Following on from last week’s announcement that Eli Evans will mark a return to the East Coast Bullbars Australian Rally Championship at the sixth and final Round, comes exciting news that Mark Pedder too will feature at the upcoming Rally Victoria in a Super 2000 spec Volkswagen Polo.
The S2000 Polo, built in South Africa by the same team who built the Polo’s of Michael Boaden and Mick Patton, but featuring four-wheel drive and a high-revving two-litre engine, was recently imported by 2011 Australian Rally Champion Justin Dowel to add to his ever growing stable of competition vehicles.
Pedder, who has spent this season contesting the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship in a Race Torque run Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, gave the S2000 Polo its debut appearance at last weekend’s Akademos Rally in the Victorian State Championship.
“I drove it for the first time on the weekend and it was awesome!” Pedder exclaimed. “When Justin (Dowel) asked me if I’d be interested in driving it, well it took all of a fraction of a second to say yes.”
Pedder and the Polo had set a top five time on the opening stage of the Akademos before he clouted a bank and broke the steering. The team was able to effect repairs and Pedder rejoined the rally after the lunch break, setting times on par with eventual winner and reigning Australian Rally Champion Eli Evans.
“I think when we added the times up we won the afternoon stages overall just ahead of Eli, which was great to be able to do in a car I was driving for the first time,” Pedder added.
Rally Victoria will mark Pedder’s second outing in the ECB ARC this season, having featured at the dual status Asia-Pacific Round in Queensland earlier in the year.
“It’s going to be a busy month,” Pedder said. “After the Akademos I fly to China for the next Round of the APRC, then the weekend after that we have Rally Victoria. Three events in the space of four weekends, what’s not to like about that!”
“Driving the Evo X in the APRC this year has been great, but it’s not a proper race car like I was used to driving with the Honda Jazz the previous two years in the ARC. So to get in the S2000 was like getting back in a proper, flat out rally car again, it was such a blast.”
Pedder, although not wanting to speak on Justin Dowel’s behalf, believes that the acquisition of the Polo is a precursor to Dowel’s return to the National 4WD ranks for next year’s East Coast Bullbars Australian Rally Championship.
“I think Justin’s pretty keen to get it (S2000 Polo) out there amongst the 4WD’s next year, I’m sure that’s his plan,” he commented.
Photo: John Doutch
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