1970 Australian Rally Championship

The 1970 Australian Rally Championship was a series of five rallying events held across Australia. It was the third season in the history of the competition.

Series winners Bob Watson and Jim McCauliffe in the Renault R8 Gordini at the start of the final round for 1970, the Warana Rally.

Bob Watson and navigator Jim McCauliffe in the Renault R8 Gordini were the winners of the 1970 Championship.

Season review

The third Australian Rally Championship was decided over five events, with two in Victoria and one each in Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.[1] The series was dominated by the Renault R8 Gordinis, with Watson and McCauliffe winning four of the five rounds and coming second in the other. Their closest challenge was from Colin Bond and Brian Hope in the new Holden Monaro GTS 350.

The Rallies

The five events of the 1970 season were as follows.

Round Rally Date
1 Eureka Rally (VIC) 28 February 1970
2 Blue Ribbon Rally (VIC)
3 Snowy Mountains Rally (NSW)
4 Cambridge Toyota Rally (SA)
5 Warana Rally (QLD) 19/20 September 1970

Round One – Eureka Rally
Position Driver Navigator Car Points
1 Bob Watson Jim McCauliffe Renault R8 Gordini
2 Rex Lunn John Hall Toyota Corona MKII Hardtop
3 Mal McPherson Robin Sharpley Renault R8 Gordini
4 Tony Roberts Haas Holden Torana GTR

[2][3]

Round Three – Cibie Snowy Rally
Position Driver Navigator Car Points
1 Bob Watson Jim McCauliffe Renault R8 Gordini 16
2 Colin Bond Brian Hope Holden Monaro 350 17
3 Max Winkless Peter Meyer Volvo 142S 21
4 Bruce Collier Peter Haas Renault R8 Gordini 31
5 Peter Houghton Mick Nielson Peugeot 404 36
6 Mal McPherson Roger Bonhomme Renault R8 Gordini 38

Round Five – Warana Rally
Position Driver Navigator Car Points
1 Bob Watson Jim McCauliffe Renault R8 Gordini 51
2 Colin Bond George Shepheard Holden Monaro 350 72
3 Mal McPherson Robin Sharpley Renault R8 Gordini 77
4 Roger Brameld Gerry Brameld Isuzu Bellett 145
5 Brian Michelmore Greg Sked Ford Cortina MKI 147
6 Ron Daniels Roy Spillane Renault R8 155

1970 Drivers and Navigators Championships

Final pointscore for 1970 is as follows.[1]

Bob Watson – Champion Driver 1970
Position Driver Car Points
1 Bob Watson Renault R8 Gordini
2 Colin Bond Holden Monaro 350
3 Mal McPherson Renault R8 Gordini
4 Tony Roberts
5 Stewart McLeod
6 Peter Robertson

Jim McAuliffe – Champion Navigator 1970
Position Navigator Car Points
1 Jim McAuliffe Renault R8 Gordini
2 Brian Hope Holden Monaro 350
3 Robin Sharpley
4 Mike Osborne
5 John Lock
6 Roger Bonhomme Renault R8 Gordini

References
  1. "Bega Valley Rally website". Archived from the original on 2 March 2014. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  2. Motor Manual May 1970
  3. Wheels June 1970
  • Results of Snowy Mountains Rally and ARC results.
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