THE STORY OF 1982
The 30th edition brings a number of changes again after the rally in 1981. To make the rally even more attractive for the amateurs, it is decided to opt for the concept in which the entire rally is held in one day. The rally is being driven within twelve hours of daylight, which reduces the costs for the participants. Within the framework of 500 Years of Jan van Schaffelaar, the Veluwehal in Barneveld has been chosen as the rally center, while a number of tests have been designed in the extensive municipality of Barneveld with its many country roads. The rally does not count again for the European Championship, and the glory years of the Tulpenrallye with an international appearance of 200 or more participants, many of which came from a factory, seem to be over for some time. The aim is to make the rally as accessible as possible to the public. Public information packs are being sold proactively, and also form a new source of income for the organization, allowing the public to visit as many as thirteen of the special stages. Also a number of service places is accessible to the spectators, so that one can see how the cars are tinkered.
The Dutch top currently consists of Jan van der Marel, (Talbot Lotus), Wim Luijbrechts (Mitsubishi Lancer), Henk Vossen (Ford Escort) and Jan Bak (Porsche Carrera) and they are of course all at the start. In addition the organization has taken the initiative to encourage Dutch car importers to bring foreign drivers to come to Barneveld with cars of their brand. Unfortunately, this only results in a limited number of participants. Paul Maaskant and Ruud Oosterbaan will make the Citroën Visa make its debut in the rally, while the event also counts for the French coupe for these cars.
The sixteen special stages in the rally are all in the province of Gelderland, and have a total length of 175 km. The start flag falls already at seven o’clock in the morning in Barneveld. After a number of tests around Amersfoort (with of course the Vlasakkers included), the participants are back in Barneveld at around ten o’clock in the morning. After a short rest they leave for Markelo where the most important part of the rally will be held. The central service park is here located at the well-known discotheque ‘Dika van de Kruusweg’. At 7 o’clock in the evening the finish is in Amersfoort.
Favorite Van der Marel loses three minutes immediately on the second test (Vlasakkers) as a result of a flat tire. When he tries to retaliate when this trial is run for the second time, there are problems in the last corner; he is heading for the fastest time at that moment. A connecting rod is driven through the engine block, and that is the end for the Talbot Lotus of Jan van der Marel and Bruno van Traa. Henk Vossen and Pie Theunissen take over the lead as a result of this. However, they get problems with the gearbox and decide to replace it (which happens in eight minutes). The new one also has problems and has no 4th gear. On the second run of special stage Dika ,Vossen touches a tree stump and ends up next to the road. He can continue his journey in leading position, albeit with damage to the front train, but loses quite a bit of time. Vossen continues to keep the lead and seems to be heading for a certain victory. Prior to the final test he has 1 minute and 47 seconds ahead of the Porsche of Jan Bak and André Schoonenwolf. However the bad luck continues for Vossen-Theunissen on this last test. The throttle cable breaks and they do not reach the finish. They therefore get the standard time of exactly four minutes on this test. That means Bak has to drive this test in a maximum of 2 minutes 13 to become the winner. The Porsche comes to the finish of this test in 2 minutes 12; the smallest possible difference.
Bak and Schoonenwolf with their Porsche enter the TV-studio of the AVRO in the evening after the rally for a live interview. Vossen-Theunissen are second, followed by Luijbrechts-Molkenboer. The mixed-team Dick Waayenberg and Ay Mei Oei, in the ex-championship Opel Ascona of Jan van der Marel, win the national class. The award ceremony does take place the same evening in the Veluwehal in Barneveld.
