# 1979 Round Australia Trial

The 1979 Round Australia Trial, officially the Repco Reliability Trial was the twelfth running of the Round Australia Trial. The rally took place between 5 and 19 August 1979. It was won by Peter Brock, Matt Philip and Noel Richards, driving a Holden Commodore.

## Route

The 19,000 kilometre rally commenced at the Melbourne Showgrounds, circumnavigating Australia in an anti-clockwise direction. Of the 167 entrants, 92 finished. Two competitors were killed after their car rolled near Kununurra.

## Results

| Pos | No | Entrant | Drivers | Car | Penalties (Time) No. of Controls Missed (Mc) |
| 1 | 05 | Holden Dealer Team | Peter Brock Matt Philip Noel Richards | Holden Commodore VB | 3hr 39min 18sec |
| 2 | 17 | Holden Dealer Team | Barry Ferguson Wayne Bell Dave Boddy | Holden Commodore VB | 3hr 52min 39sec |
| 3 | 3 | Holden Dealer Team | Shekhar Mehta Rauno Aaltonen Barry Lake | Holden Commodore VB | 4hr 53min 39sec |
| 4 | 7 | Volvo Dealer Team-Queensland | Ross Dunkerton Peter McKay Geoff Jones | Volvo 244 GT | 8hr 24min 54sec |
| 5 | 9 | Ford Motor Company of Australia | Greg Carr Dave Morrow Fred Gocentas | Ford Cortina TE | 9hr 12min 13sec |
| 6 | 81 | Victoria Toyota Dealers | Wes Nalder Ian Richards Geoff Boyd | Toyota Celica RA40 | 9hr 57min 25sec |
| 7 | 50 | Gosford Dyno-Tune Centre | Ian Hill Dale Loader Frank Neale | Mitsubishi Lancer | 12hr 24min 11sec |
| 8 | 1 | Porsche Cars Australia | Edgar Herrmann Dean Rainsford | Porsche 911 Carrera | 12hr 39min 2sec |
| 9 | 8 | Porsche Cars Australia | Jürgen Barth Roland Kussmaul | Porsche 924 | 13hr 9min 3sec |
| 10 | 24 | Tyrepower Limited | Gil Davis Phil Eather Graham Toner | Datsun 180B | 16hr 9min 38sec |
| 11 | 11 | King Gee Clothing Company | Bob Watson Garry Harrowfield | Peugeot 504 Diesel | 16hr 22min 18sec |
| 12 | 12 | U.S. Rally Team | Steve Mizel Rod Hall Rod Fricker Adrian Mortimer | Chevrolet Blazer | 27hr 5min 38sec |
| 13 | 47 | Robert Jackson | Robert Jackson Des West Ross Jackson | Holden Commodore VB | 29hr 2min 6sec |
| 14 | 41 | Darryl Rowney | Darryl Rowney Robert Wilson Bob Tyson | Datsun 180B | 1mc 20hr 28min 18sec |
| 15 | 87 | Balmains of Bega | Max Roberts Eric Waterson Tony Carroll | Holden Commodore VB | 1mc 53hr 57min 8sec |
| 16 | 60 | Arthur Davis | Graham Clarke Arthur Davis Graham Burge | Datsun 180B | 3mc 33hr 22min 28sec |
| 17 | 63 | Newcastle Broadcasting & Television (NBN-3) | Murray Finlay James Sullivan Lyndon MacLeod | Holden Commodore VB | 3mc 33hr 23min 7sec |
| 18 | 92 | Peter Hurrey | Peter Hurrey David Geddes | Toyota Celica RA40 | 4mc 27hr 46min 44sec |
| 19 | 76 | Volvo Dealer Team-New South Wales | Barbara Beveridge Anne Heaney Lynn Jarman | Volvo 244 DL | 5mc 30hr 34min 50sec |
