The home of the Historic Marathon Rally Group. The Historic Marathon Rally Group (HMRG) is a friendly UK-based network of enthusiasts dedicated to reuniting historic rally cars, competitors, service crews, and supporters from around the world. Our mission is to celebrate and promote the legendary Marathon Rallies and Classic Car Endurance events of the past while fostering a shared passion for motorsport history.
9th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Ituporanga 1800 hrs
Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally
We reach the Rio Grande Prime. Car is filthy and we are not much better surviving on fruit you can peel and packets of biscuits. This Prime was ferociously fast, over green rolling countryside I believe but we were to do this in the dark, still with the possibility of meeting oncoming traffic, though at night we could see them coming at least. Sadly on this Prime we lost our team mates in the other privateer Maxi. They went off track and badly damaged their suspension and drive shaft – so badly that the car could not be driven and was out. We hung on in there and reached the end of the Prime just before daylight broke. Now we faced a long drive towards the border with Uruguay and we could relax a bit. Still going……but only 56 cars left running. At 1100 miles from Rio, at this rate how many cars could survive to Mexico???
9th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Sao Paulo 0100 – 1300 hrs Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally.
South America Day 1 – 2
Now these were a bit scary – we just gunned her over, but possibly not as long as this one!
Red mud – and a friendly forester
Sao Paulo at night c 1970
It was very busy outside Sao Paulo and we had to refuel at a petrol station where Castrol employees enthusiastically hand pumped the fuel from huge drums. The traffic was quite bad on the outskirts of this huge city and we were glad to get through to the relative peace and quiet of the countryside.
There was now a long drive through the night and it was about 3 in the morning – we were desperate to relieve ourselves, and not a light to be seen in any direction. We agreed we would just have to stop and ‘stamp around to scare the snakes’ as we had been told by Special Tuning. Half way through, suddenly there was the sound of a comp car and headlights racing towards us – we prayed they wouldn’t stop. But the car screeched to a halt past us, reversed smartly, and a familiar voice said – “do you need help girls?” It was our teammates in the other privateer Maxi – Prince Michael in fact. We just said ‘push off….sir” – to which he just laughed and drove on. He remembers it to this day I am told.
We were next on to Ventania and Prime 6 – the Parana Prime – in daylight thank goodness. 125 miles in 1hr30m (88.3333mph!!! – Puff does not go this fast!!. I don’t think anyone actually cleaned it either…the best being a 15 min penalty, but I think they were 2 hours over? Not sure now!!).
Run on red-earth roads, with 2-way traffic, worrying loose plank bridges and fast and twisty all the way – not really a Puff sort of stage! Apparently 10 cars went out here, so we were running in approximately 30th place I think.
It was in the jungle that we got lost – at least we could not work out where we were on the red mud roads and began to think we were lost. Suddenly round the next bend we saw a small truck with a logger and his family. We stopped and with best pidgin English, much gesticulating and finger waving, he nodded -got back into his truck with his wife and 2 small children – and led us out of the jungle to the point we wanted so we were back on track. Much hooting and waving – and we were on our way again.
On to the Rio Grande Prime shortened by half and now only 120 miles
This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally.
8th May 1970 50 years ago. Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally
Timeline: Rio de Janeiro 20:35 hrs
(BST-4 ….equivalent to 00:35 hrs in UK 9th May)
After a last swim with the Russian water polo/drowning experts and tea in the pool, we packed our stuff, some to be sent on to Mexico City and some to travel with us. We checked we had enough paper knickers with us (not time to wash knickers – we were on a rally!) – and then buckled down to the road book and our maps. There were going to be changes. The ‘tropical’ rains had caused a lot of flooding on the 2nd South American Prime, so that had been shortened by half to some 120 miles!
We got in the convoy to the Brazilian Museum of Art which was a ‘show’ event for the crowds and the Brazilian Press idea of a “start”. We were ‘flagged’ away by a very important person – the Brazilian Minister for Transport. The crowds were wild, all screaming and waving and trying to rip the stickers and decals off the cars as souvenirs. Absolute bedlam. I got out to try to guard the car, and was relatively successful in stopping any losses, but other crews even had their number decals ripped off. We got going and drove about 6 miles outside Rio to a Control at a petrol Station. Here was calm, and we officially started on time, now running in Lisbon finish order – running at 36th on the road. A long 240 mile drive ahead to Sao Paulo and then the first competitive prime in South America would be early the next morning.
