While many think that Ford versus Holden has been restricted to the racetrack, rallies have provided the venue for many an epic battle of the two leading manufacturers.
Both Barry Lowe and Dave Thompson think they have the ‘package’ to deliver at the upcoming Scouts Rally SA, the fourth round of the Australian Rally Championship.
“We have rebuilt the Falcon GT and it’s as good as ever. We let Clay Badenoch take it for a run recently and he has been mumbling ever since about converting to Ford!” Thompson said.
‘The only way we will beat Barry is if he breaks the car,” he quipped!
Privateers Neal Bates with Coral Taylor will start car one, and the crew have checked the car over from Rally Queensland and declared it ready to start.
Bates had an uncharacteristic DNF in the first heat of that event when the crank angle sensor failed, in turn creating hundreds of Facebook comments about the car even having one!
Jeff David returns this year to run in his new Porsche, and hopefully the car will perform well. David is one of the few drivers who can take the fight to Bates.
Bates is backed up by Clay Badenoch in his new Celica RA 40, built by Bates Motorsport. and will feature a rebuilt engine from Rally Queensland.
Queenslander Stewart Reid recently competed in England in an Escort BDG. coming sixth in class. This event sees him return to Scouts Rally SA in Dave Thompson’s sensational Audi Quattro S1 replica in the invitational class.
Interestingly, Team Datsun Australia has not entered the event.
With the growth of classic rallying at an all time high, fans can expect a feast of sideways action from the classics, with Thompson and Lowe warning fans to stand back at spectator points as they will not be backing off, and their cars are known rock throwers!
If you have never seen an Audi Quattro in full flight, then Scouts Rally SA is the place to be.
The rally starts on August 1.
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