| 20 | 53 | Volvo Dealer Team-South Australia | John Miettunen Russell Morgan John Suominen | Volvo 244 DL | 5mc 40hr 25min 31sec |
| 21 | 160 | Kevin McDiarmid | Kevin McDiarmid Peter Phegan David Travis | Datsun 180B | 6mc 44hr 57min 10sec |
| 22 | 22 | Shepparton Rally Team | Geoff Portman Doug Thompson John Hammond | Datsun Stanza | 7mc 12hr 2min 5sec |
| 23 | 70 | Townsville Sporting Car Club | Ian McCubbin Richard Kelly David Guyatt | Holden Monaro HZ | 7mc 35hr 10min 9sec |
| 24 | 56 | Peter de Vaus | Ian Faulkner Peter de Vaus Keith Bateson | Peugeot 504 | 8mc 27hr 1min 55sec |
| 25 | 13 | Ford Motor Company of Australia | George Fury Roger Bonhomme Monty Suffern | Ford Cortina TE | 10mc 14hr 10min 5sec |
| 26 | 144 | Giddings Datsun | Rod Jones Trevor Seaman John Giddings | Datsun 200B | 10mc 24hr 37min 53sec |
| 27 | 115 | Melbourne University Car Club | John Birrell Brian Smith Rosemary Nixon | Renault 16 TS | 10mc 50hr 50min 20sec |
| 28 | 152 | Garry Geissler | Grant O'Donnell Garry Geissler Andrew Gibson | Holden Torana LX | 10mc 54hr 47min 48sec |
| 29 | 28 | Dick Smith Electronics | Jack Murray Jeff d'Albora John Murray | Holden Commodore VB | 11mc 38hr 59min 34sec |
| 30 | 39 | Volvo Dealer Team-Western Australia | Frank Johnson Steve Vanderbyl | Volvo 242 GT | 12mc 25hr 2min 21sec |
| 31 | 31 | Barry Dick | Barry Lloyd Malcolm Crockenberg John Dick | Mitsubishi Colt | 13mc 41hr 51min 11sec |
| 32 | 74 | Peter Flanagan | Brett Goldsborough Peter Flanagan Phillip Grounds | Holden Commodore VB | 16mc 62hr 32min 0sec |
| 33 | 73 | Peter Lockhart | Peter Lockhart Des Dunstan Ian Finlayson | Holden Commodore VB | 17mc 42hr 24min 15sec |
| 34 | 208 | Nicholas Penny | Nicholas Penny Andrew Kennard David Brown | Holden Torana LH | 18mc 43hr 56min 4sec |
| 35 | 155 | Lance Motors, St Marys | Ray Lance John Craft Paul Robinson | Holden Commodore VB | 21mc 25hr 59min 52sec |
| 36 | 104 | Ralph Boys | Ralph Boys Greg Vonthien | Ford F100 | 22mc 34hr 32min 22sec |
| 37 | 142 | HMAS Cerberus Car Club | Neil Turner Keith Donohue John Sparrow | Leyland P76 | 22mc 68hr 21min 16sec |
| 38 | 131 | Dr. Wayne Herdy | Wayne Herdy Pat O'Kane Brian Gramenz | Peugeot 504 | 22mc 68hr 21min 16sec |
| 39 | 146 | David Sheridan | David Sheridan Richard Reid | Datsun 1600 | 23mc 41hr 6min 45sec |
| 40 | 120 | Hal Moloney | Hal Moloney Ian Vitnell Paul Daley | Leyland P76 | 23mc 49hr 42min 33sec |
| 41 | 82 | Christian Autosport Club of Australia | George Kahler Bruce Partridge Wayne Simeon | Mazda RX-4 | 27mc 47hr 33min 7sec |
| 42 | 159 | Jim Farmer | Jim Farmer Campbell Farmer Ron Fraser | Leyland P76 | 27mc 58hr 22min 7sec |
