Camcrusher, Rally in the Valley and related Rallies

Find out about the rich history of the Camcrsuher Rally, Rally in the Valley and related rallies

Event History

Our first records of the Ford Four Car Club conducting an open rally was the 1972 Camcrusher Rally. In subsequent years the Camcrusher soon became a round of the Victorian Clubman Series and in 1982 became a round of the Victorian Rally Championship, a status that it effectively maintained for many decades. The Camcrusher has generally been a driver oriented event and soon evolved into a special stage event.

In the search for sponsorship, the Camcrusher became the Rent-a-Wreck Camcrusher in 1984 and was simply the Rent-a-Wreck Stages in 1985, dropping the Camcrusher name. From 1987 to 1990 is was known as the Bayswater Wreckers Stages. In 1990 it was the Autosport Stages and with Glenn Cuthbert as Director, it was arguably the forerunner of the very successful Rally of Melbourne, although that was not conducted by the Ford Four Car Club. Instead, from 1993 to 2001 the event became known as the VicTV or WinTV Rally in the Valley, predominantly under the Directorship of Alan Patterson.

The Camcrusher name was subsequently revived as a sub-event of the Spring 200 and Marysville Stages.

List of Editions held of this event.

Click on the Year to see more details about each edition. Click on the Area to see a plot of the route (if available).

YearDirector(s)AreaDriverNavigator/Co-driverCarStatus
1972Open
1973Open
1974Ian Swan, Bob Buck, Roger CurranStrathbogies/ WarrenbayneIan NalderPaul PatersonDatsun 1600VCS
1975Not conducted?
1976CancelledVCS
1977Andrew Trevillian, Chris RandallReef Hills/ WarrenbaynePat BarberTony BishopDatsun 1600VCS
1978Andrew Trevillian, Chris RandallStrathbogiesAlex FitcherJan FitcherDatsun 1600VCS
1979Andrew TrevillianStrathbogies/ WarrenbayneChris RandallRay ScottDatsun 1600VCS
1980Chris Randall, Andrew TrevillianReef Hills/ StrathbohiesSteve AshtonRo NixonDatsun 1600VCS
1981Cancelled
1982Chris RandallStrathbogiesChris BrownNoel RichardsDatsun 180BVRC
1983Chris RandallStrathbogiesBrian SmithPeter MignotMitsubishi GalantVRC
1984Brian SmithRon BrownMitsubishi GalantVRC
1985*Andrew RobertsEricaPeter “Pud” ThompsonJim MaudeDatsun StanzaVRC
1986Not conducted
1987#John BrammanPowelltown?Geoff PortmanPeter GaleDatsun 1600VRC
1988#John BrammanPowelltown?Mike ReevesDavid ProctorDatsun 1600VRC
1989#Alan Patterson, Andrew McCathieSouth GippslandHugh BellGeoff FloydFord Escort Mk2VRC
1990#Alan PattersonSouth Gippsland?George FuryRoss RunnallsMitsubishi Galant VR4VRC
1991^Glenn CuthbertMurrindindiPeter FyfeGerry BasjfordNissan Pulsar GTi-RVRC
1992Not conducted
1993%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyNeil CuthbertDaryl AdamsSubaru Liberty RSVRC
1994%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyDavid OfficerKate OfficierMitsubishi Lancer RSeVRC
1995%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyGraeme WiseDanny MurphyMitsubishi Lancer RSeVRC/ARC(C5)
1996%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyGraeme WiseRob BeekmanMitsubishi Lancer RSeVRC/ARC(C5)
1997%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyMike ReevesRobin SmalleyMitsubishi Galant VR4VRC
1998%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyPhil MesserRachel BrutyMitsubishi Lancer GSRVRC
1999%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyGraeme GamboldChris RandellToyota Celica GT-4VRC
2000%Alan PattersonLatrobe ValleyScott PedderPaul HummMitsubishi Lancer Evo3VRC
2001%Stuart ListerLatrobe ValleyDavid StannusPeter CampbellNissan Pulsar GTi-RVRC
2002 and laterNot conducted
2009&Intro
2019+Intro
2014+John RobertsMarysvilleColin GareTalia ThorntonSubaru Impreza WRXIntro
2015+John RobertsMarysvilleTroy BrendelSamantha BrendelFord Escort Mk2Intro
2016+Cancelled
2021+John RobertsMarysvilleAlan UptonMark LaidlayPeugeot 306 S16Novice
2022+John RobertsMarysvilleMichael O’BrienScott LigginsVolvo 240 GLERegularity
2023+Joh RobertsMarysvilleMark SandersonChris SandersonHyundai ExcelNovice

* 1985 was known as the Rent-a-Wreck Stages

# 1987-90 was known as the Bayswater Wreckers Tages

^ 1991 was known as the Autosport Stages

% 1993 to 2001 was known as the Rally in the Valley

& 2009 was a sub-event of the Spring 200

+ 2014, 15, 21 and 22 were sub-events of the Marysville Stages