1991 Victorian Rally Championship

It was an interesting and closely fought VRC in 1991. Alan “Haystack” Johnson with Jim Maude signalled his intentions with a win on the first round. Graham Alexander won the Alpine round with Gary Kendrick and Ro Gottschalk second, then Kendrick won the third round, the Akademos, with Johnson second. Peter Fyfe and Gerry Bashford didn’t have a single point on the board, but then won the fourth round (North Eastern), were second in the fifth round (Blue Ribbon) and won the final round (Autosport Stages).

It was a somewhat similar story in the race for the Novice Award with  Chris Lowe and Jim Pollock emerging winner in their Datsun 1600 with a fine win on the final round.

To see what else happened during 1991 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1991 year page.

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

Peter Fyfe and Gerry Bashford on the 1991 BP Alpine

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. We think this was the year that navigators were renamed co-drivers!

With the five year transition away from Group G cars, and the demise of the Clubman Rally Car category, eligible vehicles were Production Rally Cars and FIA Group N.

Awards were made for outright champions and Novice. There were also car class awards as follows: PRC 2WD up to 1300cc, PRC 2WD 1301-1600cc, PRC 2WD 1601-2000cc, PRC 2WD over 2000cc, PRC 4WD, Group N 2WD under 1600cc, Group N 2WD over 1600cc, Group N 4WD.

Outright and Novice points were allocated 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 for first to  tenth. Class points were allocated 9-6-4-3-2-1. With six events, competitors counted their best five results.

Events

The VRC  comprised five events. The second round, the BP Alpine, was also an ARC round but the VRC event was a subset of the ARC event (only one short stage omitted).

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

  1. Begonia Rally (BLCC)
  2. BP Alpine Rally (LCCA, also ARC)
  3. Akademos (MUCC)
  4. North Eastern (NECC)
  5. Blue Ribbon (LCCA)
  6. Autosport Stages (FFCC)

Outright Pointscores

Outright Drivers Pointscores

PlaceDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6Total
1Peter Fyfe20152055
2Gary Kendrick315201048
3Allan Johnson20151247
4Neil Cuthbert151530
5Ged Beckton151227
6=Ernie Graham26835224 (26)
6=Greg Hoinville1010424
8Bruce Robertson101222
9=Graham Alexander2020
9=David Officer2020
11Andrew Vibert6814
12=John Reynolds1212
12=Dean Nixon1212
12=Mark Miller4812
12=Graeme Wise1212
16=Craig Morris1010
16=Pat Barber1010
18=Garry Harrowfield88
18=Richard McNay88
18=Ian Douglas88
21=Glen Mitchell2237
21=Rob Devenish437
23=Chris Neilsen66
23=Terry Naish66
23=David Greig66
26Chris Neilsen55
27=Rob Thomas44
27=Brenden Edgerton44
27=Mark Rodgers314
30Greg West33
31=Paul Mahoney22
31=Andrew Murdoch22
33=Peter Whitten111
33=David Smart11
33=Andrew McCathie11
33=Chris Lowe11

Outright Navigators Pointscores

PlaceCo-DriverR1R2R3R4R5R6Total
1Gerry Bashford20152055
2Ron Gottschalk315201048
3Jim Maude201232
4Daryl Adams151530
5Ross Runnalls151227
6Robin Smalley1010424
7=Michael Cains682622
7=Ian Enders101222
9=David Stewart2020
9=David McKenzie2020
11Geoff Byron1515
12David Vears6814
13=David Boyce1212
13=Marlene Nixon1212
13=Helen Wylie1212
16Dominic Wold6511
17=Michael Morris1010
17=Geoff Floyd1010
19=Ian Ellis88
19=Craig Irwin88
19=Robert West88
19=Greg Plant88
23=Ahmet Uzunoglu2237
223=Danny Murphy437
25Peter Gale66
26Deanne Westcombe55
27=Danny O’Reilly44
27=Stephen Walsh44
27=David Haddon314
27=Brian Kane44
31=John MacDonald33
31=Kevin Shaw33
31=Stevie Emerson22
34=Chris Walters22
34=Ian Clark22
34=Greg Day112
37=Mark Smith11
37=Ian Swenser11
37=Jim Pollock11

Novice Pointscores

Novice Drivers Pointscores

PlaceDriverR1R2R3R4R5R6Total
1Chris Lowe13½1012122067½
2Mark Miller20152055
3Mark Rodgers10151237
4Paul Mahoney6124104436 (40)
5Andrew Murdoch201232
6Greg West1510631
7Richard McNay420630
8David Smart1081028
9Steve Thatcher2020
10=Grant Hore1515
10=Troy McNeil1515
12Philip Messer13½13½
13Ian Lightfoot8311
14=Danny Murphy819
14=Ivan Regester189
16=John Perkins88
16=Crawford88
18=David Robertson66
18=Bernard Miron66
18=John Buxton66
21Thomson45
22=Trent Coghlan224
22=Peter Smyth34
22=Martin Regan134
25=Andrew Caddy33
25=Brett Preston33
27=Mark Sullivan22
27=Ross McPherson22
29Andrew Bunn11

Novice Navigators Pointscores

PlaceCo-DriverR1R2R3R4R5R6Total
1Jim Pollock13½1012122067½
2David Haddon10151237
3Chris Walters6124104436 (40)
4Greg Plant152035
5John MacDonald1510631
6Craig Irwin420630
7=David Vears2020
7=Brian Kane2020
7=Michael Cains2020
10=David Leoncini1515
10=Gary McNeill1515
12Russell McKenzie13½13½
13Martin Ryan1212
14Graeme Palmer8311
15=Mark Smith1010
15=Dean Edwards1010
17=Bill Clark819
17=Brent McNeill189
19=Peter Mignot88
19=Davis88
19=Neil Bates88
22=Sandy Targett66
22=John Rabl66
22=Quentin Ferry66
25=Paul Humm224
25=Durston44
27=Malcolm Penn33
27=Steve Amor33
27=Richards Smyth33
27=Terrance Mulholland33
31=Geoffrey Sullivan22
31=Wall22
33=Anthony Dall’Oste11
33=Peter Auld11

Class Awards

PRC 2WD under 1300cc: Paul Mahoney / Chris Walters, Datsun 1200

PRC 2WD 1300-1600cc: Chris Lowe / James Pollock, Datsun 1600

PRC 2WD 1600-2000cc: Ernie Graham, Ford Escort RS2000
Co-Driver: Robin Smalley (with Greg Hoinville)

PRC 2WD over 2000cc: Gary Kendrick / Ron Gottschalk, Holden Commodore VH V8

PRC 4WD: Glenn Mitchell / Ahmet Uzunoglu, Subaru RX Turbo 4WD

Group N 2WD under 1600cc: Not awarded

Group N 2WD over 1600cc: Dean Nixon / Marlene Nixon, Nissan March Super Turbo

Group N 4WD: Peter Fyfe / Gerry Bashford, Nissan Pulsar GTI-R