The final round of the Queensland Rally Championship (QRC), the P3 Solutions Rally, was to be run over eleven stages, including three night stages, in the forests around Benarkin and Yarraman. Well, that was the original plan. The rally started off with twenty seven competitors facing the starter, keen to finish the year off with a good run through the majestic hoop pine forests of the South Burnett Region.

The morning started off in typical Queensland spring weather of brilliant sunshine, but how quickly things changed. Following the conclusion of SS3, a series of severe thunderstorms hit the area with thunder, lightning, heavy rain, small hail and some minor flash flooding disrupting the event. The decision was made to cancel the remainder of the event, disappointing many who had travelled quite some considerable distance to compete.

So after just three stages, or about 20 minutes of competition, Ian Menzies and Rob McGowan from Brisbane, in a Mitsubishi EVO 6, were announced as winners of the event and also crowned QRC Champions for 2015. McGowan also claimed the title for co-driver of the year.
Kim Ackworth, who got her rally off to a fast start in the immaculately prepared Subaru Liberty, was very pleased with second overall. Another regular QRC competitor, Todd Webster and navigator Ryan Preston, claimed the final podium spot in the rain shortened event.

Brad Hurford, a regular QRC competitor, was back in his XR6 Falcon after a major rebuild following an incident at IRoQ earlier this year. Hurford had set no expectations for this rally and was just keen to give the ‘old girl’ a good run.

A new favourite for the spectators was Ian Reddiex's 1983 Peugeot 205 Gti, who had entered as a shakedown prior to the Alpine Rally in Victoria. Reddiex and his co-driver, who have over 50 years of rallying experience, had the Peugeot looking and sounding great as it powered its way through the forests.

Rally organisers, the Brisbane Sporting Car Club, were very pleased with the rollout for the final event of the year, justifying all the hard work that had gone into preparing for this event. A big thank you must go to P3 solutions for the sponsorship and the Benarkin State School P & C for the catering.

Teams can now head home for a well-earned rest, review the season that has just ended and begin preparations for an assault on the 2016 season.

Story and Photos: Alan McIntosh Sports Photography

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