ACRA members still have time to lodge their EOI’s for consideration to compete. The Coffs Coast Rally will see entries from Ross Dunkerton in his Group 4 RS1800 BDA Escort, recently arrived from New Zealand, former multiple Alpine Rally winner Ian Hill in an RS1800, recent Alpine winner Darryn Snooks in a Datsun Stanza, Nicola Testa in a Safari Rally replica Datsun Stanza and more. Up to five BDA Escorts and a similar number of Datsuns are expected to enter.
These classic cars were the standard that the modern rally competition we see today was built upon. The Ford Escort RS1800 won the very first World Rally championship in the hands of Bjorn Waldegard and cars such as these dominated Australian rallying in the early 80s with Greg Carr, Ross Dunkerton, George Fury and Colin Bond just to name a few.
Ian Hill’s RS1800 is a complete works replica in every detail and Ian has spent a number of years completing one of the best examples of a BDA Escort to be found anywhere. He is a multiple Alpine Rally and 2GO Rally winner.
Ross Dunkerton, a multiple Australian Rally Champion, will use the car he finished 4th outright in the Otago Rally last year in, up against some of the best Classic drivers in the world. Â
Darryn Snooks will compete in his Datsun Stanza. Snooks won the 2008 Alpine Rally and is a regular top place getter in the Classic Otago Rally in New Zealand.
Classic Rallying is one of the fastest growing sections of rallying with many new classic cars being built.
Spectators will get an opportunity to meet the drivers and cars at the Coffs Service Park and they are sure to see some great action in the forests surrounding Coffs Harbour.
It has been over 25 years since Escorts and Stanzas competed head to head, and whilst many of these cars are worth over $100,000, don’t expect the drivers to take it easy.
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