Rob Worboys and Jeff West, driving a Mk1 Ford Cortina, have clean-sheeted this year’s Forest Classic Rally to take the title for the second year in succession.
The Forest Classic Rally, now in its ninth year as an all-bitumen touring road event, was held in mixed weather conditions, with intermittent Saturday rain and sunshine being joined by heavy, consistent rain on Sunday.
After the first day’s 400km of stages, Worboys and West were joint leaders with Tony Wise and Bruce James in an Alfa Romeo Alfetta, and Darren Taylor and Lui MacLennan in a Mini Cooper S. However when their rivals became more ‘navigationally challenged’ during day two, the Cortina crew moved ahead.
In second place, up one place from their 2006 result, was 82-year old Ken Harper and co-driver Graeme Vaux, in a 1969 Ford Mustang. They finished five points clear of last year’s joint winners, David and Kim Burn in a Fiat X1/9.
Wise and James recovered to finish fourth, ahead of Taylor/MacLennan and Gerald Lee/Ian Reddoch (Peugeot 203) in equal fifth place.
Bob and Teresa Morey (Alfa Romeo GT) took victory in the Apprentices category, 12 points ahead of the Datsun 1200 of David Shaw and Ray Arthurs, while Dianne and Wayne Gerlach took third in a Porche 911.
In the easier Tour category, the crews of Hal and Elizabeth Corbould (BMW 635 CSI) and John Elliott and John Brann (Renault Alpine GTA Turbo) shared the honours, with the Queensland pairing of Don and Heather Dux third in their Triumph 2500 PI.
This year’s event featured a number of classic Renault Alpines, which were the feature marque in the event. The highlight were three Alpine A100s, which were real crowd favourites among interested spectators along the 700km route, which took in the Ovens and Kiewa Valleys in north east Victoria.
Other interesting entries included a SP9R Sports Car owned by Melbourne’s David Henry, and a Porsche 911 Carerra driven by Keith Warne, the father of former Australian cricket great, Shane Warne.
Director of the Forest Classic Rally, Jeff Whitten, said that this year’s running of the rally was the most successful yet, with a record field of 62 competitors from as far afield as Queensland, Newcastle and Sydney.
Final results:
TOUR
=1 Hal Corbould/Elizabeth Corbould 1986 BMW 635 CSi 0
=1 John Elliott/John Brann 1989 Renault Alpine GTA Turbo 0
3 Don Dux/Heather Dux 1970 Triumph 2500 PI 7
=4 Philip Mitchell/Roger Gottlob 1977 Datsun 260Z 10
=4 Ernst Luthi/Sonja Luthi 1992 Suzuki Cappucino 10
6 Michael Birks/Stephen Stuart 1955 Peugeot 203C 12
=7 Geoff Lawrence/Jan Lawrence 1959 Austin Healey 100-6 20
=7 Bernard Corbett/Madelon Corbett 1999 BMW M-coupe 20
=7 Terry Godde/Erin Godde 1974 Datsun 260Z 20
10 David Parkman/Linda Brown 1980 Renault Alpine A310 29
11 Robert Clare/Sue Clare 1956 Jaguar XK140 FHC 40
12 Jim Mather/Ginny Mather 1985 Nissan 300ZX 54
13 Colin Stark/Lyn Stark 1971 Renault Alpine A110 1600S 56
14 Peter Markham/Sally Markham 1974 Maserati Merak 57
15 Phil Harrison/Tom Harrison 2001 Renault Sport Clio Cup 72
16 Jayson Hinder/Ian Barges 1987 Renault Alpine GTA 120
17 Ken Melville/Peter Harris 1995 Renault Alpine A610 121
18 Steve Blair/Janice Foo 1995 BMW M3 155
19 Barry McAdie/Mike Neil 1987 Renault Alpine GTA V6 190
APPRENTICES
1 Bob Morey/Teresa Morey 1976 Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT 9
2 David Shaw/Ray Arthurs 1973 Datsun 1200 21
3 Wayne Gerlach/Dianne Gerlach 1974 Porsche 911 34
4 Jacqui Collihole/Greg Hannah 2001 Porsche Boxster 59
5 Judd Smith/Carol Both 1976 Datsun 260Z 78
6 Tony Rogers/Graham Palich 1967 Ford Falcon XR GT 86
7 Ian Packard/Phil McFarlane 1978 Peugeot 504 98
8 Kay Harlor/Vince Harlor 1974 Datsun 260Z 99
9 Nathan Huppatz/Rob Gilpin 2002 Subara Impreza WRX 114
10 Eric Young/Jenny Young 1970 Fiat 124 137
11 Rick Arnott/Peter Butterfield 1977 BMW 633 153
12 Roger Arnold/Barry Farr 1970 Ford Falcon GT 192
13 Tim Stanford/Roger Willson 1979 Maserati Kyalami 325
14 Keith Warne/Ian Pringle 1985 Porsche 911 Carrera 339
Did not finish the event
Clive Ablitt/Patricia Ablitt 1974 Datsun 240K GT DNF(6) Dropped valve
Matthew Arnold/Mike Southgate 1968 Renault Alpine A110 DNF(3) Overheating
MASTERS
1 Rob Worboys/Jeff West 1964 Ford Cortina 0
2 Ken Harper/Graeme Vaux 1969 Ford Mustang 6
3 David Burn/Kim Burn 1982 Fiat X1/9 11
4 Tony Wise/Bruce James 1974 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 12
=5 Gerald Lee/Ian Reddoch 1955 Peugeot 203 14
=5 Darren Taylor/Lui MacLennan 1970 Mini Cooper S 14
7 Peter Washington/Tim McNeilly 1976 Holden Torana SS 22
8 Rob Mifsud/Starr Mifsud 1989 Porsche 911 Carrera 25
9 Domenic Votano/Michael Stephenson 1977 Porsche Carrera 31
10 Bruce Smith/John Henderson 1964 Prince Skyline GT 39
11 Jack De Bruijne/Jeff Smith 1967 Austin Healy Sprite Mk 3A 50
12 John Hardy/Darren McKemmish 1967 Renault Alpine A110 51
13 George Davidson/Donnie Davidson 1979 Datsun Stanza 58
14 Peter Thomson/David Booth 1964 Sunbeam Tiger Mk 1 69
15 Pam Walters/Phil Walters 1972 Ford Capri Perana 74
16 Paul Baker/Chris McDonald 1980 BMW 323i 79
17 Garth Taylor/Michael St John Cox 1961 Jaguar Mk 2 91
18 Brian Canny/Larry Walker 1986 Porsche 944 Turbo 106
19 David Wigley/Robert Smith 1985 BMW JPS 323i 109
20 Simon Shepherd/Tim Shepherd 1985 Peugeot 505 121
21 Beb Fox/Ralph Price 1967 Volvo 142S 127
22 Tony South/Ted Norman 1970 Ford Escort Mexico Mk1 157
23 Arthur Howie/David Alexander 1970 MGB Roadster 205
24 Peter Richards/Peter Furmedge 1966 Ford Mustang 215
25 Byron Porter/Alistair Traylen 1971 MGB Roadster 244
Did not finish the event
David Henry/David James 2003 SP9R Sports DNF(8) Saturated
erd 1985 Peugeot 505 121
21 Beb Fox/Ralph Price 1967 Volvo 142S 127
22 Tony South/Ted Norman 1970 Ford Escort Mexico Mk1 157
23 Arthur Howie/David Alexander 1970 MGB Roadster 205
24 Peter Richards/Peter Furmedge 1966 Ford Mustang 215
25 Byron Porter/Alistair Traylen 1971 MGB Roadster 244
Did not finish the event
David Henry/David James 2003 SP9R Sports DNF(8) Saturated
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