Peter 'Possum' Bourne
Encyclopedia
Peter Raymond George "Possum" Bourne (13 April 1956 – 30 April 2003) was a champion New Zealand
rally car driver. He died under non-competitive circumstances while driving on a public road that was to be the track for an upcoming race.
He was a three time winner of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship
and the Australian Rally Championship
seven times consecutively, amongst many other titles.
, Auckland
, near his workshop. He lived with his wife, Peggy Bourne, and three children, Taylor, Spencer, and Jazlin. Bourne earned his nickname, "Possum", the night he crashed his mother's Humber 80
, while trying to avoid a possum
in the middle of the road.
His autobiography, Bourne to Rally was completed just days before his untimely death. A bronze memorial statue of Possum, unveiled a year after his death, now stands overlooking the event he loved the most. In 2005, Peggy Bourne entered Race to the Sky
, despite having had no formal rally driving experience, as a tribute to her late husband.
cars, initially the RX
(the turbocharged version of the Leone), then the Legacy
(rebadged as the Liberty for the Australian market because of a perceived clash with charity organisation Legacy Australia
).
But it would be the Impreza WRX
that he would become most associated with, driving for the Prodrive
Subaru World Rally Team
in Rally New Zealand
, Australia
and also in Indonesia
, partnered by Kenneth Eriksson
in the mid 1990s, before going on to win multiple Australian titles with his own team.
Subaru Japan even awarded him a black limited edition STi version of the Impreza for personal use.
, died in a freak crash during the 1993 Rally Australia
, and the crash almost ended Possum's career. After a lot of soul-searching, and encouragement from the Freeth family he returned to the driver's seat aiming to honour Freeth's legacy. From the time of Freeth's death, Bourne displayed a "ROJ" license plate on the front of his rally cars.
on 30 April 2003 after life support was withdrawn. He was driving the Race to the Sky
track, on the Waiorau Snow Farm Road which is normally a public road, for the event held in Cardrona
, near Wanaka
, New Zealand. Driving his Subaru Forester, he collided head on with a Jeep Cherokee
driven by rally driver Mike Barltrop who claimed that Possum was speeding. This Treachorous rd has over 100 corners at least 15 hairpins, hence its suitability for rally driving. Mr Barlthrop was later arrested on a dangerous driving charge. After pleading guilty to aggravated careless use causing death, Barltrop was sentenced in the Invercargill District Court to 300 hours community work, disqualified from driving for 18 months, and ordered to pay $10,000 reparations, divided between the intensive care unit of Dunedin Public Hospital and the Possum Bourne Education trust.
At the time of his death, Possum had just re-entered the world stage, driving a production-class Subaru Impreza in the PWRC
.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
rally car driver. He died under non-competitive circumstances while driving on a public road that was to be the track for an upcoming race.
Awards
Asia-Pacific Rally Championship
The Asia-Pacific Rally Championship is an international rally championship organized by the FIA. The championship was first held in 1988 and won by Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. Other winners include the two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain and the 1986...
and the Australian Rally Championship
Australian Rally Championship
The Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:...
seven times consecutively, amongst many other titles.
| Years won | Event |
| 1992 | Australian Rally Championship Australian Rally Championship The Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:... (Group N) |
| 1993-1994, 2000 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Asia-Pacific Rally Championship The Asia-Pacific Rally Championship is an international rally championship organized by the FIA. The championship was first held in 1988 and won by Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. Other winners include the two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain and the 1986... |
| 1996-2002 | Australian Rally Championship Australian Rally Championship The Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:... |
| 1989, 1991, 2000 | Ashley Forest Rally Sprint |
| 2001 | Queenstown Queenstown, New Zealand Queenstown is a resort town in Otago in the south-west of New Zealand's South Island. It is built around an inlet called Queenstown Bay on Lake Wakatipu, a long thin Z-shaped lake formed by glacial processes, and has spectacular views of nearby mountains.... Race to the Sky Race to the Sky The Silverstone Race to the Sky is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of a mountain. The race has been held every year since 1998 on two days over the Easter weekend... |
| 2002 | Hokkaido Rally Rally Japan Rally Japan is a rally competition held in Hokkaidō, Japan. The event has been part of the FIA World Rally Championship since its introduction during the 2004 season. From 2004 to 2007, the event was held on the twisty and narrow gravel roads of the Tokachi region near Obihiro. For the 2008 season,... Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
| 2002 | Rally New Zealand Rally New Zealand The Rally New Zealand was first held in Taupo in 1969, and was subsequently staged in Canterbury, before moving back to the North Island in 1971.The rally was included as a round of the World Championship in 1977... (Group N Group N In relation to motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to a set of regulations providing 'standard' production vehicles for competition, often referred to as the "Showroom Class".... ) |
Family
Bourne lived in PukekohePukekohe
Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. Located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, it is approximately 50 kilometres south of Auckland City, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Pukekohe...
, Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, near his workshop. He lived with his wife, Peggy Bourne, and three children, Taylor, Spencer, and Jazlin. Bourne earned his nickname, "Possum", the night he crashed his mother's Humber 80
Hillman Minx
The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970...
