The second round of the state rally series is held in the Asbestos and Virginstow forests east of Devonport; the event provides two completely different terrains for competitors to tackle.
18 crews will start from Latrobe Speedway and attempt to complete 10 Special Stages to determine the winner. It is set to be an even playing field as very few of the teams have ever competed on these roads, so no single competitor has a clear advantage.
The Subaru WRX team of David Waldon/David Catt, fresh from their win at round one is expected to continue their reign as multiple state champions, but the likes of the Mitsubishi Evo 9 team of Marcus Walkem/Tim Kulhanek are hoping to go one better at their “home” rally after a strong second place debut in the new car at round one last month.
The team to watch though will be that of Sam Kirkland/Matt Best in an older Mitsubishi Evo 3. At 19 years of age, Kirkland already has two seasons under his belt and has shown huge potential as a front runner, mechanical reliability being his only hurdle.
Two wheel drive vehicle make up a large portion of the field and are still eligible for outright points, but most will be focussing their attention on the 2WD trophy. Leading the pack will be the high revving Mitsubishi Mirage of Aaron Reader/Kelly Handley who took away maximum 2WD points at round one and have their eyes firmly on the 2011 2WD crown. Hot on their heels though will be the Mazda RX7 of Andrew Morris/Peter Bailey, hoping to make amends for his disastrous start to the season.
The Motor Sports Club of Tasmania is hosting the event with thanks to Forestry Tasmania, Timberlands and Gunn’s and is proudly sponsored by Legana Tyres & More. Cars will be on display from 7:30am at the Latrobe Speedway, while the main event will start from 8:30am with an exciting Super Special Stage on the speedway grounds.
Spectators are encouraged to attend and guides are available at the start venue or online at www.msct.com.au.
- Tim Kulhanek
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