EILDON-JAMIESON

I PARTICULARLY enjoyed the test of the A45 AMG over this stretch of road (Wheels, May). It brought back memories of a dark night in April 1970. It was on the 25/26th April 1970, my father Bob, brother Beau and I ran the Lloyd Triestino Blue Ribbon Rally for the Victorian Sporting Car Club as heat two of the Australian Rally Championship. A competitive stage in this event was the (at that time not fully sealed) road from Jamieson to Eildon. Run at night, competitors were asked to complete the run in 44 minutes. An average 48mph or around 77kmh, the highest that we were allowed to set at the time. Only Tony Roberts/Mike Osborne (HDT Torana GTR) made the time with the next best being Mal McPherson/Robin Sharpley in a Renault R8 Gordini down one minute followed by Colin Bond/Brian Hope (HDT Monaro GTS 350) and Barry Ferguson/David Johnson (HDT Torana GTR) down two minutes. Bob Watson/Jim McAuliffe (Renault R8 Gordini), the eventual winners, dropped three minutes on this section. The Renaults were entered by Renault Australia.

Bain Simpson, email