1998 BP revived by the HRA
After a nine year gap which had also seen the demise of the
Light Car Club of Australia, the promoters of the BP since its inception in
1958, the Historic Rally Association came to the rescue of those wanting to see
the BP tradition kept alive.
Peter Haas was no longer there, so Bob Watson stepped up as
director assisted by Ray Daniel and Rob Knight, to run the Olde BP Rally 1998
over 20 to 22 March.
The basic format of the event was unchanged, being 1500km
over Friday night and all Saturday to an overnight stop, then run back towards
Melbourne on Sunday. Entries were
confined though to pre 1976 vehicles only, and while the start point would be
BP Somerton again, there would be no traditional rally stage.
Division 1 took in Myrniong, Llandeilo, Meredith (for fuel),
Grenville, Dereel (where many missed a sneaky passage control), Berringa,
Illabarook, Lismore and Vite Vite to Hamilton.
Leaders there, but retired soon after with mechanical issues, were
McLaughlan/Floyd 22, Laidlay/Upton 32, Fernie Smalley 35.
Division 2 would take crews through the early hours to
breakfast at Hopetoun, via Glenisla in
the Grampians (where just a few got one
passage), Cherrypool, Kanagulk, Mockinya, Horsham (for fuel), Wail, Lorquon,
Pella, and across the dry Lake Albacutya.
Naish/Runnalls came to the fore, after realising at Horsham that they
had incurred penalties for easily cleaning sections, to be down 119 to
Wallis/Nicholas 131 and Upton/Laidlay 156.
Division 3 a daylight run through Dattuck, Turriff,
Chinkapook, Ryanby (where many got the passage but missed the info) and
Goschen, across to Swan Hill took its toll on those down the field, but the
leaders were unchanged with Naish/Runnalls 137, awarded the City of Swan Hill
trophy, Wallis/Nicholas 167 and Upton/Laidlay 184.
The organisers must have enjoyed the social gathering and
catch up with previous BP competitors as someone took off with the Divison 4
route instructions, so it was transport down to Kerang, and probably avoided
being shot up by keen shooters out for duck opening on the many inland lakes
between Swan Hill and Kerang. Once
regrouped the field explored Appin,
Sylvaterre, Elmore (for fuel), Roslynmead, Runnymede, Toolleen, Heathcote and
Carlsruhe on the way to the finish at the Diggers Rest Hotel. Devenish/Wylie won the division and moved up
into third on 223, while first remained Naish/Runnalls on 155 and second Wallis/Nicholas
180.
Many of the same locations from previous BPs were visited,
but with the passing of time, no one seemed to notice.
23 out of 37 finished.
Documents:
Event Reports:
Australian Rallysport News May 1998
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