# Ross Dunkerton

Ross Winston Dunkerton OAM (born 16 July 1945) is an Australian rally driver. Dunkerton is a 5 time Australian Rally Champion and 2 time Asian Pacific Rally Champion. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2018.
Dunkerton is one of only three Australian rally drivers in history to achieve FIA A seeded status (the others being Chris Atkinson and Cody Crocker), and is arguably Australia’s most successful.
Dunkerton was awarded life membership with CAMS in 2011, inducted into the Australian Rally Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame in 2016.
Dunkerton won the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in 1991 and 1992 in a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 as a full-time factory driver for Mitsubishi Ralliart. In Australia, he won the Australian Rally Championship in 1975, '76, '77, '79 and '83 in Datsun 1600s, 240Zs and 260Zs. Dunkerton also won the Southern Cross Rally in 1980. He won the 2005 and 2006 Targa West rallies, placing third in the 2007 event.

## Personal life

Born in Fremantle, Western Australia, he was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.
Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two sons, Aaron and Flynn.

## Career

Dunkerton is a regular competitor in numerous tarmac and historic gravel events in both Australia and New Zealand. He competed in the 2009 Otago Rally of New Zealand in his newly purchased MK II BDA Ford Escort rally car.
Dunkerton is one of only two Australian drivers to have ever stood on a podium of a World Rally Championship event, the other being Chris Atkinson. In 1992, Dunkerton finished third in the Rothmans Rally of New Zealand, round 7 of the 1992 World Rally Championship.

## Television presenting

After winning almost 100 rallies in a career spanning three decades, former International Rally Driver Ross Dunkerton turned his hand to full-time television presenting in 1995.
In 1997, Dunkerton won a National Media award, testimony to the adage that he brings to television, the same determination, wit and effort that saw him enjoy so much success in his sporting career.
Dunkerton has taken on many roles, his most current being a full-time presenter for the Western Australian lifestyle show, Home in WA and the automotive series, Zoom TV. He has also presented coverage for a variety of motorsport events including the Variety Club Bash and coverage of the Australian Rally Championship on network ten.

## Career results

| Season | Series | Position | Car | Team |
| 1974 | Australian Rally Championship | 3rd | Datsun 240Z | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1975 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Datsun 240Z | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1976 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Datsun 260Z | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1977 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Datsun 260Z | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1977 | Safari Calédonien | 1st | Datsun Violet 710 | |
| 1977 | London–Sydney Marathon | 5th | Peugeot 504 TI | Channel TVW7 Perth - Australian Peugeot Team |
| 1978 | Australian Rally Championship | 2nd | Datsun Violet 710 | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1979 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Datsun Stanza | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1979 | Repco Round Australia Trial | 4th | Volvo 244 GT | Volvo Dealer Team Queensland |
| 1980 | Australian Rally Championship | 3rd | Datsun Stanza | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1981 | Australian Rally Championship | 3rd | Datsun Stanza | Nissan Motor Australia |
| 1983 | Australian Rally Championship | 1st | Datsun 1600 | |
| 1985 | Himalayan Rally | 2nd | Subaru 4x4 Turbo | |
| 1987 | Malaysian Rally Championship | 1st | Ford Laser TX3 4WD | |
| 1987 | FIA Far East Rally Championship | 1st | Ford Laser TX3 4WD Mitsubishi Starion Turbo | |
| 1988 | Malaysian Rally Championship | 2nd | Ford Laser TX3 4WD | |
| 1989 | World Rally Championship | 64th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1989 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship | 2nd | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1989 | Australian Rally Championship | 5th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1990 | World Rally Championship | 20th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1991 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship | 1st | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1991 | Australian Rally Championship | 6th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1991 | World Rally Championship | 40th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1992 | Asia-Pacific Rally Championship | 1st | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1992 | Australian Rally Championship | 7th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1992 | World Rally Championship | 16th | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1992 | Malaysian Rally Championship | 1st | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | Team Shell - Mitsubishi |
| 1993 | Australian Rally Championship | 7th | Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1993 | World Rally Championship | 24th | Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E | Mitsubishi Ralliart |
| 1994 | Australian Rally Championship | 2nd | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | |
| 1995 | London - Mexico Rally | 2nd | Datsun 240Z | Dunkerton/Mansson |
| 2004 | Australian Rally Championship - P5 Class | 1st | Mitsubishi Magna | Mitsubishi Australia |

### Complete WRC results

| Year | Entrant | Car | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | WDC | Points |
| 1989 | Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | SWE | MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL 9 | ARG | FIN | AUS Ret | ITA | CIV | GBR | | 64th | 2 |
| 1990 | Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | MON | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL 4 | ARG | FIN | AUS Ret | ITA | CIV | GBR | | | 20th | 10 |
| 1991 | Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRE | NZL Ret | ARG | FIN | AUS 7 | ITA | CIV | ESP | GBR | 40th | 4 |
| 1992 | Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 | MON | SWE | POR | KEN | FRA | GRC | NZL 3 | ARG | FIN | AUS 5 | ITA | CIV | ESP | GBR | 16th | 20 |