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