1973

 


1973             The final BP goes to a Datsun privateer


Andy Chapman and Laurie Comerford upset more fancied factory supported crews to take out the final BP. Andy had a couple of fifths as navigator with Dave Cuthbert and Laurie a second outright with David Chettle in previous BPs.

The directing team was much the same as the previous year, and the course crossed the river briefly into NSW between Echuca and Swan Hill, which may explain why there were no NSW entries other than Colin Bond in the HDT Kingswood. Navigation had started to lose its appeal in NSW as well. Spectator notes appeared for the first time, another indication of the changing face of rallying and why the BP may have run its race.

Assembly Stages commenced from Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Hobart, but no Sydney due to aforementioned lack of interest, and finished at Benalla. Six divisions followed in the Trial Stage totalling 1533 miles.

Division 1 of six started from Benalla at 5.30 pm Thursday 10 May, with breaks between Divisions at Bright (depart 3 am Friday), Shepparton (depart 11 am), overnight at Swan Hill (depart 9.15 am Saturday), Ouyen (depart 5.20 pm), Charlton (depart 12.45 am Sunday), Eaglehawk (depart 10.15) to Balwyn before ceremonial Sunday afternoon finish with sub-event at Chadstone.

The second section over rugged Mt Samaria had many fallen trees to negotiate and became boggy for later crews such as Philip/Bonhomme at car 57. Bond lost 32 with steering issues. The remainder of the Division over Mt Skene to Licola then over the Bennison Plains and down the rocky Valencia Ck Rd past “Mother Hardy’s” into Dargo, then over Mt Hotham to Harrietville was considered more like an Alpine or Southern Cross than a BP. Needless to say Bond made up some time, so that by Shepparton, Davis/Haas led on 60, from Bond/Smith 63, Watson/Beaumont 68 and Chapman/Comerford 74.

A boggy lane into Barnes out of Echuca resulted in the iconic photos of then intrepid navigators riding on the rear bumper-bars through the slush. Toranas appeared to be the major victims. By the Swan Hill sleep break it was Watson/Beaumont 70, Chapman/Comerford 77 and Creed /Wunderlich in the Range Rover 79.

Division four crossed the Sunset Country looping back to Ouyen. Once one got bogged, the following lost momentum, and with nowhere to go, a queue of winchers readily formed, hence the section to Birthday Tank took its toll. Bond/Smith would not go through an unmarked gate, costing them an hour and probably the event, while Watson did a tie rod, and pinched one off official Ian Home, also in a 504 to get out to Nowingi.

The run down to Charlton in the early evening was less pressure, so that prior to the final Division Chapman/Comerford led on 103 to Philip/Bonhomme 117 and Davis/Haas 124.

Chapman/Comerford had a nervous run through the goldfields forests with punctures, running out of fuel and narrowly avoiding WDs, and were fortunate that the final section through the Whipstick scrub into Bendigo was deleted.

Philip/Bonhomme edged into second ahead of Davis/Haas third and Bond/Smith fourth.

60 crews started and 52 finished.

Documents:

General Supplementary Regulations

Final Instructions on acceptance of entry

Entry List

Refuel Points

Rally Schedule

No Movement Orders

Control Officials Instructions

Service Instructions

Spectator Notes

Assembly Stage and Trial Stage Route Instructions

Machine Examination at Finish

Route map (These files are large and may be slow to download)

Comprehensive Results section by section

No Director’s summary report

Media reports:

Racing Car News June 1973

Australian Auto Action May 25, 1973

BP Accelerator June 1973

Motoring News International June 1,1973

Multimedia:

Photos

Darryl Reid Video from 1:10 onwards for 1973 BP mainly of Chadstone sub-event

Personal stories:

Navigating for Ken Cusack in the big Monaro by Ian Baldock

Ken Cusack's substantial Powerpoint story of their 1973 BP

2 comments:

  1. Ross, Can you P.M. me please I have a friend trying to contact you re a social event
    Max Nathan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Max,
      Apologies for missing this.
      I assume it was related to Graham Trounce.
      Contact was made!
      Ross

      Delete