It could have been the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon, the 1987 Lombard RAC Rally, or even Rally Australia in 1989. Instead, it was Rally Barossa in 2022.
The rally may have only been a round of the South Australian Rally Championship, but some of rallying’s classic cars were in action in wet and windy conditions last weekend.
Drivers of the period were in action too. Five-time Australian Rally Champion Ross Dunkerton, the 1970 winner Bob Watson, two-time champion Barry Lowe, and Wayne Bell – perhaps the fastest driver never to win the title.
The rally was held on the fast and flowing stages in the magnificent Barossa Valley, but heavy rain in the lead-up to the rally almost meant the event didn’t go ahead. Instead, the rain held off on rally day, but howling winds challenged the hardy spectators.
Dunkerton was at the wheel of his original Group A Mitsubishi Galant VR4 and had a combination of co-drivers, including his sons Aaron and Flynn.
The car is owned by Stuart Bowes, who also owns and has restored the Mazda 323 4WD that Wayne Bell and Dave Body so successfully competed in during the 1980s. Bell and Boddy teamed up again – this time for their first outing in over 20 years.
Watson, an octogenarian, was in a replica of the car he drove in the 1977 London to Sydney Marathon. The Peugeot 504 had been magnificently recreated by his new co-driver, Greg Park, but unfortunately, an altercation with a tree stump put paid to his rally early on.
Now in his 70s, Barry Lowe won his titles in the 1980s in Subaru RX Turbos, but has been Holden Commodore V8-mounted in recent years. The speed may have diminished a little, but the enthusiasm has not wavered.
The rally’s Group B moment came when Adam Kaplan (Main photo) had a late car swap and entered his original MG Metro 6R4.
Looking resplendent in its original Rothmans/Jimmy McRae livery, Kaplan had to run the car on road tyres because of tyre and brake shortages, but nevertheless put on a tremendous show.
All these classic machines almost overshadowed the victory by Nathan Quinn in a 52-year-old Mazda RX2.
The incredibly talented Quinn – an Aussie champ himself in 2017 – upset all the 4WD turbocharged cars to take the rally win by over 30 seconds. In a car built in 1970, that’s some effort.
While most interest may be on the upcoming Rally New Zealand or the next round of the national championship in Australia, Rally Barossa proved that a well-promoted state round can still more than live up to expectations.
It also reminded us that rallying is as much about participation and enjoyment as it is about results. Dunkerton, Bell, Watson and Lowe may not have set the timing sheets on fire, but that mattered little.
Having some of the sport’s legends in action once again, and sharing their experiences (and stories) with the rallying’s younger generation did more for their status than any stage time ever would.
Those of us lucky enough to be there will remember it forever.
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