5 Minutes with Steve Glenney

Name:                                    Steve Glenney

Age:                                       28

Marital status:                     Single

Where do you live?            Wistow, Adelaide Hills, SA.

Occupation:                         Thoroughbred racehorse breeder and trainer.

How many years have you been in rallying?
I started rallying rallying on tarmac in 2002, then on gravel in 2004.

What was your first event?
2002 Rally Tasmania in a Nissan GTR where I finished 6^th outright.

How did you get started in rallying?
I grew up loving motorsport and couldn’t wait to get involved. When I could afford it, I went and bought myself a fast road car (a Nissan GTR), obtained the appropriate licence and entered Rally Tasmania and Targa Tasmania.

Have you always been a driver?
Yes.

How many events have you contested so far?
I’ve competed in 11 Australian Rally Championship rounds, 2 Targa Tasmanias and 2 Rally Tasmanias.

What is your favourite rally car?
The Subaru WRX I’m driving this year is my favourite. It’s so easy to drive and is very quick and agile from point to point.

What is your best rally result to date?
I won three rounds of the Subaru Rally Challenge in 2004 and won the Championship, which was very satisfying. But this year when I lead the Toyota Rally of South Australia outright in Group N after a few stage wins and finished fourth overall for the weekend certainly rates up there.

What has been your most memorable rally?
Probably my first ARC which was in Canberra last year. It was only my second event on dirt and I remember the thrill of arriving in Canberra after all the preparation and organisation and not knowing what to expect. We rolled on the first stage but were fastest on the eighth stage, despite wearing goggles because of a shattered windscreen. All this on our first day!

Have you had any accidents?
I’ve had a couple, but nothing too serious. We had the gentle roll in Canberra and this year we slid into a bank in Western Australia in the wet. I think there will always be accidents while you’re learning and trying hard.

What is your favourite event?
Rally South Australia and Targa Tasmania are both favourites. Both have a good mixture of fast and flowing sections of road. However, I do enjoy how each event differs from each other. It’s a good challenge adapting to each event.

Do you prefer gravel or tarmac events?
I enjoy both. They require the same basic driving principles but a different approach in driving styles. Both are equally thrilling and rewarding. It would be great to see both forms in the ARC. Hopefully a cost-effective solution can be found to include a tarmac event in the future.

How do you see rallying in the future?
Hopefully rallying can continue to grow and improve its public profile and attract more corporate interest. The street stage in the ARC at Caloundra and the spectator stages in Rally South Australia are great examples of bringing the event closer to the public and hopefully attracting more corporate dollars.