1998 Victorian Rally Championship

Table of Contents

Series Regulations
Events
Outright Pointscores
Novice Pointscores
Class Awards

This year’s VRC was closely fought with five different winners across the six rounds. Going into the final round Craig Morris and Jenny Cole (Galant) held a slender lead over Phil Messer and Rachel Bruty (Lancer), with Novice driver Scott Pedder (also Lancer) mathematically still in the running. Morris and Cole took the Begonia win by 24 seconds from Messer and Bruty to secure the championship. Pedder placed third on the final round, and third in the championship, a sign of things to come the next year. He would go on to win the next two Victorian Championships and eventually an Australian Rally Championship.

The Novice award was dominated by Steve Poore in his Subaru Legacy, taking three wins and two seconds. He had two different co-drivers who subsequently finished first and second in the award with Matt Birchall coming out on top. Interestingly, Scott Pedder was Novice driver this year and potentially would have won the Novice award but for his choice to team up with a couple of non-Novice classified co-drivers.

To see what else happened during 1998 in Victorian rallying, go to the 1998 year page.

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

Series Regulations

These were specified in the VRC Standing Regulations, but we don’t have a copy. They are assumed to be similar to previous years, but apparently had the addition of a class for Group A cars.

The VRC was made up exclusively of Special Stage events.

Eligible vehicles were PRC, Group N, Group A and HRC.

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 1300cc, Group N 1301-1600cc, Group N 1601-2000cc, Group N 2WD over 2000cc, Group N 4WD, Group A and Historic Rally Cars. It appears that Formula Commodore was dropped.

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. Series Registration was introduced in 1994 and only registered competitors were eligible for points. However, bona fide Victorian competitors were automatically recognised as registered! Class awards required competitors to compete in at least 50% of the events.

Events

There were 6 VRC events this year. The Djerriwarrh Rally was cancelled but the Begonia was revived in its place. It appears that this was the first time that an event, the Rally of Melbourne, counted as two separate events, Heat 1 and Heat 2, but with half points for each heat.

Click on each event for full details and results.

Outright Pointscores

Outright Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Craig Morris	15	20	12	3½	6	20	73 (76½)
2	Phil Messer	20		15	5½	12	15	67½
3	Scott Pedder	12		6	12		12	42
4	Graham Alexander				15	20		35
5	Brett Thomson				10	15		25
6	Graeme Gambold			20	4			24
7	Rob Davis		12	8			2	22
8	Spencer Lowndes				20			20
9=	Martin Grigg	6		4			8	18
9=	Mark Rodgers					8	10	18
11	Simon Evans		15					15
12=	Brian Semmens	4		10				14
12=	Steve Poore		2	2		4	6	14
14=	Mark Fawcett	10			3½			13½
14=	David Nutter		10		½		3	13½
16	Danny Murphy				1	10		11
17	Peter Evans		8				1	9
18	Rob Devenish	8						8
19	Ross Fraser		6	1				7
20	Sam Vaughan		3	3				6
21	Geoffrey Full				5			5
22=	Tom Quill		4					4
22=	Michael Morris						4	4
24	Graeme Wise					3		3
25=	David Rowe	2½						2½
25=	Ian Swan	2½						2½
27=	Darren Crozier		1			1		2
27=	David Stannus					2		2
29=	Nick Whiteley	1						1
20=	Ashlee James				1			1

Outright Co-Drivers Pointscores

Place	Co-driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Jenny Cole	15	20	12	3½	6	20	73 (76½)
2	Rachel Bruty	20		15	5½	12	15	67½
3	David Stewart				15	20		35
4	Rob Vanderee				10	15		25
5	Chris Randell			20	4			24
6	Claire Parker				20			20
7=	Mark Pedder	12		6				18
7=	Craig Rodgers					8	10	18
7=	Chris Tait	6		4			8	18
10	Sue Evans		15					15
11	Colin Elliott		12				2	14
12	Tony Boyd	10			3½			13½
13=	Stella Plenderleith				12			12
13=	Paul Humm						12	12
15	Ross Lilley				1	10		11
16	Felicity Nutter		10		½			10½
17	David Leoncini			10				10
18	Kylie Evans		8				1	9
19=	Stephen Kealey	8						8
19=	Robin Smalley			8				8
19=	Matt Birchall			2			6	8
22	Ashley Fraser		6	1				7
23	Mario Pirotta		2			4		6
24	Val Swan	2½				3		5½
25	Graeme Jesse				5			5
26=	Geoff Floyd						4	4
26=	David Gallacher		4					4
26=	Dan Parry	4						4
29=	Simon Pollock		3					3
29=	Roslyn Martin						3	3
29=	Greg Foletta			3				3
32	Tracey Dewhurst	2½						2½
33=	Sue McCready				1	1		2
33=	Rob Beekman					2		2
35=	Peter Whiteley	1						1
35=	Michelle Crozier		1					1

