The forest roads around Bonnie Doon and Barjarg will come alive on Saturday, April 17 when a record field of sixty rally crews will contest one of Victoria’s most popular car rally events, Rally Bonnie Doon.
The 150 kilometre all-daylight event has exceeded its 60 car entry limit, with a further 10 crews having their entry put on the reserve list.
Rally Bonnie Doon, now running in its fourth year in the Strathbogie Forest areas, has a reputation of being one of the leading events on the Victorian calendar. Drawn by the lure of some fantastic drivers’ roads and competitive rally stages, drivers in next Saturday’s rally will be keen to experience the challenging terrain which is unlike any that can be found anywhere else in the state.
Although run in a very compact area, crews will drive each stage twice, a feature that will give spectators a double dose of high-speed action.
More than a dozen 4WD turbocharged cars will be mixing it with a full complement of 2WD vehicles that includes perennial favourites such as Datsun 1600s, Escorts, Mazdas, Commodores, Hyundais and Nissans.
Local Mansfield crew, the father and daughter team of Danny and Rikki-Lee Hudswell, are expected to be well up amongst the top of the seven-car Hyundai Excel challenge which runs as a part of the overall event. Despite the diminutive size of their front wheel drive Hyundai, their knowledge of the local area should be a decided benefit, making up for the car’s lack of sheer power.
Organised and promoted by the Wangaratta-based North Eastern Car Club under the direction of Scott Spedding, Rally Bonnie Doon gets under way from the Bridge Motel next Saturday at 9am.
The briefing of crews will commence at 8am and the full compliment of cars will be on display prior to the start. A comprehensive spectator guide listing a number of spectator points close to both Mansfield and Bonnie Doon will be available at the start, and the general public is invited to come out and see the action.
After a full day’s rallying, weary crews will return to the Bridge Hotel from 4.00pm where scores will be calculated and the winners announced at a post-event function. The event brings a much-needed financial benefit to Bonnie Doon and district through accommodation, food, fuel sales and more, as well as financially assisting several local service clubs and charities.
2010 Rally Bonnie Doon entries (unseeded)
Driver  Navigator  Car Â
 1  Wilson  Joe  Warneke  Martin  Triumph 2500PI  D Â
 2  Crook  Ian  Fernie  Doug  Leyland Rover SD1  D Â
 3  Ellis  Simon  Ellis  Ian  Subaru Legacy RS  E Â
 4  Stapleton  Ross  Hall  Daniel  Nissan 200SX  E Â
 5  Wilson  Stephen  Petrie  Chris  Datsun Stanza  D Â
 6  Kavanagh  Andrew  Proctor  Andrew  Datsun 180B  C Â
 7  Donoghue  Troy  Gibson  Sean  Ford Falcon EF  D Â
 8  Mackenzie  Ben  Dunn  Liam  Datsun 1600  C Â
 9  Taylor  Andrew  Stanborough  Michael  Mazda RX7  D Â
 10  Bansagi  Leeham  Bansagi  Michael  Datsun 1200  A Â
 11  Schoof  Stuart  Ryan  Andrew  Datsun 1200  A Â
 12  Williams  Brett  Ormesher  Andrew  Datsun 1600  C Â
 13  Wilson  Alan  Wilson  Kevin  Subaru Impreza  E Â
 14  Twycross  Dale  Anderson  Matt  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 15  Piggott  Stephen  Robinson  Craig  Datsun Bluebird  C Â
