1996 Australian Rally Championship

Table of Contents

Series Regulations
Events
Pointscores
Class Winners

The year was dominated by Possum Bourne and Craig Vincent in their Subaru Impreza WRX, winning four of the six coefficient 10 rounds and both Rally Australia and Rally of Canberra, making it basically a perfect score. It was the start of a seven year domination of the ARC by the New Zealander. Their nearest rivals were Ed Ordynski and Mark Stacey, but they had to drop four results. They won the Western Australia round, placed second at Rally Australia and won two coefficient 5 rounds in Tasmania and NSW. Reigning champions Neal Bates and Coral Taylor were equal second in the points in their Celica GT-four but a number of non-finishes left made for a difficult year, despite a win at Rally of Queensland.

Group N was won by Michael Guest and Steve O’Brien-Pounde in their Lancer Evo3.

Manufacturer award: Daihatsu

To see other years of the ARC, go to the series page.

Series Regulations

Eligibility was Australian PRC and Group N, plus Group A (but seemingly only 2WD up to 2000cc). Rally Australia was limited to Group A and Group N.

Points were awarded down to outright tenth, 20-15-12-10-8-6-4-3-2-1 multiplied by the event coefficient. The best six results counted.

Classes were similar to the previous year with two 2WD and one 4WD class within PRC, three capacity classes for Group A, four 2WD capacity classes and one 4WD class within Group N. Points in classes used the 9-6-4-3-2-1 system multiplied by the event coefficient.

The Manufacturers award was based solely on Group N, with also an award for the Group N Driver and Co-Driver.

Events

This was the final year of the coefficient system and once again had fourteen rounds, with the six main states fielding a “coefficient 10” round. Rally Australia was reduced to a coefficient 15 and Rally of Canberra (coefficient 15) continued. NSW had two coefficient 5 rounds while the other states, except SA, had one coefficient 5 round each.

Click on events to see more detail including results:

Rally of Tasmania (C5) Results in February Unicar
Rally of Melbourne (C10, also VRC)
Yokohama Stages (WA, C5) Results in March Unicar
Wagga Wagga Rally (C5) Results in March Unicar
Rally in the Valley (C5, also VRC)
Mount Gambier Rally (C10) Results in April Unicar
2GO Forest Classic (C5) Results in May Unicar
Forest Rally (WA, C10) Results in May Unicar
Rally Queensland (C10) Results in July Unicar
Super Stages (Qld, C5) Results in August Unicar
Southern Safari (C10) Results in August Unicar
Rally Australia (C15) Results in September Unicar
Coffs Harbour Rally (C10) Results in October Unicar
Rally of Canberra (C15) Results in November Unicar