| 43 | 78 | Peter Foden | Denis Baker Bruce Young Peter Foden | Leyland P76 | 29mc 60hr 34min 43sec |
| 44 | 14 | Noriyuki Koseki | Noriyuki Koseki Yoshio Takaoka Hiroshi Okazaki | Subaru Leone | 30mc 29hr 47min 12sec |
| 45 | 171 | Grahame Heaton | Grahame Heaton Robert Shepheard Brian Mann | Holden HJ Panel Van | 31mc 71hr 42min 57sec |
| 46 | 27 | Autec Rallying | Jock Wilson Fred Baker Helen Freeze | Mercedes-Benz 280S | 32mc 38hr 22min 14sec |
| 47 | 134 | David Tattingham | David Tattingham Rob Geue Peter Kemp | Holden EH | 32mc 44hr 7min 39sec |
| 48 | 101 | Roger Ingerson | Roger Ingerson Jerry Wilson David MacCulloch | Peugeot 404 | 32mc 44hr 40min 56sec |
| 49 | 98 | Greg Nicholson | Greg Nicholson Alan Crawford | Mitsubishi Lancer | 32mc 46hr 15min 16sec |
| 50 | 141 | Paul Lahiff | Paul Lahiff John Beath Michael Clarke | Holden HR | 33mc 34hr 39min 38sec |
| 51 | 99 | Les Boaden | Les Boaden Brian Atkins Wayne Pritchard | Mazda RX-4 | 33mc 45hr 7min 55sec |
| 52 | 172 | Graham Stockley | Graham Stockley Kevin O'Neil | Porsche 911E | 33mc 45hr 25min 50sec |
| 53 | 57 | Gary Meehan | Gary Meehan Greg Gifford Ken Gardiner | Holden Monaro HT GTS | 34mc 30hr 49min 26sec |
| 54 | 86 | Steel Industries Auto Club | Dave Colless Ray Johnston Richard McCoy | Datsun 1600 | 35mc 38hr 29min 3sec |
| 55 | 167 | Quay Ford, Cairns | Peter Roggenkamp Terry Adair Michael Eakin | Ford Escort GL | 36mc 47hr 36min 17sec |
| 56 | 202 | Greg Walker | Greg Walker Mel McCann | Renault R12 Virage | 36mc 80hr 28min 3sec |
| 57 | 79 | Doug Minett | Doug Minett Doug Chappie Don Watson | Datsun 1600 | 38mc 48hr 52min 54sec |
| 58 | 61 | Dave Potter Motors | Dave Potter Garry Bain | Mazda RX-3 | 39mc 25hr 24min 28sec |
| 59 | 35 | John Taylor | John Taylor Robert Hunt | Rover 3500 | 39mc 60hr 24min 23sec |
| 60 | 37 | Miss M. O'Shanesy | Caroline O'Shanesy Barbara Dean Meg O'Shanesy | Fiat 131 Mirafori | 39mc 65hr 40min 3sec |
| 61 | 185 | J&P Richardson | Joe Richardson Alan Daniel Bruce Fullerton | Ford Falcon XD | 40mc 92hr 51min 14sec |
| 62 | 143 | Russell Tyrie | Ross Nielson Jim Stewart Russell Tyrie | Holden HQ | 41mc 32hr 29min 0sec |
| 63 | 187 | John Gough | John Gough Ken Hutton Tony Bishop | Holden Torana LJ | 44mc 34hr 37min 6sec |
| 64 | 140 | Peter Glover | Peter Glover Peter Burke John Hather | Volkswagen Beetle 1600 | 44mc 42min 37min 28sec |
| 65 | 90 | Mick Myers | Mick Myers Mal Sinfield Michael Myers | Peugeot 504 | 46mc 38hr 39min 50sec |
| 66 | 103 | Dr. Jim Caudle | Jim Caudle Graham Drew Wally Eisden | Datsun 1600 | 47mc 75hr 59min 55sec |
| 67 | 20 | Olympic Tyre and Rubber Company | Hans Tholstrup Geoff Perry | Chevrolet C20 Pick Up | 51mc 46hr 20min 30sec |
