PRINCIPALITY MOTOR SPORTS

Represented by Principality of Hutt River Royal Rally Team members

Jeff GRAHAM OIOM (Driver)
&
Joy GRAHAM OIOM (Co-driver/Navigator)

In Car # 31 - 1969 Peugeot 404 (2 Litre engine)

This rally event is organised by:
The HISTORIC RALLY ASSOCIATION (HRA)

Invitation sent out to members promoting the event.

Dear interested rally person,

Welcome to the 2010 BP Ultimate Rally of South Eastern Australia, the seventh “Olde BP Rally” to be conducted since the last of the original BP Rallies was run in 1973. We are pleased to continue the long tradition of support from the BP company.

An illustrious group has directed the BP, starting with Donald Thomson, John Pryce and Graeme Hoinville as the directing team from 1958 until 1967. Tony Theiler replaced Donald for two years, then Frank Kilfoyle and Mike Osborne took over the reins until 1973. Peter Haas and Bob Watson came up with the Old BP concept in 1979 and repeated it in 1984 and 1989. After a nine year break, Rob Knight and Ray Daniel replaced Peter for 1998 and 2004. It was a privilege for me to be allowed to present this event in 2008, and as we all enjoyed it so much, and we are getting too old to afford to wait four to five years, we are back so soon to do it again, this time with Geoff Boyd and Ian Ellis also on the team.

The BP has a great heritage and the 2010 event will like 2008, respectfully try and recreate much of what made the original events so challenging, but satisfying. The event starts in Melbourne at 6.00 pm Thursday, 6 May with an Assembly Stage which ends near Sale. Then over the mountains by night to a four hour breakfast break in Benalla. A daytime Friday division follows to Swan Hill, for an overnight break. A long sandy leg during Saturday will end at Sea Lake in the Mallee with a three hour dinner break. The route proceeds southwards under the cover of dark to an early Sunday morning finish at Ballarat.

After everyone has had a decent sleep, Dowling Forest Racecourse will provide a magnificent setting for a Sunday luncheon function to reflect on the 2010 event and acknowledge the winners, but more importantly to celebrate in fine style, 52 years since the first BP Rally. Persistent efforts are being made to locate and invite as many past competitors as possible. Luncheon attendance for drivers and navigators is included in the modest entry fee of $425. Additional tickets can be purchased at $35 per head from the event secretary. Some details of accommodation close to the Swan Hill finish and restart controls, the Ballarat event finish and post event locations are attached.

The event will be an endurance test, requiring an even contribution from driver and navigator over the most incredible range of terrain that Victoria has to offer. The selected route is quite suitable for historic rally cars. In order to encourage crews to take up this unique opportunity, and to be able to complete the entire route without cutting and running, navigators will be cared for and nurtured with a simple but comprehensive pre event guide that aims to demystify interpreting instructions and reading the maps. I will clarify and reinforce the guide at a session for navigators to be held in conjunction with Melbourne Scrutiny. I want navigators to enjoy the event and not have their ego and confidence constantly battered.

More testing touring sections will be interspersed with transport and cruising sections in order to give some respite for navigators and drivers. The addition of a crew member is allowed for as it may assist in managing crew fatigue over the event, particularly for some of our more elderly competitors. We are looking into conditions under which the third crew member could maybe rest other than in the competing car.

It will be memorable for driver and navigator.
That is always my guarantee.

Ross Runnalls
Event Director

Details may best be found by visiting the website of the:
2010 BP Ultimate Rally of South Eastern Australia

REPORT!

Our team leader and co-ordinator Jeff Graham OIOM and wife Joy Graham OIOM competed in the May 2010 BP Ultimate Rally of South Eastern Australia, finishing up mid field, a great result for them.

We were paired with a Mercedes (8th) and a datsun1600 (DNF) in teams event overall a great adventure , glad we finished, an achievement in itself for a new novice crew.
The organisers magazine, HRA news from Melbourne featured the recent efforts of the PHR Rally Team in a two page article about the BP rally. The magazine also ran a small editorial on the Principalities 40^th anniversary as well as commenting on our involvement on behalf the Principality in events.

Jeff  & Joy Graham OIOM

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