Pointscores

Outright Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	State	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	Total
1	Possum Bourne	NZ		200				200			120		200	300	200	300	1400 (1520)
2=	Ed Ordynski	SA	100	120		100		120		200	150		150	225	120	180	1025 (1465)
2=	Neal Bates	ACT		150				150		150	200				150	225	1025
4	Michael Guest	NSW						100	100	120	100		100	150		150	720 (820)
5	David West	NSW				60		80			80		80				300
6	Stewart Reid	Qld								100				90	100		290
7=	Graeme Wise	Vic		80			100	60									240
7=	Rod Salmon	NSW		60							40		60		80		240
9	Peter Taylor	ACT				10			60						30	90	190
10=	Graham Vaughan	ACT									60		120				180
10=	Katsuhiko Taguchi	NSW												180			180
12	Marty Beckton	Vic		100		75											175
13	Alan McCarthy	WA			60					80							140
14	John Long	NSW				40			30						60		130
15=	Graham Alexander	Vic	45	40				40									125
15=	Michael Thompson	ACT		10				30			10			15		60	125
17=	Denis Dunlop	WA												120			120
17=	Mark Haybittle	NSW														120	120
19	David Carlton	NSW				20			75						15		110
20=	Andrew Murfet	Tas	75										30				105
20=	John Goasdoue	Qld									30	75					105
21=	Bruce Dummett	Qld										100					100
21=	Rick Bates	ACT				50			50								100
21=	Tolly Challis	WA			100												100
25	Ross MacKenzie	WA								20				30		45	95
26=	Justin Middleton	WA			50					40							90
26=	Miles Sandy	NSW				30			20				40				90
26=	Steve Winwood	SA						20		30	20		20				90
29=	Paul Kennedy	NSW							40						40		80
29=	Rob Devenish	Vic		30			50										80
31=	Gerry McGroarty	WA			75												75
31=	Mike Reeves	Vic					75										75
33=	Alan Jones	Qld										60					60
33=	Andrew Manson	Vic	60														60
33=	Bob Nicoli	WA								60							60
33=	Peter Whitten	Vic					60										60
33=	Ron Cremen	NSW												60			60
38	Steven Scott	Qld										50					50
39=	Andrew Lawson	Tas	45														45
39=	Jacqui Dines	WA												45			45
41=	Joel Dullard	WA			40												40
41=	John Spencer	Qld										40					40
41=	Rowan Quill	Vic					40										40
44	Derek Reynolds	Vic		20			15										35
45=	Darren Williams	NSW							15						15		30
45=	John Farrell	WA			30												30
45=	Lynn Rattray	Tas	30														30
45=	Murray Rogers	Vic					30										30
45=	Paul Vince	ACT														30	30
45=	Wayne Johnston	NSW										30					30
51=	Jamie Vandenberg	Tas	20														20
51=	Jeremy Hemborough	WA			20												20
51=	Lee Peterson	Tas	10										10				20
51=	Rai Curry	Vic					20										20
51=	Shaun Gill	Qld										20					20
56=	Doug Tostevin	WA			15												15
56=	Garry Geissler	NSW				15											15
56=	Geoff Full	NSW	15														15
56=	Jon Waterhouse	ACT														15	15
56=	Wayne Black	Qld										15					15
61=	Brian Semmens	Vic					10										10
61=	Chris Waters	Qld										10					10
61=	Doug Briscoe	NSW						10									10
61=	Matthew Knox	WA								10							10
61=	Robert Percival	WA			10												10
61=	Shaun Atkinson	NSW							10								10
67=	Craig Hanrahan	WA			5												5
67=	Delian Mills	Vic					5										5
67=	Jason Dann	Tas	5														5
67=	John Mitchell	NSW							5								5
67=	Norm Fritter	NSW				5											5
67=	Tony Kabel	Qld										5					5

