2005 HRA Alpine Rally

[Zedrally]

Hi all,

The starting order for this great Historic event have been released.

With 89 starters, 31 are pre 86 Datsun/Nissan vehicles, this is a great tribute to the Datsun designers that there are still so many RAlly prepared cars STILL competing in Australia, Yes, there are a few Zeds as well....

Check out.

http://www.hra.org.au/comingEvents/documents/2005Alpine_Start-List.pdf

for more details..

MOM

[Zedrally]

Datsun 2nd, 3rd & 4th..........

Record Breaking Alpine Rally Win

The 58th Alpine Rally finished in Lakes Entrance this weekend with a

record breaking performance from winning co-driver Ross Runnalls.

He now has a record seven wins in this classic Australian motorsport

event, one clear of another 1970's Alpine legend Frank Kilfoyle and

his 1980's sparring partner Greg Carr. The Australian Alpine Rally

is the world's second oldest motorsport event having been run for

the first time in 1921.

Co-drivng for now three times Alpine Rally winner and two times

Australian Rally Champion Geoff Portman, who was also Runnalls first

and long time driver, drove their powerful, on loan, Holden

Commodore V8 with great control and flare in the wet and tricky

conditions in the Alpine high country to the north of Lakes Entrance

and Orbost.

This was a fitting result for Portman and Runnalls as this rally win

came on the 30th anniversary of their first Alpine Rally start in

1975. They were at the time also Holden mounted in a rugged

looking fawn coloured 1956 Holden FE Sedan. The win in this year's

event was also Geoff's first Alpine start since his last win in

1982. This years Holden, a 1984 Commodore, was borrowed from another

previous Australian Rally Champion Barry Lowe and son's Aaron and

proved the perfect weapon for Geoff who even admitted, privately, at

the finish that it had to much horsepower for him to handle!

The final day of competition yesterday saw an epic battle for the

lead between Portman/Runnalls and New South Wales driver Kari

Dirickx and co-driver Tim Batten in a potent Datsun 1600. Dirickx

started the day 4 seconds ahead of Portman who had decide to "push"

on this final day having become more at home in the big unfamiliar

V8 Commodore. Portman / Runnalls also had an advantage of "local

knowledge" with both of them going thru Forestry school together in

the 70's and then spending extended time in the Alpine forestry

regions since.

At the end of another fitting, tough Alpine Rally, Portman and

Runnalls finished 30 seconds in front of Dirickx/Batten with Tim's

father Mike Batten/Glen Murray, Datsun 1600 just piping teenager

Jesse Robison co-driven by sister Sam in yet another Datsun, this

time a 260Z coupe, proving this car makers dominance of club car

rallying in Australia.

At the presentation at the Lakes Entrance Kalimna Hotel last night,

a crowd of more than 400 competitors and Alpine Rally enthusiast

celebrated the end of this years Alpine and the presentation started

with event Secretary Jodi Mann announcing that this would be her

and, event boss, Stuart Listers' last Alpine Rally as key

organisers. Immediately a round of three cheers for Stuart was

called for from yet another Australian Rally legend on hand, Bob

Watson which was rousing supported by the packed crowd.

So another Alpine Rally is done; where too from here. There will be

another Alpine, most likely in two years time, the HRA stalwarts

have already started to put in place the steps to ensure that, so it

is true ….

Resistance IS Futile, even if your names are Stuart Lister and Jodi

Mann.

Final Results

Geoff Portman/Ross Runnalls Holden Commodore 207:52 (Minutes:Seconds)

Karl Dirickx/Tim Batten, Datsun 1600, 208:22

Mike Batten/Glenn Murray, Datsun 1600, 217:50

Jesse & Sam Robinson, Datsun 260Z, 219:53

Full results and photos will be on www.hra.org.au later today