Novice Pointscores

Novice Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Steve Poore	10	15	15	20	20	20	90 (100)
2	Brett Comber		4	8		15	15	42
3	Scott Pedder	20		20				40
4	Craig Dawson	12		1	12	6		31
5	Shane Smith		6		7	12		25
6	Sam Vaughan	3	20					23
7	Mark Seltin				12½	10		22½
8	Andrew Pannam	4	10	4				18
9	David Schneiders	6		10				16
10	Terry Trewern	15						15
11=	Ben Reidy		12					12
11=	Scott Innes			12				12
11=	Brendon Lindsey	2	3		7			12
11=	Neil Pollard						12	12
15	Shawn Urquart						10	10
16=	Craig Jarvie	8						8
16=	Derrick de Vries		8					8
16=	Shaun Carstairs					8		8
16=	Jeff Cameron						8	8
16=	Peter Montgomery				2		6	8
21	I. Begley				7½			7½
22	Carl Brewer				5½		1	6½
23	David Hecker			6				6
24	Dale Baxter						4	4
25=	Carl Stewart			3				3
25=	Alan How						3	3
27=	Ross Stapleton			2				2
27=	Stephen Raymond		2					2
27=	David Stewart						2	2
30	Ron Verschuur	1						1

Novice Co-Drivers Pointscores

Place	Co-driver	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Total
1	Matt Birchall			15	20		20	55
2	Mario Pirotta	10	15			20		45
3	Graham Comber		4	8		15	15	42
4	Mark Pedder	20		20				40
5	Brian Tiedemann	12		1	12	6		31
6	Colin Miller		6		7	12		25
7	Simon Pollock	3	20					23
8	Frank Baker				12½	10		22½
9	Brad Clark	4	10	4				18
10	Graeme Trewern	15						15
11=	Shaun McNamara		12					12
11=	Craig Hardiman			12				12
11=	Ben Campbell						12	12
11=	John McLaughlin	2	3		7			12
11=	Rob Stevenson			2			10	12
16	Michael Stiglich			10				10
17=	Chris Montgomery				2		6	8
17=	V. Webber	8						8
17=	Rob Boothman		8					8
17=	Lisa Harris					8		8
17=	Paul Parlevliet						8	8
22	B. Rawlings				7½			7½
23=	Janine Schneiders	6						6
23=	Nathan Brice			6				6
25	B. Griffin				5½			5½
26	Stephen May						4	4
27=	Barry Stewart			3				3
27=	Cindy How						3	3
29=	Andrew Preston		2					2
29=	Michael Holloway						2	2
31=	Randella Barnes	1						1
31=	Paul Gregory						1	1

Class Awards

PRC 2WD under 1300cc: Russell Hocking / Susan Brick, Datsun 120Y

PRC 2WD 1300-1600cc: Brian Semmens / David Leoncini, Toyota Corolla TE37

PRC 2WD 1600-2000cc: Darren Crozier / Michelle Crozier, Isuzu Gemini PF60

PRC 2WD over 2000cc: Michael Morris / Geoff Floyd, Holden Commodore

PRC 4WD: Craig Morris / Jenny Cole, Mitsubishi Galant VR4

Group N 2WD under 1300cc: Sam Vaughan, Suzuki Swift GTi
Co-driver: not awarded

Group N 2WD 1301-1600cc: not awarded

Group N 2WD 1601-2000cc: not awarded

Group N 2WD over 2000cc: not awarded

Group N 4WD: Martin Grigg / Chris Tait, Mitsubishi Lancer RSe3

Group A: not awarded

HRC: Brendon Lindsey / John McLaughlin, Alfa Romeo Guilia