2017 Victorian Rally Championship

The 2017 Focus on Furniture Victorian Rally Championship was won by Glen Raymond and Kate Catford in a Subaru WRX STi with five wins and three second places across the ten rounds. Their closest rivals were Warren Lee and David Lethlean in a Lancer Evo 9 with two wins and three seconds.

To see what else happened during 2017 in Victorian rallying, go to the 2017 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 Regulations, which were substantially the same as the previous year.

The VRC was made up exclusively of Special Stage events with competitive distances between 50 and 200 km.

Eligible vehicles were PRC, Group N, Group N(P), CAMS Group G4,  S2000, Historic Rally Cars, Classic Rally Cars, Club Rally Cars and CAMS Group G2. FIA S1600, ARC G2 and Group R5 were not eligible for VRC points, except class points.

Awards were made for outright champions, 2WD, Clubman and Novice. There were also car class awards as follows: PRC and Group N up to 1400cc, PRC 1401-1600cc, PRC 1601-2000cc, PRC 2WD over 2000cc, PRC 4WD over 2000cc (split into two classes, essentially pre and post 1998, pre excluding any vehicles with fully active differentials, post including S2000), Historic Rally Cars, Classic Rally Cars, Club Rally Cars,  S2000, ARC G2 and CAMS G4.

All awards were allocated 30-25-21-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-5-4-3-2-1 for first to fifteenth.  Crew registration was automatic for the first half of the season, but crews members could elect not to register for VRC points. With ten heays, the worst two results were dropped. All awards required competitors to compete in at least 50% of the events.

Events

There were 5 VRC events in 2017, each with two heats, hence 10 rounds.

  1. Eureka Rally (BLCC and RallyCorp, also ARC)
  2. Mitta Mountain Rally (NECC) 
  3. George Derrick Pyrenees Rush (CCRMIT)
  4. Marysville Stages (FFCC)
  5. Akademos Rally (MUCC)

Pointscores

Class Awards

PRC/N under 1400cc: not awarded

PRC/N 1401-1600cc: Brian Newton / Ryan Price, Honda Civic EG6

PRC/N 1601-2000cc: Paul Lahiff / Connor McLeod, Toyota Altezza

PRC/N 2WD over 2000cc: Brian Semmens, Nissan 200SX RV S12
Co-driver: Peter Ellis (with Ross Stapleton)

PRC/N 4WD over 2000cc post 1998: Glen Raymond / Kate Catford, Subaru WRX STi

PRC/N 4WD over 2000cc pre 1998: Franco Liucci / Niall Gavin, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6

HRC: not awarded

Club Rally Cars: Phil Thomas / Ken Radnell, Ford Escort

Classic Rally Cars: Grant Walker / Steph Richards, Ford Escort RS1800