1971 Australian Rally Championship
Encyclopedia
The 1971 Australian Rally Championship
was a series of five rallying
events held across Australia. It was the fourth season in the history of the competition.
Colin Bond
and navigator George Shepheard in the Holden Dealer Team
Holden Torana GTR XU-1
were the winners of the 1971 Championship.
and one each in Queensland
, Victoria
and South Australia
. The series was the start of the domination of the Holden Dealer Team
Holden Torana GTR XU-1
of Colin Bond and George Shepheard. The Renault R8 Gordinis which had won the previous year were the only team to present any real challenge to the Toranas.
Round Three - Snowy Mountains Rally
Colin Bond
Australian Rally Championship
The Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:...
was a series of five rallying
Rallying
Rallying, also known as rally racing, is a form of auto racing that takes place on public or private roads with modified production or specially built road-legal cars...
events held across Australia. It was the fourth season in the history of the competition.
Colin Bond
Colin Bond
Colin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...
and navigator George Shepheard in the Holden Dealer Team
Holden Dealer Team
The Holden Dealer Team was Holden’s semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1987, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s...
Holden Torana GTR XU-1
Holden Torana
The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
were the winners of the 1971 Championship.
Season review
The fourth Australian Rally Championship was decided over five events, staged across the Eastern States of Australia with two events in New South WalesNew South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and one each in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
. The series was the start of the domination of the Holden Dealer Team
Holden Dealer Team
The Holden Dealer Team was Holden’s semi-official racing team from 1969 until 1987, primarily contesting Australian Touring Car events but also rallying, rallycross and sports sedans during the 1970s...
Holden Torana GTR XU-1
Holden Torana
The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
of Colin Bond and George Shepheard. The Renault R8 Gordinis which had won the previous year were the only team to present any real challenge to the Toranas.
The Rallies
The five events of the 1971 season were as follows.| Round | Rally | Date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Classic Rally (VIC) | |
| 2 | Bunbury-Curran Rally (NSW) | |
| 3 | Snowy Mountains Rally (NSW) Bega Valley Rally The Bega Valley Rally is one of the main car rallies held in Australia and has a history dating from the 1960s when it evolved from the Snowy Mountains Rally. It was centred in the New South Wales town of Bega since 1973 and used roads and forestry tracks in the Southern NSW/Victorian Border... |
|
| 4 | Uniroyal Southern Rally (SA) | |
| 5 | Warana Rally (QLD) |
Round Three - Snowy Mountains RallyBega Valley RallyThe Bega Valley Rally is one of the main car rallies held in Australia and has a history dating from the 1960s when it evolved from the Snowy Mountains Rally. It was centred in the New South Wales town of Bega since 1973 and used roads and forestry tracks in the Southern NSW/Victorian Border...
| Position | Driver | Navigator | Car | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colin Bond Colin Bond Colin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team... |
George Shepheard | Torana GTR XU-1 | 36 |
| 2 | Barry Ferguson | Dave Johnson | Torana GTR XU-1 | 59 |
| 3 | Bruce Collier | Lindsay Adcock | Renault R8 Gordini | 60 |
| 4 | Stewart McLeod | Jack Lock | Torana GTR XU-1 | 68 |
| 5 | Bob Watson | Andy Chapman | Renault R8 Gordini | 82 |
| 6 | Peter Haughton | Jim Faulkner | Mitsubishi Colt 1100 Mitsubishi Colt 800 The Mitsubishi Colt 800 is the first of a series of passenger cars produced by Mitsubishi Motors from November 1965. It was introduced as a two-door fastback sedan, the first such design in the Japanese market... |
83 |
Colin BondColin BondColin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...
- Champion Driver 1971
| Position | Driver | Car | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colin Bond Colin Bond Colin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team... |
Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 2 | Bob Watson | Renault R8 Gordini | |
| 3 | Frank Kilfoyle | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 4= | Stewart McLeod | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 4= | Barry Ferguson | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 4= | Mal McPherson | Renault R8 Gordini | |
George Shepheard - Champion Navigator 1971
| Position | Navigator | Car | Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Shepheard | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 2 | Andy Chapman | Renault R8 Gordini | |
| 3 | Mike Osborne | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 4= | David Johnson | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
| 4= | Jeff Beaumont | Renault R8 Gordini | |
| 6 | Jack Lock | Torana GTR XU-1 | |
External Links
- http://www.begavalleyrally.com.au/history/ Results of Snowy Mountains Rally and ARC results.