Round three of the Onslow Constructing Western Australian Rally Championship (WARC), the MRF Tyres Boddington Rally on 3rd and 4th June, is fast approaching and about 40 competitors are expected to tackle 94 competitive kilometres.
Clerk of Course Wendy Walker she was delighted with the support from MRF Tyres.
Tom Wilde and Madelin Kirkhouse at Quit Forest Rally. (Photo: Tim Allott)“Not only has MRF continued to support the Boddington Rally but it has increased its support with a commitment to ARC2 series and by appointing Podium tyres as their distributor for WA, which is run by well know rally members Leigh Hynes, Murray Hynes and Craig Wimbridge,” Walker said.
“The MRF Tyres Boddington Rally promises to challenge the skills of both driver and co-driver.
“There are three stages that will be run twice, in the reverse direction from last year, so competitors’ notes are unlikely to provide much of an advantage.
“The roads are in excellent condition. Last year we introduced a completely new and intense route.
“The longest straight is 300 metres and there’s not many of those, there’s a very busy 26 kilometres ahead after SS2. Average speeds for all three stages are quite low, so some of the two-wheel drives may get amongst the outright placings.”
Winner of the WARC Round One event was a two-wheel drive 1993 Honda Civic driven by Tom Wilde with his girlfriend and co-driver Madelin Kirkhouse.
Leading the outright championship driver standings is winner of the Trade Hire Kin Kin Rally, Verandah Apartments’ Tom Wilde and Madelin Kirkhouse leads the co-driver standings.
In second outright, fifty points behind, is Maximum Motorsport’s John O’Dowd and co-driver Kenneth Sheil who no doubt will be trying to close the gap in their 2008 Subaru WRX STI. In third place trailing by just one point is Stephen Oxley and co-driver Michael Wood in a Subaru WRX STI.
Wilde and Kirkhouse also lead the 2WD Championship. In second place 62 points behind is Razvan Vlad, and his co-driver Daymon Nicoli sits second to Kirkhouse, also 62 points behind.
Vlad and Nicoli weren’t able to compete in the event last year and Vlad said he is really looking forward to it.
“I’ve heard a lot of about it and I’ve watched someone’s in car footage from last year. I’m quite excited. It’s quite different to other rallies in that there’s not a lot of forests roads, the stages are through paddocks which I think will be more difficult and notes will be important. As it’s being run in reverse, it’s a new event for everyone.
“We’ve had a really good battle with Tom [Wilde] so far this year and I hope we can continue, that. The car is okay and everything is okay - we are in a good position.” Vlad said.
The MRF Tyres Boddington Rally has a double dip spectator point just five minutes from town where spectators are able to view the cars in action on SS1 and SS3.
"The Boddington Community Groups are right behind the event and will once again be providing top notch food like they last year,” Walker said.
Breakfast will be served from 8.30am through to the presentation after the last car. There will also be a cash-only bar will be open from 6:00pm (no BYO alcohol).
Walker said the Service Park would be located at the Boddington Rodeo grounds on Hakea Drive.
The first car will start approximately 12.00pm (noon) and finish before sunset.
Please visit www.rallywa.com/rallyevents/mrf-tyres-boddington-rally/ for more information.
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