1982 Australian Rally Championship

Table of Contents

Series Regulations
Events
Pointscores

For the first time in many years there were no works entries in the ARC. The year became a close contest between reigning champions, Geoff Portman and Ross Runnalls in a 12 year old Datsun 1600 (the Grunter) and Greg Carr with Fred Gocentas in a Fiat 131 Abarth.

Portman and Runnalls were dominant, but a mechanical failure on the first round resulted in no points (but see the event story). Carr and Gocentas won in Queensland and placed second behind Portman and Runnalls in the West, 2GO and SA. Heading into the final round, the Alpine, Carr/Gocentas held a 6 point lead, but a failed differential on the Fiat saw them finish fourth while Portman and Runnalls took a commanding win to clinch the title.

Tom Snooks has provided the full story here.

To see other years of the Australian Rally Championship go to the ARC series page.

Series Regulations

Events were run under the National Rally Code. All rounds were special stage events timed to the second.

Vehicle eligibility was CAMS Group G – Australian Rally Cars.

Points were awarded down to tenth but the gaps between the top 4 placings were widened: 25-18-14-11-8-6-4-3-2-1, with all results to count.

Events

The Akademos was dropped and the Broken Hill event returned, notionally as a SA round. The NSW round was the 2GO, replacing Bega.

Lutwyche Village Rally (Qld)
Sunday Times Safari (WA)
Dunlop 2GO Rally (NSW)
Commonwealth Motors Rally (SA/NSW)
Alpine Rally (Vic)

Pointscores

Drivers Pointscores

Place	Driver	State	Qld	WA	2GO	SA	Alpine	Total
1	Geoff Portman	Vic		24	24	24	24	96
2	Greg Carr	ACT	24	18	18	18	11	89
3	Doug Thompson	Vic	8	6	2	14	18	48
4	Tony Masling	NSW		11	11			22
5=	Ed Mulligan	NSW	18					18
5=	Wayne Bell	NSW	14	4				18
7	Clive Slater	WA		14	1			15
8=	Hugh Bell	Vic			14			14
8=	Steve Ashton	Vic					14	14
10	John Atkinson	NSW	4	1		8		13
11=	Peter Glennie	NSW	11					11
11=	Barry Lowe	SA				11		11
13=	Bob Nicoli	WA		8				8
13=	Garry Burns	NSW			8			8
13=	Ian Swan	Vic					8	8
16=	Dennis Browne	Qld	6					6
16=	Colin Bond	NSW			6			6
16=	Doug Ogilvie	NSW				6		6
16=	Brian Smith	Vic					6	6
20=	Ross Dunkerton	WA			4			4
20=	John Macara	WA				4		4
20=	Peter Clarke	NSW					4	4
23=	Mark Taylor	Qld	3					3
23=	Jim Martin	WA		3				3
23=	David Officier	Vic			3			3
23=	Phil Horan	SA				3		3
23=	Paul Bramble	NSW					3	3
28=	Peter Marcovich	Qld	2					2
28=	Mark Anderson	WA		2				2
28=	Peter Pittaway	SA				2		2
28=	Chris Berry	WA?					2	2
32=	Andrew Dixon-Hughes	Qld	1					1
32=	Kevin Pedder	SA				1		1
32=	Jon Waterhouse	ACT					1	1

Navigators Pointscores

Place	Co-Driver	State	Qld	WA	2GO	SA	Alpine	Total
1	Ross Runnalls	Vic		24	24	24	24	96
2	Fred Gocentas	ACT	24	18	18	18	11	89
3	Ron Lugg	Vic			2	11	18	31
4	Geoff Jones	NSW	18	11				29
5	Col Parry	NSW	14	4				18
6=	Jim Maude	Vic	8	6				14
6=	Rod van der Straaten	WA		14				14
6=	Steve Ellis	Vic			14			14
6=	Ted Dobrzynski	SA				14		14
6=	Ro Nixon	Vic					14	14
11	Monty Suffern	Vic	4	1		8		13
12	David Hartley	WA		8		4		12
13=	Brian Smith	Qld	11					11
13=	Dave Boddy	NSW			11			11
15=	Jim Gleeson	NSW			8			8
15=	Derek Rawson	Vic					8	8
17=	Warren Tegg	Qld	6					6
17=	John Dawson-Damer	NSW			6			6
17=	Steohen Simmons	NSW				6		6
17=	Peter Mignot	Vic					6	6
21=	Mick Harker	ACT					4	4
21=	Phil Rainer	Vic			4			4
23=	Errol Bailey	Qld	3					3
23=	Peter Macneall	WA		3				3
23=	Kate Hobson	Vic			3			3
23=	Adrian Ward	SA				3		3
23=	Kel Haynes	NSW					3	3
28=	Greg Weale	Qld	2					2
28=	David Barton	WA		2				2
28=	Greg Travers	SA				2		2
28=	Ray Stubbs	WA?					2	2
32=	Ross Julien	Qld	1					1
32=	Adrian Stafford	WA			1			1
32=	Peter Gubbins	SA				1		1
32=	Greg Avon	NSW					1	1