My first Austin Seven (1928 model) was purchased using money earned from a part time job working in a milk bar after school, and cost the princely sum of seventeen pounds ten shillings ($35). I joined the Austin Seven Club and could now participate in the basic forms of motor sport, motorkhanas and autocrosses.

At sixteen years of age, myself and friends were unlicensed, driving unregistered unroadworthy vehicles (no lights, no windscreen, no mudguards) on public roads, it was fairly amazing to get away with it.

Although still not old enough for a driving licence it was permissible to drive in car club events on private property or navigate in rallies. One of my most treasured trophies is a pewter tankard with the inscription: “Beginners Trial 1958 First Beginner – Bob Watson.

A bonus from belonging to the Austin Seven Club and working on the trackside radios at Phillip Island was after Saturday practice driver Lou Molina, one of a group of Melbourne restaurateurs known as the “Spaghetti Mafia” would put on a lavish BBQ in the pits for all the drivers and officials at his own expense.

Rallycross

“Usually it was Peter Brock and me on the front row of the grid for the final at Calder and the tension was horrific”. The Calder meetings were televised live for three hours on Sunday afternoon to a large national audience. Sponsors included Coca Cola and later Motorcraft.

I used the R8 Gordini from the 1970 Victorian Rally Championship season, stripped out to reduce weight. Our main opposition was the late Peter Brock in a Holden Dealer Team supercharged lightweight Torana XU1, Frank Kilfoyle (occasionally replaced by Allan Moffat) in a Ford backed lightweight Lotus Cortina rally car, Evan Green in a British Leyland sponsored lightweight Austin 1800 and Bruce Harris in a stripped out ex London to Sydney marathon Porsche 911.

Rallycross was usually run in wet and slippery conditions because the track was watered to keep the dust down. This suited our R8 Gordini with is good traction and rear weight bias. The start was crucial, because if you were behind, you were pelted by stones, mud and opaque water, making visibility minimal.

There was nothing in the Rallycross rules to stop the fitment of twin rear wheels as used on trucks so that is what they did to Brock’s Torana. Naturally with four rear tyres the traction improved immensely and with the extra power being put to the ground the Torana became much more difficult to beat.

As well as winning a number of rounds at Calder Rallycross, we also won the first Catalina Park Rallycross at Katoomba in New South Wales.

In 1973 we changed cars from the Renault R8 to an R12, similarly light-weighted and with a supercharged R16TS engine giving around 200 horsepower. The R12 was front wheel drive, which presented a problem finding traction off the start line, but I had some exciting battles with Brock.

Calder and Catalina were the only venues to fully support Rallycross.

Because there was a bit of push and shove in the races and everything was covered in mud anyway, the required bodywork standards were not high, so more money could be spent making the cars faster and more entertaining.

The gradual infiltration of football into television pushed Rallycross off the small screen, and once the TV coverage was lost the sport declined. “I believe there is still a huge opportunity for rallycross in Australia”. With the success of the sport in the UK, Europe and America it is drawing big crowds and full factory participation with top rally drivers. Rallycross is long overdue for a return to Australia, and the promotors of Rallycross at Raleigh Park are to be congratulated in leading the way.

Bob Watson along with Dave Morrow will be guests of honour at the Official Opening of the Rallycross circuit at Raleigh Raceway on 26 February 2016.

Career Highlights

• 1964 – Winner of Akademos Rally – Holden – Rally
• 1968 – Winner Victorian Championship – Holden
• 1968 – Winner, Sandown Three Hour touring car race Holden Monaro
• 1968 – 3rd outright – Bathurst – private entry – Holden Monaro
• 1968 – Winner, Victorian Rally Campionship Holden V8
• 1969 – Winner Victorian Championship – Renault R16TS
• 1970 – Winner 10 Championship events in one season, including Australian and Victoria Rally Championships and the Alpine Rally – Renault R8 Gordini
• 1970 – Raced Rallycross – Lighweight Renault R8 Gordini at Calder Park. Won outright 1st meeting
• 1972 – Winner 2500 km BP Rally
• 1973 – Winner Victorian Rally Championship HDT Holden Kingswood
• 1974 – Winner Don Capasco (later Castrol) Rally – Renault Alpine A110
• 1977 –  Second Castrol Rally – Datsun 120Y
• 1977 – Third outright, first Australian driver Southern Cross International Rally
• Datsun 1600 – competed in many Historic Rally Association events including the Alpine Rally in 2003, 2005, 2009, 2011 and the Old BP Rally in 2008 & 2010.
• Inaugural member of the Australian and Victorian Rally Halls of Fame. Life member of CAMS.

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