Mee calls time on rallying career

A career that has spanned over 30 years, ‘Smee’ retires having built and driven a variety of cars.

His first rallying memory is doing a road closure with Fiona McCubbin, who later became his wife.

It was at the 1989 Esanda Rally of Canberra.

“I remember seeing the Peter Jackson CRX and a Mazda BFMR Familia competing,” he recalls.

“Little did I know we would become so involved in the years to come.”

His first driving experience was not long after that rally when Adrian Dudok handed him the keys to his Ford Escort Mk1 for a drive around Hyles Block in Canberra.

During the following years, Mee immersed himself in the sport, helping with the organisation of the Esanda Rally of Canberra and other events across the country.

He also built his first rally car – a TE Gemini for the NSW Gemini series.

It was in this car that Mee had his only ever major accident, a rollover during the National Capital Rally.

He spent time organising various car launches and events for Toyota, Subaru and Mitsubishi, and through his involvement with the Rally of Canberra, had a ride with both Ray Wilson and Peter Taylor in their Familias.

They persuaded him to buy one of the fragile Mazdas, which he was able to build and rally for a lot of years.

‘Smee’ achieved success in the Familia, winning the 2006 P6 NSW championship, but then moved to Adelaide in 2007.

He continued to drive the Familia in South Australian events but admits the top speed of the car was never enough to compete with the highly strung cars on the fast and open South Australian roads. 

In the ARC’s 2WD era, he was gifted by a sponsor to build a Toyota Corolla, however he fell victim to the ARC going back to 4WD machines just a few years later.

He and Fiona won the 2015 South Australian Rallysprint Series in the ex-Mazda Australia Mazda 2.

Mee competed in various events around Australia, and in 2017, won the ARC2 2WD series at the Coffs Harbour WRC round with Matthew Harriott.  They placed third outright in the 2WD section of the ARC and was a highlight of Mee’s career.

With plans to compete in the 2020 ARC season, COVID hit, and they were ready for 2021 as well, but a bicycle crash resulted in a wrist injury put Mee out of action and in line for a lengthy recovery.

Mee returned to the ARC at the Adelaide Hills Rally in 2022, but after suffering more wrist pain during the recce and rally, decided it was time to call it quits.

He understands that if he is not fully fit and able to control a car, he shouldn’t compete.

“It is not an easy decision I have made, and I will sorely miss the sport and the people involved,” Mee said.

Mee’s list of thanks is far too long to name them all, but they extend far and wide to organisers, friends, mechanics, and co-drivers.

SEE PHOTOS FROM THROUGHOUT STEPHEN’S CAREER