1999 Australian Rally Championship

There were again the same five rounds but Heat 2 of Coff Harbour was cancelled due to wet weather leaving nine rounds. Rally of Canberra was included as a round of the Manufacturers Championship but not for Drivers and Co-drivers.

It was a closely fought season, again between Possum Bourne and Craig Vincent in the WRC Subaru and Neal Bates and Coral Taylor in the WRC Corolla. Bourne took five heat wins to Bates’ three. Cody Crocker and Greg Foletta in the Group N Subaru took a heat win at Rally of Melbourne after both Bourne and Bates crashed out. Bates and Taylor accrued more points than Bourne and Vincent, but had to drop their worst event, giving the Subaru pair the championship by a slim margin. Crocker and Foletta won the Group N award and placed third overall. Ed Ordynski returned to the championship with Iain Stewart in a Group N Lancer, placing fourth overall.

The Manufacturers award went to Subaru.

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

Need photos notice

Series Regulations

Eligibility was Australian PRC and Group N. 

Points were awarded down to outright tenth, 20-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2-1 on each heat with a 50% bonus on the two heats of the final round. The best four events (up to 8 heats) were counted.

Classes were similar to the previous year with four 2WD and two 4WD class within PRC, four 2WD capacity classes and one 4WD class within Group N. The smallest classed were adjusted to 0-1400cc. The two 4WD PRC  classes were not based on capacity but on lists determined by ARCOM, essentially based on technology and cost. Points in classes used the 9-6-4-3-2-1 for each heat with a 50% bonus on the final round, again with the best four events to count.

The Manufacturers award appears to have been opened up to both PRC and Group N.

Events

There were again only five rounds this year with South Australia again not providing a round. Each round had two heats. Click on each round to see results and more details.

  1. Coffs Harbour Rally, Results in April Unicar
  2. Rally Queensland, Results in June Unicar
  3. Respect Yourself Forest Rally (WA), Results in June Unicar
  4. Rally of Melbourne (also VRC)
  5. Saxon Safari (Tas), Results in September Unicar

Pointscores

Outright Drivers Pointscores

tab

Outright Co-drivers Pointscores

tab

Class Winners

  • [P1] PRC 2WD 0-1400cc: Simon Jansen/ Elysia Kruper, Daihatsu Charade
  • [P2] PRC 2WD 1401-1600cc: Brett Middleton/ Andrew Benefield, Honda Civic VTiR
  • [P3] PRC 2WD 1601-2000cc:Simon Evans/ Sue Evans, Volkswagen Golf GTi
  • [P4] PRC 2WD over 2000cc: Steve Winwood/ Lyndall Drake, Ford Falcon XR8
  • [P5A] PRC 4WD: Possum Bourne/ Craig Vincent, Subaru Impreza WRC
  • [P5B] PRC 4WD: Craig Dawson/ Brian Tiedermann, Nissan Pulsar GTiR
  • [N1] Group N 2WD 0-1400cc: Glenn Brinkman/ Dale Moscatt, Nissan Micra
  • [N2] Group N 2WD 1401-1600cc: Denise Collins/ Gerard McConkey, Honda Civic EG6
  • [N3] Group N 2WD 1601-2000cc: Ashlea James/ Paul Flintoft, Toyota Corolla Seca
  • [N4] Group N 2WD over 2000cc: Not awarded
  • [N5] Group N 4WD: Cody Crocker/ Greg Foletta, Subaru Impreza WRX