| 68 | 186 | Leo Smith | Dick Bray Kevin McMahon Leo Smith | Valiant 770 Charger | 54mc 50hr 7min 53sec |
| 69 | 19 | Ron Clyborne | Ron Clyborne Jim Hayes Allen Turton | Ford F-250 Pick Up | 54mc 60hr 12min 2sec |
| 70 | 106 | Ross Easton | Ross Easton Don Rayner Reg Bell | Datsun 1600 | 54mc 61hr 16min 34sec |
| 70 | 179 | Harold Rayner | Harold Rayner Barry Campbell Robert Loader | Holden HT | 56mc 48hr 35min 58sec |
| 72 | 126 | Tom Hayden | Tom Hayden John Phillis Richard Hogan | Mazda RX-2 | 56mc 59hr 19min 42sec |
| 73 | 197 | John Darby | John Darby John Clark Colin Stewart | Holden HR | 58mc 40hr 57min 42sec |
| 74 | 178 | Bolch Transport | Mal Bolch Vin Keane Malcolm Owen | Holden Monaro HJ GTS | 59mc 53min 1min 3sec |
| 75 | 64 | Alderman Keith Jones | Keith Jones Kim Jones Peter Webber | Riley 2.5 Litre | 59mc 55hr 18min 55sec |
| 76 | 102 | Mainway Car Sales | Kevin Cafe Robert Gurney Anthony Dawson | Mazda RX-4 | 60mc 26hr 23min 1sec |
| 77 | 181 | Tony Koch | Tony Koch Bill Darling Albert Koch | Holden Commodore VB | 60mc 43hr 43min 40sec |
| 78 | 123 | Ken Garner | Ken Garner Mick Madden Allan Corben | Holden Torana LX | 64mc 25hr 29min 22sec |
| 79 | 194 | James Donaghue | Jim Donaghue Stephen Logan David Grace | Toyota Celica | 65mc 35hr 22min 16sec |
| 80 | 180 | North Shore Sporting Car Club | Greg Lunney John Stanmore Garry Tyler | Peugeot 504 | 69mc 78hr 23min 6sec |
| 81 | 189 | John Spanbroek | John Spanbroek Rog Compton John Plywright | Datsun 240K | 70mc 2hr 16min 58sec |
| 82 | 83 | Toyoparts | Bob Bird Roger McKinnon | Toyota Corolla | 70mc 27hr 0min 31sec |
| 83 | 201 | E.G. Fullager | E. Fullager Terry Fullager Dot Fullager Donna Fullager | Holden Monaro HT GTS | 72mc 37hr 4min 14sec |
| 84 | 55 | McArthur Rally Team | Peter McArthur Greg McArthur Merawyn McArthur | Ford Falcon XY | 72mc 63hr 25min 39sec |
| 85 | 207 | Jim Reinders | Jim Reinders John Lewis | Holden FJ | 73mc 36hr 11min 53sec |
| 86 | 117 | Mark Ferrier | Mark Ferrier Ted Smith | Honda Civic | 79mc 38hr 3min 15sec |
| 87 | 195 | Richard Moore | Richard Moore Phillip Sethna | Volkswagen Beetle | 80mc 28hr 7min 36sec |
| 88 | 113 | Malcolm Hall | Malcolm Hall Ross Smith Andrew Lott | Ford Escort Mark II | 85mc 25hr 29min 39sec |
| 89 | 198 | Ian Sheridan | Terry McTigue Ian Sheridan Robert Wilson | Holden HQ Panel Van | 87mc 26hr 3min 47sec |
| 90 | 191 | Spartan Equipment S/S | Norm Sparkes Clayton Barry | Ford Fairmont XC | 87mc 28hr 47min 6sec |
| 91 | 188 | Peter Webster | Peter Webster Trevor Jolly Rob McIntyre | Holden FJ | 91mc 35hr 40min 5sec |
| 92 | 30 | Pacific Ford | John Bryson Sonja Kable-Cumming | Ford Escort 2.0 Turbo Mark II | 104mc 25hr 44min 36sec |
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