1971 Australian Rally Championship

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1971 Series winners Colin Bond and George Shepheard in the Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana GTR XU-1. Bond XU1 1971 Graham Ruckert.jpg
1971 Series winners Colin Bond and George Shepheard in the Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana GTR XU-1.

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.

Contents

Colin Bond and navigator George Shepheard in the Holden Dealer Team Holden Torana GTR XU-1 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 Wales and one each in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia. [1] 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.

The Rallies

The five events of the 1971 season were as follows.

RoundRallyDate
1Classic Rally (VIC)20 March 1971
2Bunbury-Curran Rally (NSW)17 April 1971
3 Snowy Mountains Rally (NSW) 12 June 1971
4Uniroyal Southern Rally (SA)31 July 1971
5Warana Rally (QLD)18 September 1971

Round Three – Snowy Mountains Rally

PositionDriverNavigatorCarPoints
1 Colin Bond George Shepheard Torana GTR XU-1 36
2Barry FergusonDave Johnson Torana GTR XU-1 59
3Bruce CollierLindsay Adcock Renault R8 Gordini 60
4Stewart McLeodJack Lock Torana GTR XU-1 68
5Bob WatsonAndy Chapman Renault R8 Gordini 82
6Peter HaughtonJim Faulkner Mitsubishi Colt 1100 83

Round Five – Warana Rally

PositionDriverNavigatorCarPoints
1 Colin Bond George Shepheard Torana GTR XU-1 39
2Frank KilfoyleMike Osborne Torana GTR XU-1 47
3Bob WatsonAndy Chapman Renault R8 Gordini 57
4Brian MichelmoreGreg Sked Alfa Romeo 1750 GTV 59
5Charlie LundMurray Coote Mazda RX-2 69
6Greg SmithRod Browning Torana GTR XU-1 93
7Peter JansonMike Mitchell Holden Monaro GTS 350 94
8Mal McPhersonJeff Beaumont Renault R8 Gordini 95
9Roger BonhommeG Thomas Renault R8 Gordini 96
10=John ConnellGerry Brameld Holden Monaro GTS 186 110
10=John McLeanLaurie Garth Fiat 124 110

1971 Drivers and Navigators Championships

Final pointscore for 1971 is as follows. [1]

Colin Bond – Champion Driver 1971

PositionDriverCarPoints
1 Colin Bond Torana GTR XU-1
2Bob Watson Renault R8 Gordini
3Frank 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

PositionNavigatorCarPoints
1George Shepheard Torana GTR XU-1
2Andy Chapman Renault R8 Gordini
3Mike Osborne Torana GTR XU-1
4=David Johnson Torana GTR XU-1
4=Jeff Beaumont Renault R8 Gordini
6Jack Lock Torana GTR XU-1

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References

  1. 1 2 "Bega Valley Rally website". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2011.