8 – 12 OCTOBER 1975

SYDNEY – PORT MACQUARIE – SYDNEY

Andrew Cowan/Gocentas in the Mitsubishi Lancer GSR – from the cover of the 1976 regulations booklet

Summary

Although not taking the same toll of cars as in the 1974 event, when only seven finished the course, 1975 was probably harder in many ways because of the better planning of the event by Director Dan White, who kept the pressure on all way until two thirds through the last division.

1975 saw Andrew Cowan’s domination of the Southern Cross Rally continue when he convincingly won, for the fifth time – four in succession. This was the finest of his wins as the competition this year was the strongest ever seen in the event. He blitzed the opposition to run out winner by 12 minutes from teammate Barry Ferguson.

14 points further back in third outright, and in many ways the ‘star’ of the event, Greg Carr, with navigator Wayne Gregson, in a Datsun 180B SSS, carried Nissan’s hopes after the tragic demise of the 710’s engines of the works team which included Harry Kallstrom, Rauno Aaltonen and George Fury. Carr drove magnificently in an extremely well prepared vehicle, by Gerry Ball of Canberra and, but for a couple of punctures, may have ended up closer to the leaders.

Doug Stewart’s Lancer GSR came in fourth, after Kenjiro Shinozuka’s car was disqualified, and then fifth was Bruce Hodgson/Chris Heaney in a Ford Escort RS1600. Hodgson had a victorious week, having been placed 13th outright in an RS2000 in the ‘Hardie-Ferodo 500’ the previous weekend. At the end of division one he was 32nd’, but he eventually got the car sorted out and he put in a magnificent drive over the next three nights.

Final Placings