Story and Photos by Vince Johnson
November 18-22 2009
South Australia’s Classic Adelaide Rally celebrated its 13th anniversary with the tried and true formula of four days of loops into the hills and surrounding country on closed public roads. Home base was once again the Hilton Hotel in the center of the city.
BEA Motors, Adelaide’s Mercedes dealership, promoted the rally to the public on the Sunday prior to the event with a display of classic and restored cars at Victoria Square (below) in the town centre.
On Wednesday, after a lunchtime parade through the city, competitors in each category ran against the clock in the Prologue up the Old Mt Barker Road to the Eagle on the Hill lookout to determine Thursday’s starting order.
Last year, in the Historic section, John Lawson brought his 1938 Alfa Romeo 2300B Mille Miglia Spyder. This year, he and son Paul shared the driving of their 1936 Delage D6 70 Le Mans (above). This car had recently completed the Lobethal Grand Carnival and Vintage Collingrove Hillclimb and had remained in Adelaide for this event.
Several regulars returned with crowd favourites in the Classic Competition category. The Lancia Delta Integrale (above, with engine photo inset) which Steve Glenney drove in the 2008 event was this time in the hands of owner Paul Carter with Jennifer Bingham calling the corners. Danny Vettori brought his Lancia Fulvia 1.6HF, co-driven by David Rudzitis (below).
Resplendent in Martini colours, it is an impressively prepared vehicle. Phil & Deb Powell’s 308 GT4 Ferrari (below) was back, as was Bryan Mendelson and Richard Ranger’s Ferrari 330 GT 2+2, its classic interior a well sorted mix of sixties style and rally function.
Summer in Australia officially starts on December 1 but 43 Celsius (109F) on Thursday was a good imitation and radiators and electric fans were working overtime. Friday began on a somber note with a prayer and a minute’s silence for Victorians Gary Tierney and David Carra, who died when their Porsche 911 hit a tree during Thursday afternoon’s Kersbrook stage. As a mark of respect, all cars wore black tape on their left headlight for the duration of the rally.
Entrants once again displayed their cars for the public on the next Friday evening in Gouger Street, alongside the restaurants and cafes. By now the weather had changed and following the thunderstorms most convertibles had their roofs up. After Saturday’s special stages, for the first time, the Norwood Parade shopping strip 3 kilometres east of the city joined the street party theme with the rally cars on show. Local members of the Ferrari Club Australia added some Italian flavour to the recipe during these displays.
In the Thoroughbred Tour section John Keating and Peter O’Reilly kept Alfa Romeo’s flag flying with their 1975 Spider. De Tomaso was represented by the Panteras of Sean Brennan & Jon Gilligan and regulars Nick & Ches de Tomaso (what else would you drive? above). Ferraris entered in the TT category included event chairman David Edwards’ 550 Maranello and the 1974 365 Berlinetta Boxer driven by Mark Hoffmann & Phil Lane.
UK stalwarts Sir Paul Vestey & Doug Nye were back, (above, Nye as a calm passenger) having competed in every one of the 13 Classic Adelaide Rallies since its inception in 1997. This year they were in the now 50 year old ex-Scuderia Serenissima 250 GT California LWB. The top came down on Sunday after the rain had eased and when asked about how they had stood up to Thursday’s heat, Paul replied that the temperature had been exactly 40 degrees (104F) hotter than when they had left England.
New to the rally this year was the Teringie stage on Saturday afternoon. Patrons at the Scenic Hotel in Norton Summit had a balcony or table top view as competitors braked for the hard right into the old road back down to town.
Brenton Grigoul’s Ferrari 360 Challenge (above) brought hotel clients to their feet and practiced some low flying at Sunday morning’s Mt Lofty stage before scoring 20th place (3rd in class) in the modern competition category.
In Late Classic, Guy & Graham Standen ran their 1974 Fiat 124 Sport (lead photo) hard for the four days for a creditable 18th and 1st in class. The Powell’s Dino came in 27th (1st in class) just ahead of the Carter-Bingham Integrale 28th (2nd in class). In 17th position in the Classic section was the Vettori-Rudzitis Lancia Fulvia, 3 places ahead of the rally-equpped Mendelson-Ranger Ferrari 330GT 2+2 (below).
Everyone knows if you want to win rallies, the odds increase if you’re in a Porsche and Kevin Weeks and Bev Crunkhorn took outright honours again in their 1974 911 RS. The finish this year moved to King William Road at Hyde Park, a couple of kilometres south of the city. John Lawson had trouble getting the cork out of his bottle of celebratory bubbly for their win in the historic category but succeeded in repaying co-driver Paul for the drenching he received. The Delage sported its road grime with pride.
Until next year: Nick & Ches de Tomaso in the what-else-would-you drive Pantera.
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Vale Gary Tierney and David Carra.
Tributes flowed for Gary and David who had been running in second place in the Australian Classic Tarmac Rally Championship, of which the Classic Adelaide is a round. Sincere condolences are offered to their families and friends. The sport is poorer for their passing.
124 Coupes are such capable cars.
124 coupes are pretty and businesslike. That one looks like it’s getting a little airborne!
Rain in Adelaide at last! Good for the grapes, and perhaps the Murray River