Europe days 5/6/7 route card – Brian Englefield allowed us to scan the whole set of route cards, as used on the rally. There are thick card and were issued to the crews. Brian doesn’t recall there being much else in the way of briefing. Remember in 1970 there was still an Iron Curtain and communism was firmly in place! 71 cars lined waiting to be loaded on to Derwent
71 cars taking part in the Daily Mirror 1970 World Cup Rally made it to Lisbon ready for the South American leg.
Cars ready to go Rio de Janeiro
Only the cars were loaded aboard the SS Derwent for the 12 day trip to Rio de Janeiro. The crews and spares crossed the ocean going by Boeing 707.
Puff being shipped from Lison to Rio
After arriving in South America there were a few days rest before the restart on the evening of Friday 8th May 1970.
1
Rene Trautmann
Jean-Pierre Hanrioud
Citroen DS21
2
Hannu Mikkola
Gunnar Palm
Ford Escort 1850
3
Guy Verrier
Francois Murac
Citroen DS21
4
Timo Makinen
Gilbert Staepelaere
Ford Escort 1850
5
Patrick Vanson / Olivier Turcat
Alain Leprince
Citroen DS21
6
Brian Culcheth
Johnstone Syer
Triumph 2.5PI
7
Robert Neyret
Jacques Terramorsi
Citroen DS21
8
Paddy Hopkirk / Tony Nash
Neville Johnston
Triumph 2.5PI
9
Rauno Aaltonen
Henry Liddon
Ford Escort 1850
10
Tony Fall
Jimmy Geaves
Ford Escort 1850
Top Ten in general classificationAbove information taken from Graham Robson’s book World Cup Rally 40.
The “Daily Mirror” World Cup Rally 40: The World’s Toughest Rally in Retrospect More information: www.amazon.co.uk
The 1968 London to Sydney Marathon Rally was a real marathon. A rerun of the Australian leg has been organised for 2021. Laurie Mason one of the organisers has set up a facebook group where you can read about the event and keep up to date with their news. Perth to Sydney Marathon Rerun 2021
An objective of the Organisers with this event is to provide participants with a real sense of what the 1968 Marathon was all about while following the route as precisely as we can. What is apparent is that what took less than 3 days in 1968 we cannot contemplate in 2021.
Distances between logical overnight locations is a major determining factor and this is resulting in variations in daily distances from 900kms on one day down to as little as 400kms on another, all the while averaging a little under 600kms per day.
The Organisers are very conscious of the changed expectation regarding road safety since 1968, and we are working hard to provide sensible daily distances with rest times, combined with the opportunity for time for social interaction, but trying not to diminish the excitement of the drive part of the event.
Morris 1100
Flash Back to 1968 – #41 Morris 1100 – Sydney Telegraph Car 4 – E Westley @ Brachina Control (16/12/68), Flinders Ranges, South Australia – Position 50
08 May 2020 update
We already have a full field of 72 Expressions Of Interest’s with now 11 on the reserves list.Pressure is being placed on Ford Australia to have them allow KAG-002 (Car 24) to run in the event with Ian Vaughan driving. If that happens we will have all ten 1968 Marathon cars in the event.
……..The event will be the only long distance event to be held in 2021 in Australia.
To all the confirmed Entrants on the P2SMR2021 event, the Organising Committee wish to extend a huge thank you.
You have booked your place on what could be, in all probability, the last event that is held that includes so many original 1968 Marathon contestants, participants, and vehicles, and travels the original route across Australia. This will be the last hoorah downunder for what many consider to be the greatest marathon of them all.
The Committee will do everything we can to make sure the event is enjoyable, interesting, surprising, and memorable. And we might just chuck in a liberal dose of excitement as well.
There is only one week to go before places not taken up in the first round of invitations will be offered to those on the Reserves List.
At this point in time it is very pleasing to advise that of the proposed limit of 72 entries there are only 14 invitations still to confirm their place. Two EOI’s signalled their withdrawal and those positions have been very quickly filled.
This demonstrates the depth of interest in this event.
The Organisers look forward to welcoming the full field of 72 Entrants by this time next week.
Once again, a huge thank you to all the confirmed Entrants for your vote of confidence in the Organisers and the event.