Outright Co-drivers Pointscores

Place	Co-Driver	State	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	R7	R8	R9	R10	R11	R12	R13	R14	Total
1	Craig Vincent	NZ		200				200			120		200	300	200	300	1400 (1520)
2=	Mark Stacey	SA	100	120		100		120		200	150		150	225	120	180	1025 (1465)
2=	Coral Taylor	NSW		150				150		150	200				150	225	1025
4	Steven O’Brien-Pounde	NSW						100	100	120	100		100	150		150	720 (820)
5	Tony Best	Qld				60		80			80		80				300
6	Tom Smith	Qld									60	100	120				280
7=	Lyndal Drake	ACT									40		60	60	80		240
7=	Rob Beekman	Vic		80			100	60									240
9=	Andrew Bennett	NSW								100				90			190
9=	Colin Trinder	ACT				10			60						30	90	190
11	Fred Gocentas	ACT												180			180
12	Eido Osowa	Vic		100		75											175
13	Greg Flood	WA			60					80							140
14	Damien Long	NSW				40			30						60		130
15=	Jacquie Dunlop	WA												120			120
15=	Stella Plenderleith	Vic														120	120
17=	David Stewart	Vic	45	30				40									115
17=	Gordon Klebba	ACT						30			10			15		60	115
19	Tony Jackson	Tas	75			5							30				110
20	David Nash	Qld									30	75					105
21=	Craig Lee	Qld													100		100
21=	Jenny Brittan	NSW				50			50								100
21=	Steve Vanderbyl	WA			100												100
24=	Robert Leonard	NSW				20			75								95
24=	Tony Brandon	NSW								20				30		45	95
26=	Graeme Jesse	NSW		60												30	90
26=	Michelle Murphy	NSW				30			20				40				90
26=	Paul van der May	WA			50					40							90
29	Ken Behrend	NSW							40						40		80
30=	Robert McGowan	WA			75												75
30=	Robin Smalley	Vic					75										75
32	Stephen Kealy	Vic		20			50										70
33=	Claire Parker	WA								60							60
33=	Greg Day	Vic					60										60
33=	Jim McIntosh	Vic	60														60
33=	Lance Jones	Qld										60					60
37	Terry Scott	Qld										50					50
38=	Dean Johnson	Tas	45														45
38=	Paul Helm	WA												45			45
40=	Del Garbett	Qld										40					40
40=	Elio Della Madelena	WA			40												40
40=	Lofty Drews	Qld									20		20				40
40=	Michelle Canning	Vic					40										40
40=	Ross Runnalls	Vic		40													40
45=	Anne Gugney	Tas	30														30
45=	Maria Potts	Qld										30					30
45=	Paul Madlener	WA								30							30
45=	Rachel Bruty	Vic					30										30
45=	Roger Close	WA			30												30
50	Paul Tirant	Vic		10			15										25
51=	Ian Lawson	SA						20									20
51=	John Atkin	WA			20												20
51=	Kelvin O’Shea	Qld										20					20
51=	Simon Vandenberg	Tas	20														20
51=	Sue McCready	Vic					20										20
51=	Zara White	Tas	10										10				20
57=	Andrew Benefield	NSW							15								15
57=	Dale Payne	NSW										15					15
57=	David Baker	NSW				15											15
57=	Doug Benefield	NSW													15		15
57=	Duncan Jordan	WA			15												15
57=	Frank Brookhouse	ACT														15	15
57=	Paul Arnott	NSW	15														15
57=	R. Gough	NSW													15		15
65=	Brian Percival	WA			10												10
65=	Dan Parry	Vic					10										10
65=	Gerard McConkey	Qld										10					10
65=	Marian Rozman	NSW							10								10
65=	Philip Morley	NSW						10									10
65=	Trent McCullough	WA								10							10
71=	Andrew Sluce	Tas	5														5
71=	Brendan Clough	Vic					5										5
71=	Greg Tebble	Qld										5					5
71=	Rebecca Briggs	NSW							5								5
71=	Stephen Embleton	WA			5												5

Class Winners

PRC 2WD 0-1600cc: Ross Stapleton/ David Haddon, Toyota Corolla Levin
PRC 2WD over 1600cc: Steve Winwood/ Lofty Drews, Ford Falcon XR6
PRC 4WD: Possum Bourne/ Craig Vincent, Subaru Impreza WRX
Group A 0-1300cccc: Equal between John McGredie/ Nick Maude, Suzuki Swift, Scott Reeves/ David Chandler, Daihatsu Charade and Ian Wright/ Andrew Gaston, Suzuki Swift
Group A 1301-1600cc: Bob Nicoli/ Claire Parker, Daihatsu Charade GTi
Group A 1601-2000cc: Lee Peterson/ Zara White, Hyundai Lantra
Group N 2WD 0-1300cc: Jason Slot/ D. Waldon, Daihatsu Charade
Group N 2WD 1301-1600cc: Ross MacKenzie/ Tony Brandon, Daihatsu Charade GTi
Group N 2WD 1601-2000cc: Simon Evans/ Joe Brick, Toyota Corolla Seca RC
Group N 2WD over 2000cc: Not awarded?
Group N 4WD: Michael Guest/ Steven O’Brien-Pounde, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo3