Heading the entry is the new APRC Champion, Cody Crocker, who will drive his Les Walkden Rallying Impreza WRX as he tries to extend his unbeatable championship lead.
The rally base, Longyou County, is part of Quzhou City in Zhejiang Province, which lies about mid-way along the east coast of China. It is located about 400km south of Shanghai. It is the third different location in three years for the China Rally.
China has had a round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship since 1997. It is unusual in that it starts on Saturday afternoon and finishes on Monday afternoon. The first stage on Saturday is the Super Special, and it is followed by a 15.38km stage (Shi Yuan) that starts 260m from the finish of the Super Special.
The stages are narrow and hilly, and run through bamboo plantations that are typical of that part of Zhejiang Province.
All registered crews have nominated the China Rally, with the exception of Indonesia driver Subhan AKSA.
Crocker has finished first out of the APRC registered crews, and in the top three outright, in each event in which he has competed this year, however the battle is still on for second and third positions.
MRF drivers Jarkko Miettinen and Hiroshi Yanagisawa or Rifat Sungkar, who is driving for the Indonesia team, are all within reach.
Miettinen has been competing in the Chinese National Championship all year, and Yanagisawa competed in the China Rally in 2005, so both are expected to do well.
Guest entries for this year’s event are Mark Tapper from New Zealand and Saladin Bin Maslan who will be competing under the Chinese National Rally Championship regulations. Maslan contested the Rally of Canberra a few years back at the wheel of a Hyundai Accent World Rally Car.
The event offers competitors 231km of competitive driving over 17 special stages.
The event is also a round of the Chinese National Rally Championship.
SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY
