first year when the VRC excluded Group G cars, with them now generally having to be de-modified to comply with the Clubman Rally Car category. Alternatively, crews could move to a Production Rally Car, which was likely to be a newer model car with few modifications, but opened the possibility, as had already occurred in the previous couple of years, of 4WD turbo cars. 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.

Points for outright champions were awarded to BOTH Production Rally Cars and Clubman Rally Cars., producing essentially two parallel championships. It appears that there were no longer any bonus points for outright placings.

In each division/class points were allocated 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 for first to tenth. With six events, competitors dropped their worst result.

Events

The VRC recovered from the previous difficult year and comprised six events. The third round, the BP Visco Alpine, was also an ARC round but the VRC event was slightly shorter than the ARC event.

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

Bayswater Wrecker Stages (FFCC)
Swinburne 200 Rally (SCC)
BP Visco 2000 Alpine Rally (LCCA, also ARC)
Akademos Rally (MUCC)
George Derrick Memorial Rally (incorporating the Blue Ribbon, CCRMIT, LCCA)
Wodonga 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	R5	R6	Total
1	Pat Barber	12	20	20			12	64
2	Greg Hoinville	6	15	10	20	1	8	60 (59)
3	John Reynolds			4		15	20	39
4	Peter Fyfe	20	3		15			38
5	Neil Cuthbert	15			10	12		37
6	Glen Cuthbert		7	6		10		23
7	Dean Nixon		7	15				22
8=	Ross Fraser	10	10					20
8=	Steve Ashton					20		20
10	Ged Beckton	8					10	18
11	Nigel Letty		4			8	4	16
12	Laurie Weston						15	15
13=	Chris Neilson		12					12
13=	Bruce Robertson			12				12
13=	Paul Leicester				12			12
16	Gary Kendrick		1			4	6	11
17=	Andrew Brent			8				8
17=	Brendan Edgerton				8			8
19=	Rob Plenter				6			6
19=	Graeme Gambold					6		6
21=	Terry Naish			3			2	5
21=	Rob Beekman				5			5
23	Brian Shand	4						4
24=	Geoff Maguire	3						3
24=	John Brann					3		3
24=	Ray Gould						3	3
27=	Peter Schey	2						2
27=	Greg Walker	1					1	2
27=	Rohan Teagle		2					2
27=	Paul Paterson			2				2
27=	Barry Collins					2		2
32	Norm Fritter			1				1

State Recognised Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Jim Maude	12	20	20			12	64
2	Michael Cains	6	15	10	20	1	8	60 (59)
3	David Boyce			4		15	20	39
4	Gerry Bashford	20	3		15			38
5	Daryl Adams	15			10	12		37
6	Peter Gale		7	6		10		23
7	Trevor Nixon		7	15				22
8=	Joel Wald	10	10					20
8=	Ro Nixon					20		20
10	Bob Davis		4			8	4	16
11	Ken Moore						15	15
12=	Gray Parsonson		12					12
12=	Ian Enders			12				12
12=	Stephen Dunbar				12			12
15	Ron Gottschalk		1			4	6	11
16	Ross Runnalls						10	10
17=	Brett Ralph	8						8
17=	Bryce Norton			8				8
17=	Graeme Holding				8			8
20=	Tony Dorman				6			6
20=	Chris Randell					6		6
22=	Lance Sellick	4						4
22=	Warwick Smith			2			2	4
22=	Paul Rofe				4			4
25=	Patrick Casey	3						3
25=	Neil Cook			3				3
25=	Alan Hall					3		3
25=	Graham Legg-Stoker						3	3
29=	Neil Schey	2						2
29=	Andrew Robbins		2					2
29=	Helen Wylie					2		2
32=	Terry Nixon	1						1
32=	Dale Payne			1				1
32=	David Vears						1	1

Clubman Pointscores

Clubman Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Neil Cuthbert	15		6	12	20		53
2	Peter Fyffe	20	12		20			52
3	Glen Cuthbert		17½	12		15		44½
4	Gary Kendrick		8	3		12	15	38
5	Dean Nixon		17½	20				37½
6	Ged Beckton	12					20	32
7	Brendan Edgerton		3	2	10	8	4	27
8	Ray Gould	3	6				12	21
9	Terry Naish			10			10	20
10	Paul Leicester		2		15			17
11	Andrew Brent			15				15
12	Greg Walker	6					8	14
13=	Brian Shand	10						10
13=	Rohan Teagle		10					10
13=	Barry Collins					10		10
16	Rob Plenter		1		8			9
17=	Peter Schey	8						8
17=	Bruce Dillon		4	4				8
17=	Paul Paterson			8				8
20=	Rob Beekman				6			6
20=	Owen Polanski					6		6
20=	Peter Frew						6	6
23=	Darren Bellingham	4						4
23=	Mick Whitmore					4		4
25=	Jeff Paton					3		3
25=	Terry Godde						3	3
27=	Andrew Bayliss	2						2
27=	Benny Marson					2		2
27=	Andrew Vibert						2	2
30=	Ron KIng	1						1
30=	Robert Gregory			1				1
30=	Peter Hausler					1		1
30=	Rodney Bloomfield						1	1

