The purpose of this page is to capture pictures and stories of competitors and officials in the years since the conduct of BP Rallies.
The “Old” BP rallies run since 1973, each with a social occasion either during or immediately following the event have provided an opportunity for the “originals” to catch up.
We have a few pictures here but are looking for more.
Lunch with the Legends
Ross Runnalls came up with the idea, Bob Watson ran with it, and Harry Firth kindly hosted a special reunion lunch at his Hastings home in April 2010 for winners and organizers of the original BP Rallies which ran from 1958 to 1973. All were interviewed by John Emery on their BP memories and proceedings were filmed by Darryl Reid, an original BP competitor from Tasmania. The Historic Rally Association funded the video production.
The following winners were there: Harry Firth (winning driver 1962 and 1963), Ray Christie, wining driver 1964, Ian Vaughan winning driver 1969, Bob Watson winning driver 1972 and Andy Chapman, winning driver 1973. Winning navigators present were Geoff Thomas (1963, 1965, 1972), Robin Sharpley (1967), and Mike Osborne (1970). Unfortunately triple winning navigator Frank Kilfoyle (1960, 1962, 1963) could not attend.
On the organizing side the surviving member (Graham Hoinville) of the original BP Rally organizing team of Donald Thomson, John Pryce of BP and Graham Hoinville was there together with 1968 and 1969 event Director Tony Theiler and Mike Osborne who as well as being a winning navigator was event co-director in 1971 and 1972, and event Director in 1973. Don Ellis and Ian Home who helped the core team for many years attended, and Ross Runnalls, director of the HRA Old BP Rallies of 2008, 2010 and 2013 tagged along, given it was his idea! A distinguished gathering indeed.
Harry Firth showed he could organise a feed as well as he could a race and rally team, and a few wines allowed the chat and stories to flow, as can be heard by the constant background hum on the Lunch with the Legends Video, which can be viewed here.
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