The www.RallyCars.com.au Racing Team are changing rally cars for the 2017 MRF Tyres Queensland Rally Championship.
Melinda Bergmann (left) and Larisa Biggar.Melinda Bergmann and co-driver Larisa Biggar have parked their trusted 1992 Subaru Liberty RS and are now ready to rally in a 2001 Mitsubishi Evolution IX.
Initially the pair thought they would be debuting the car mid-way through the season, however the postponement of Round 1 due to cyclone Debbie as been a blessing in disguise.
"We can now compete the whole season in the new car!" said Larisa.
This won't be the first time Melinda has driven an Evo in anger. For her 8th Targa Tasmania campaign in 2014 she commandeered a Tommi Makinnen Mitsubishi Evo VI and got exceptional results, including 6th fastest outright stage times, finishing with a 14th outright on the wet twisty Tasmanian roads.
Melinda said: "We identified last year that we were ready for more speed. It was just a matter of time and finding the right car. We are really excited to debut it at Pedders Suspension Rockhampton - Rally of Wowan, although we have put ourselves under extensive time pressure to make it happen."
To add to the challenge, in the middle of all the car preparation Melinda has just spent the last week co-driving for her husband Paul Bergmann in Targa Tasmania 2017.
Round 2 of the MRF Tyres QRC is the Pedders Suspension Rockhampton - Rally of Wowan is based in the township of Wowan, 80km southwest of Rockhampton. The Central Queensland Motor Sporting Club has arranged 126km of roads to be contested over 8 stages.
Due to the hard work of the organisers Central Queensland Motor Sporting Club, the event has an amazing level of support from local government, community organisations and, most importantly, local graziers. For the previous three years, this rally has utilised private roads on grazing land either to connect a number of "dead end" shire road stages as transport and even a "homemade" stage.
This year organisers have also shifted up a gear with all new stages to contest the championship.
"Last year stages were fast and flowing, we were very committed to the roadbook. This year is even more thrilling as we really have no idea what to expect from the roads,” Bergmann said.
“Will it be shire roads though grazing land or state forestry roads through bushland? One thing we know for sure is that the community makes us feel very welcome and it's a great event to be part of.”
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