Tag: 1970 World Cup Rally

9th May 1970 50 years ago. Timeline: Sao Paulo 0100 – 1300 hrs
Daily Mirror London-Mexico World Cup Rally.

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.

some pics ex cine films

This post is a part of a series of posts in which Bron Burrell recalls her 1970 World Cup Rally. See all Brons posts in this series.