Ross Winston Dunkerton OAM (born 16 July 1945) is an Australian rally driver. Dunkerton is a five time winner of the Australian Rally Championship and two time winner of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. He was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in 2018.
Dunkerton is one of only three Australian rally drivers in history to achieve FIA A seeded status along side Chris Atkinson and Cody Crocker.
Dunkerton was awarded life membership of Motorsport Australia in 2011, inducted into the Australian Rally Hall of Fame in 2013 and the Australian Motor Sport Hall of Fame in 2016.Five inducted into the Australian Rally Hall of Fame Auto Action 25 August 2019
Dunkerton won the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in 1991 and 1992 in a Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 as a full-time factory driver for Mitsubishi Ralliart. In Australia, he won the Australian Rally Championship in 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979 and 1983 in Datsun 1600s, 240Zs and 260Zs. Dunkerton also won the Southern Cross Rally in 1980. He won the 2005 and 2006 Targa West rallies, placing third in the 2007 event.
Personal life Born in Fremantle, Western Australia,Quartermaine, Braden (3 April 2012). "Ross Dunkerton at end of road in WA", PerthNow. Retrieved on 3 April 2012. he was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.
Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two sons, Aaron and Flynn.
Career Dunkerton is a regular competitor in numerous tarmac and historic gravel events in both Australia and New Zealand. He competed in the 2009 Otago Rally of New Zealand in his newly purchased MK II BDA Ford Escort rally car.
Dunkerton is one of only two Australian drivers to have ever stood on a podium of a World Rally Championship event, the other being Chris Atkinson. In 1992, Dunkerton finished third in the Rally New Zealand, round 7 of the 1992 World Rally Championship.
Television presenting Dunkerton turned his hand to full-time television presenting in 1995.
Dunkerton has taken on many roles, his most current being a full-time presenter for the Western Australian lifestyle show, Home in WA and the automotive series, Zoom TV. He has also presented coverage for a variety of motorsport events including the Variety Club Bash and coverage of the Australian Rally Championship on Network 10.
Career results Season Series Position Car Team 1974 Australian Rally Championship 3rd Datsun 240Z Nissan Motor Australia 1975 Australian Rally Championship 1st Datsun 240Z Nissan Motor Australia 1976 Australian Rally Championship 1st Datsun 260Z Nissan Motor Australia 1977 Australian Rally Championship 1st Datsun 260Z Nissan Motor Australia Safari Calédonien 1st Datsun Violet 710 London–Sydney Marathon 5th Peugeot 504 TI Channel TVW7 PerthAustralian Peugeot Team 1978 Australian Rally Championship 2nd Datsun Violet 710 Nissan Motor Australia 1979 Australian Rally Championship 1st Datsun Stanza Nissan Motor Australia Repco Round Australia Trial 4th Volvo 244 GT Volvo Dealer Team Queensland 1980 Australian Rally Championship 3rd Datsun Stanza Nissan Motor Australia 1981 Australian Rally Championship 3rd Datsun Stanza Nissan Motor Australia 1983 Australian Rally Championship 1st Datsun 1600 1985 Himalayan Rally 2nd Subaru 4x4 Turbo 1987 Malaysian Rally Championship 1stMel Lee, The Malaysian Rally Championship – Mixed Fortunes in a Bumper Year, Number One Motorsports Yearbook 1988, pages 94–108 Ford Laser TX3 4WD FIA Far East Rally Championship 1st Ford Laser TX3 4WDMitsubishi Starion Turbo 1988 Malaysian Rally Championship 2nd Ford Laser TX3 4WD 1989 World Rally Championship 64th Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Ralliart Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 2nd Australian Rally Championship 5th 1990 World Rally Championship 20th Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Ralliart 1991 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 1st Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Ralliart Australian Rally Championship 6th World Rally Championship 40th 1992 Asia-Pacific Rally Championship 1st Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 Mitsubishi Ralliart Australian Rally Championship 7th World Rally Championship 16th Malaysian Rally Championship 1st Team Shell – Mitsubishi 1993 Australian Rally Championship 7th Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E Mitsubishi Ralliart World Rally Championship 24th 1994 Australian Rally Championship 2nd Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 1995 London – Mexico Rally 2nd Datsun 240Z Dunkerton/Mansson 2004 Australian Rally Championship – P5 Class 1st Mitsubishi Magna Mitsubishi Australia
Complete WRC results Year Entrant Car 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 WDC Points 1989 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 SWE MON POR KEN FRA GRC NZL9 ARG FIN AUSRet ITA CIV GBR 64th 2 1990 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 MON POR KEN FRA GRC NZL4 ARG FIN AUSRet ITA CIV GBR 20th 10 1991 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 MON SWE POR KEN FRA GRE NZLRet ARG FIN AUS7 ITA CIV ESP GBR 40th 4 1992 Mitsubishi Ralliart Europe Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 MON SWE POR KEN FRA GRC NZL3 ARG FIN AUS5 ITA CIV ESP GBR 16th 20
References
External links Contact details at local government website Results and profile, Rallybase.nl Official web page Ross Dunkerton at WRC results