Clubman Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Daryl Adams	15		6	12	20		53
2	Gerry Bashford	20	12		20			52
3	Peter Gale		17½	12		15		44½
4	Ron Gottschalk		8	3		12	15	38
5	Trevor Nixon		17½	20				37½
6	Graeme Holding		3	2	10	8		23
7	Graham Legg-Stoker	3	6				12	21
8=	Neil Cook			10			10	20
8=	Ross Runnalls						20	20
10	Stephen Dunbar		2		15			17
11	Bryce Norton			15				15
12	Brett Ralph	12						12
13=	Lance Sellick	10						10
13=	Andrew Robbins		10					10
13=	Helen Wylie					10		10
16=	Neil Schey	8						8
16=	Warwick Smith			8				8
16=	Tony Dorman				8			8
16=	David Vears						8	8
20=	Terry Nixon	6						6
20=	Paul Rofe				6			6
20=	Jeff Osborn					6		6
20=	Steve Whitton						6	6
24=	Nathan Garratt	4						4
24=	Joe Brick		4					4
24=	John Dowling			4				4
24=	Graham Mashiter					4		4
24=	Ray Daniel						4	4
29=	Matt Ryan					3		3
29=	Lyn Fredericks						3	3
31=	Robert Hughes	2						2
31=	Greg Maunder					2		2
31=	Ross Polkinghorne						2	2
34=	Trevor Landsdowne	1						1
34=	Graham Alston		1					1
34=	Adrian Seitsma			1				1
34=	Bo Hausler					1		1
34=	Jason Wall						1	1

Novice Pointscores

Novice Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Brendan Edgerton	10	20	20	15	20	12	87 (97)
2	Paul Leicester	8	15	15	20			58
3=	Greg Walker	15					20	35
3=	Rob Plenter	1	12		12	8	2	35
5=	Brian Shand	20						20
5=	Rob Beekman		10		10			20
7=	Owen Polanksi					15		15
7=	Peter Frew						15	15
9=	Jeff Paton					12	3	13
10=	Darren Bellinghame	12						12
10=	John Tilbrook			12				12
12=	Paul Hausler					10		10
12=	Rodney Bloomfield						10	10
14	Phil Lyons						8	8
15=	Gary McRae	6						6
15=	Barrie Crocker					6		6
15=	David West						6	6
18=	Alan Hopla	4						4
18=	Rowan Fitzgerald					4		4
18=	Peter Mill						4	4
21=	Ian Renouf	3						3
21=	Graham Symons					3		3
23=	Mark Gietman	2						2
23=	Randal Cruikshank					2		2
25=	Jason King					1		1
25=	John Buxton						1	1

Novice Navigators Pointscores

Place	Navigator	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Graeme Holding	10	20	20	15	20		85
2	Stephen Dunbar	8	15	15	20			58
3=	Lance Sellick	20						20
3=	Paul Rofe		10		10			20
5	David Vears						20	20
6=	Terry Nixon	15						15
6=	Jeff Osborn					15		15
6=	Martin Ryan					12	3	15
6=	Steve Whitton						15	15
10=	Nathan Garratt	12						12
10=	Graham Alston		12					12
10=	Alan Baker			12				12
10=	Tony Dorman				12			12
10=	Ray Daneil						12	12
15=	Bo Hausler					10		10
15=	Michael Seidler					8	2	10
15=	Jason Wall						10	10
18	Bob Martin						8	8
19=	Rob Coylo	6						6
19=	Phil Prentice					6		6
19=	Bob West						6	6
22	Tony Gerring	4						5
23=	Tony Cooper	3						4
23=	Darryl Bennie					4		4
23=	Brian Hunt						4	4
26=	Steve Porter	2						3
26=	John Panozzo					3		3
28	Russell Hardie					2		2
29=	Anne Casey	1						1
29=	Bruce Douglas					1		1
29=	Quentin Ferry						1	1

Class Awards

Class A Up to 1300cc Equal:
Ian Renouf / Tony Cooper, Escort Mk I
Benny Marson /Greg Maunder, Datsun 1200
Terry Goode / Lyn Fredericks, Datsun 1200

Class B 1301-1600cc : Brenden Edgerton / Graeme Holding, Mitsubishi Lancer

Class C 1601-2000cc: Greg Hoinville / Michael Cains, Escort Mk II

Class D over 2000cc: Neil Cuthbert/ Daryl Adams, Datsun 1600

Class E 4WD: Pat Barber / Jim Maude, Ford Laser TX3 4WD