Denyer will make his debut with the Launceston-based rally outfit driving the team’s Subaru Impreza WRX STI.
The star of It Takes Two has built an impressive motorsport career, competing in a range of events including the V8 Supercar series and, more recently, in the Bathurst 12-Hour and Targa Tasmania.
Denyer, who will be joined at the Suncoast Classic by co-driver Dale Moscatt, is excited by the opportunity to be back doing another tarmac rally event.
“I’m very new to tarmac rallying but it excites me a great deal,” Denyer said.
“Who doesn’t want a nice car, a great piece of road, the safety of no other traffic and just you and the clock? It’s every boy racer’s dream!”
“After my first real taste of tarmac rallying at Targa Tasmania, I feel comfortable at being able to take on the blokes at the top of this discipline.”
“Targa proved to me this sport is worth playing with. If we could put a 1.6 litre MINI into the top five on several occasions down there when there’s a field of 300 cars, then I might just have a chance in something prepared by Les Walkden Rallying.”
“He’s worked with some of the best - Cody Crocker, Ed Ordynski, Juha Kangas. It’s a terrific stable with a proud tradition of winning. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?”
“I’ve got a good mate to sit next to in Dale Moscatt, who won the Australian Rally championship in 2005, so he’s the perfect bloke to help me learn the art of pace noting.”
“Lucky he’s a nice bloke because he’s the only person over six foot I’ve ever allowed in my team,” Denyer quipped. “At two meters, the guy literally sits in the back. On long stages I get lonely up the front on my own.”
Walkden, who recently purchased the rights to run two tarmac events, Rally Burnie and Rally Tasmania, believes it is important that his team competes in the inaugural Suncoast Rally.
“After years on gravel we have a real commitment to tarmac events now,” Walkden said.
“Grant is a good guy to have on board and he’ll do a top job for us. He’s an outstanding driver. Many people just don’t realise what a talent he is.”
“He’s really committed to being competitive for outright honours in these events and I’ve no doubt that he will do very well.”
The Suncoast Classic gets underway with the Noosa Hill Climb on Thursday July 4 and finishes on Sunday July 8 with a ceremonial finish in the Noosa township.