 16  Sytema  Luke  Sytema  Aaron  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 17  Walker  Justin  Bianca  Lowe  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 18  Allan  Ross  Allan  Scott  Subaru Legacy  E Â
 19  Maguire  Eddie  Grave  Nic  Mitsubishi Evo 3  E Â
 20  Trucano  Michael  Brooks  Terry  Datsun Sunny  A Â
 21  Woollard  Rowan  Woollard  Russell  Datsun Bluebird  D Â
 22  Wallis  Graham  Davies  Richard  Peugeot 203  B Â
 23  Wellings  David  Wilson  Adam  Datsun 1600  C Â
 24  Testa  Nicola  Muldoon  Adam  Datsun Violet GT  D Â
 25  Fynch  Daniel  Webb  Wayne  Mazda GTX 323  E Â
 26  Bruni  Dwayne  Seddon  Alana  Subaru WRX  E Â
 27  Hudgson  Sean  Wythe  Darren  Datsun 1600  C Â
 28  Boyer  Simon  Thompson  Simon  Datsun 1600  C Â
 29  Bell  Andrew  Seabrook  Correne  Commodore VH  D Â
 30  Patterson  John  Patterson  Rachel  Datsun 180B  C Â
 31  Cuttle  Keith  Cuttle  Tyler  Commodore VC  D Â
 32  McKenzie  Robert  Balfour  David  Subaru Leone  C Â
 33  Huggins  Tony  Huggins  Stephanie  Datsun Stanza  D Â
 34  Friend  Alan  Smalley  Robin  Nissan Silvia RS  D Â
 35  Hudswell  Danny  Hudswell  Rikki-Lee  Hyundai Excel  B Â
 36  Moore  Tony  Moore  Nikki  Hyundai Excel X3  B Â
 37  Richards  Mark  Richards  Stephanie  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 38  Sefton  Geoff  Heywood  Grant  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 39 &nbs
p; Blum  Gerard  Stuchberry  Tim  Hyundai Excel  B Â
 40  Attwood  Mark  Clough  Richard  Ford Escort Mk II  E Â
 41  Hurle  Graeme  Kidgell  Elizabeth  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 42  Bloomfield  Adam  Sharlott  Rebecca  Commodore VH  E Â
 43  Carney  Daniel  Rainer  Cathy  Hyundai Excel  B Â
 44  Barson  Kimberley  Cuttle  Sandra  Hyundai Excel  B Â
 45  Mackenzie  Steven  Parry  Dan  Hyundai Excel  B Â
 46  King  Daryl  Barrett  Chris  Toyota Corolla  B Â
 47  Snooks  Darryn  De Vaus  Matt  Nissan 240RS  TBA Â
 48  Jay  Cameron  Corrales  Eddie  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 49  Long  Michael  Haskett  Vaughan  Datsun 180B SSS  C Â
 50  Otzen  Peter  Loke  Sidney  Datsun 180B SSS  C Â
 51  Pate  Graham  Pearce  Cale  Datsun 180B  C Â
 52  Teagle  Rohan  Teagle  James  Ford Escort Mk II  C Â
 53  Davidson  Thomas  Davidson  James  Mitsubishi LA Lancer  B Â
 54  Taylor  Mark  Taylor  Michael  Datsun 180B  C Â
 55  Curry  Ian  Curry  Melissa  Datsun 1600  C Â
 56  Jennison  Scott  Wilson  Adrian  Diahatsu Charade G102  A Â
 57  Porter  Steven  O'Halloran  Kimberly  Mazda RX7  D Â
 58  O'Reilly  Ross  McGill  Tim  Nissan 910 SSS Bluebird  C Â
 59  Morrison  Peter  Wasson  Susan  Hyundai Excel  B Â
 60  Canning  Peter  Dorcich  Darren  Datsun 1600  C Â
 Reserves Â
 61  Berry  Nathan  Berry  Dane  Mitsubishi Evo 4  E Â
 62  Smith  Timothy  Blacker  Hayley  Datsun 180B  C Â
 63  Lawrance  David  Webb  David  Datsun 1600  D Â
 64  Hale  Geoff  Hale  Rachel  Volkswagen Golf  B Â
 65  Hedley  Mark  Lenne  Heath  Datsun 180B  C Â
 66  Smith  Lachlan  Ilsley  Simon  Ford Esccort Mk I  C Â
 67  Reynolds  Tim  Reynolds  Simon  Datsun 180B  C Â
 68  Hasnat  Dean  Peterson  Matthew  Commodore VB  D Â
 69  Mammi  Charles  Mammi  Michael  Datsun Sunny  B Â
 70  Hubbert  Dean  Hubbert  Wayne  Ford Laser  BÂ
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