Entry fees are unchanged for the third successive year and are $575 for the Long Course, and $355 for the Short Course. These fees include CAMS and forestry permits fees, and payments to the various rally panels.
The CAMS Course Checker, Laurie Cunningham, carried out the official check of the event earlier this month and declared many of the roads were ‘brilliant’. Only minor changes were required and the endurance round of the State Championships will cover 190 competitive kilometres for the Long Course and 150 kilometres for the Short Course.
All of the event’s ten special stages are in a different format to past years, and there are no repeat stages, nor reversing of stages. There are four new stages.
This year sees a dramatic reduction in transport distance, down to 150 kilometres from the 265 kilometres of 2011, enabling the competitive distance to be 56% of overall distance. This is due to introducing a second service area at Genoa. Such is the configuration of the 2012 event the total distance of transport sections in forests does not exceed 20 kilometres!
The three service breaks will all be along the Princes Highway, with the first and third at the popular Edrom Road Service Park 20km south of Eden, and the second at Genoa, 40 kilometres south of Edrom Road.
This year’s Bega Valley Rally will feature an invitational challenge for pre-1986 ‘Classic-style’ two wheel drive cars called the Sapphire Coast Classic. This invitational challenge event will run at the front of the main State Championship field in the same way as the Classics ran at the Bega Valley Rally in 2006 & 2007 and in numerous Australian Rally Championship events over recent years. Â
The event will finish at the Eden Fishermen’s Club, with the first crew arriving at about 1530. Depending on the size of the field, and with the introduction of the Classic event, some crews running at the rear of the field may now run the last stage in darkness.
In a change to previous years, the Presentation will be conducted in the main dining room of the Club, providing ample space compared to the cramped auditorium, and allowing the caterer to provide a better service.
With the event being conducted well away from major regional areas, and with ten stages being run, numerous stage officials are required. Competitors are requested to assist by asking potential officials to come forward. No licensing of officials is required and all training will be provided by the organisers. Normal street cars will be satisfactory and most controls are close to main bitumen roads.
Full details can be found at the event website at www.begavalleyrally.com.au
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