, while trying to avoid a possum
Possum
A possum is any of about 70 small to medium-sized arboreal marsupial species native to Australia, New Guinea, and Sulawesi .Possums are quadrupedal diprotodont marsupials with long tails...
in the middle of the road.
His autobiography, Bourne to Rally was completed just days before his untimely death. A bronze memorial statue of Possum, unveiled a year after his death, now stands overlooking the event he loved the most. In 2005, Peggy Bourne entered Race to the Sky
Race to the Sky
The Silverstone Race to the Sky is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of a mountain. The race has been held every year since 1998 on two days over the Easter weekend...
, despite having had no formal rally driving experience, as a tribute to her late husband.
Car of choice
Bourne was best known for his exploits behind the wheel of SubaruSubaru
; is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportation conglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries .Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500 cc as well as...
cars, initially the RX
Subaru Leone
The Subaru Leone was a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Fuji Heavy Industries from 1971 to 1994. The word "leone" is Italian for lion....
(the turbocharged version of the Leone), then the Legacy
Subaru Legacy
The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
(rebadged as the Liberty for the Australian market because of a perceived clash with charity organisation Legacy Australia
Legacy Australia
Legacy is an Australian organisation, established in 1923 by ex-servicemen. The organisation has the aim of caring for the dependents of deceased Australian service men and women. The dependants of World War I, World War II, the Korean War, Malayan emergency and Vietnam War deceased are cared for...
).
But it would be the Impreza WRX
Subaru Impreza WRX
The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan or wagon....
that he would become most associated with, driving for the Prodrive
Prodrive
Prodrive is a British motorsport and automotive engineering group based in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It designs, constructs and races cars for companies and teams such as Subaru, Aston Martin and Ford...
Subaru World Rally Team
Subaru World Rally Team
The Subaru World Rally Team was Subaru's World Rally Championship team. It used a distinctive blue with yellow color scheme that is a throwback to the sponsorship deal with State Express 555, a BAT cigarette brand popular in Asia. 555 logos were found on Subaru cars from 1993 to 2003...
in Rally New Zealand
Rally New Zealand
The Rally New Zealand was first held in Taupo in 1969, and was subsequently staged in Canterbury, before moving back to the North Island in 1971.The rally was included as a round of the World Championship in 1977...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and also in Indonesia
Rally Indonesia
Rally Indonesia is the largest rallying event held in Indonesia. Currently part of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship , it has twice been incorporated into the World Rally Championship calendar, in 1996 and 1997...
, partnered by Kenneth Eriksson
Kenneth Eriksson
Kenneth Eriksson is a now retired World Rally Championship rally driver. He drove for several manufacturer teams, including the Subaru World Rally Team, Mitsubishi, Hyundai and Škoda...
in the mid 1990s, before going on to win multiple Australian titles with his own team.
Subaru Japan even awarded him a black limited edition STi version of the Impreza for personal use.
Roj
Possum's best friend and co-driver, Dr. Rodger "Roj" FreethRodger Freeth
Rodger Freeth, Ph.D., was a New Zealand motor sport competitor.He held a Ph.D. in Physics and had a distinguished academic and motorsport career. His first love was motorcycles and whilst he was still at university he built a radical Yamaha TZ750A with an aerofoil...
, died in a freak crash during the 1993 Rally Australia
Rally Australia
Rally Australia is an automobile rally event which was held in and around Perth, Western Australia from 1988 until 2006, when that state's tourism commission severed its collaboration with the event. The rally was part of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in 1988 and the World Rally Championship...
, and the crash almost ended Possum's career. After a lot of soul-searching, and encouragement from the Freeth family he returned to the driver's seat aiming to honour Freeth's legacy. From the time of Freeth's death, Bourne displayed a "ROJ" license plate on the front of his rally cars.
Death
Bourne received serious head injuries in a non-competitive car crash on 18 April 2003, and died in Dunedin Public HospitalDunedin Public Hospital
Dunedin Hospital is the main public hospital in Dunedin, New Zealand. It is the largest hospital south of Christchurch and serves as the major hospital for the Otago and Southland regions...
on 30 April 2003 after life support was withdrawn. He was driving the Race to the Sky
Race to the Sky
The Silverstone Race to the Sky is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of a mountain. The race has been held every year since 1998 on two days over the Easter weekend...
track, on the Waiorau Snow Farm Road which is normally a public road, for the event held in Cardrona
Cardrona, New Zealand
Cardrona is the name of a locality, skifield and beer in New Zealand. Established as a gold rush township in the 1860s on the banks of the small river of the same name, it is known for its distinctive hotel of gold rush vintage which is on the opposite side of the river to the original township of...
, near Wanaka
Wanaka
Wanaka is a town in the Otago region of the South Island of New Zealand. It is situated at the southern end of Lake Wanaka, adjacent to the outflow of the lake to the Clutha River. It is the gateway to Mount Aspiring National Park. Wanaka is primarily a resort town but has both summer and winter...
, New Zealand. Driving his Subaru Forester, he collided head on with a Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Cherokee
Jeep Cherokee may refer to:* Jeep Cherokee * Jeep Cherokee * Jeep Grand Cherokee , , and * Jeep Liberty, a.k.a. Jeep Cherokee...
driven by rally driver Mike Barltrop who claimed that Possum was speeding. This Treachorous rd has over 100 corners at least 15 hairpins, hence its suitability for rally driving. Mr Barlthrop was later arrested on a dangerous driving charge. After pleading guilty to aggravated careless use causing death, Barltrop was sentenced in the Invercargill District Court to 300 hours community work, disqualified from driving for 18 months, and ordered to pay $10,000 reparations, divided between the intensive care unit of Dunedin Public Hospital and the Possum Bourne Education trust.
At the time of his death, Possum had just re-entered the world stage, driving a production-class Subaru Impreza in the PWRC
Production World Rally Championship
The FIA Production World Rally Championship, or PWRC, is a companion rally series to the World Rally Championship, and is driven on the same stages. PWRC is limited to production-based cars homologated under the Group N. The series began in 2002, replacing the FIA Group N Rally Championship...
.
Career results
| Season | Series | Position | Car | Team |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | World Rally Championship World Rally Championship The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13... |
28th | Subaru RX Subaru Leone The Subaru Leone was a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Fuji Heavy Industries from 1971 to 1994. The word "leone" is Italian for lion.... |
|
| 1984 1984 World Rally Championship season The 1984 World Rally Championship season was the 12th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Stig Blomqvist beat the defending world champion and Audi teammate Hannu... |
World Rally Championship | 43rd | Subaru RX | |
| 1985 1985 World Rally Championship season The 1985 World Rally Championship season was the 13th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 12 rallies following the same schedule as the previous season. Peugeot Sport's Timo Salonen beat Audi Sport's Stig Blomqvist and Walter... |
World Rally Championship | 51st | Subaru RX | |
| 1986 1986 World Rally Championship season The 1986 World Rally Championship season was the 14th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, including all twelve venues of the previous season as well as the addition of the Olympus Rally... |
World Rally Championship | 49th | Subaru RX | |
| 1987 1987 World Rally Championship season The 1987 World Rally Championship season was the 15th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies in the same venues of the previous season... |
World Rally Championship | 23rd | Subaru RX | |
| 1988 1988 World Rally Championship season The 1988 World Rally Championship season was the 16th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship... |
World Rally Championship | 72nd | Subaru RX | |
| 1989 1989 World Rally Championship season The 1989 World Rally Championship season was the 17th season of the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile World Rally Championship . The season consisted of 13 rallies, with some adjustments to the schedule versus the previous season... |
World Rally Championship | 49th | Subaru RX | |
| 1990 1990 World Rally Championship season The 1990 World Rally Championship season was the 18th season of the FIA World Rally Championship. The season consisted of 12 rallies. The drivers' world championship was won by Carlos Sainz in a Toyota Celica GT-Four, ahead of Didier Auriol and Juha Kankkunen... |
World Rally Championship | 14th | Subaru Legacy Subaru Legacy The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in... |
|
| 1991 | New Zealand Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Legacy | |
| 1992 | World Rally Championship | 34th | Subaru Legacy | |
| 1992 | Australian Rally Championship Australian Rally Championship The Australian Rally Championship is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.-Current Competition:... |
3rd | Subaru Liberty RS Subaru Legacy The Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in... |
Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1993 | World Rally Championship | 31st | Subaru Legacy | |
| 1993 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Asia-Pacific Rally Championship The Asia-Pacific Rally Championship is an international rally championship organized by the FIA. The championship was first held in 1988 and won by Japan's Kenjiro Shinozuka in a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. Other winners include the two-time World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain and the 1986... |
1st | Subaru Legacy | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1993 | Australian Rally Championship | 3rd | Subaru Liberty RS | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1994 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Legacy | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1995 | World Rally Championship | 14th | Subaru Impreza WRX Subaru Impreza WRX The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan or wagon.... |
|
| 1996 | World Rally Championship | 26th | Subaru Impreza WRX | |
| 1996 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRX | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1997 | World Rally Championship | 15th | Subaru Impreza WRX | |
| 1997 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRX | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1998 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRX | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1999 | World Rally Championship | 15th | Subaru Impreza WRC Subaru Impreza WRX The Subaru Impreza WRX is a turbocharged version of the Subaru Impreza, an all-wheel drive, four-door passenger vehicle. It is available as a sedan or wagon.... |
Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 1999 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRC | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 2000 | World Rally Championship | 21st | Subaru Impreza WRC | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 2000 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRC | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 2000 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRC | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 2001 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRC | Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 2002 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Subaru Impreza WRX STi Subaru Impreza WRX STI The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities... |
Possum Bourne Motorsport |
| 2003 | Production World Rally Championship Production World Rally Championship The FIA Production World Rally Championship, or PWRC, is a companion rally series to the World Rally Championship, and is driven on the same stages. PWRC is limited to production-based cars homologated under the Group N. The series began in 2002, replacing the FIA Group N Rally Championship... |
14th | Subaru Impreza WRX STi | Possum Bourne Motorsport |