The East Coast Bullbars Australian Rally Championship will have a slightly different feel in 2015 with the calendar released today confirming a 5 Round series, and some notable date changes for some familiar favourites.
The regular trip across the Nullarbor to the spectacular roads of the Forest Rally will mark the opening Round of the Championship, drivers thrown in the deep end of Western Australia’s infamous ball-bearing gravel.
The National Capital Rally, which has opened the series the past two seasons, moves to mid-May where cooler conditions will be welcomed by crews as they traverse the pine forests in and around Canberra.
The International Rally of Queensland maintains it’s mid-season position, with crews from around the country matching up against the best drivers from the Asia-Pacific region for the first of two dual-status, endurance style events on the Sunshine Coast.
The second endurance event, Rally Australia, our local Round of the World Rally Championship, retains its mid-September date, with drivers tackling the same stages as the World Rally Car crews outside of Coffs Harbour.
Rally SA marks the final Round of the season, the event also marking the most significant date change, moving from its traditional winter schedule into far warmer conditions. “We leave the middle of winter without fear,” said Rally SA Clerk of Course Ivar Stanelis. “We see lots of benefits with our new date, and we really look forward to using this as an added incentive to explore some fresh options for Rally SA.”
“The weather will be the biggest change, moving to a warmer time of year should have positive outcomes for everybody, from officials, to spectators, service crews, drivers and co-drivers. We also move out of footy season, and that helps us look to include an even bigger and better Super Special Stage as we return to the town of Gawler for 2015. The Gawler Cup, which was so brilliantly won by Cody Crocker this year, will also return.”
“We will retain the stages everyone has become familiar with in the Mount Crawford forest, but we’re also looking at new and improved stages that I’m sure drivers will enjoy. It’s exciting times for Rally SA, and the whole team is really excited to welcome everyone back next year,” added Stanelis.
The notable absentee from the 2015 calendar is Rally Victoria. “It is with a sad heart that the Cerberus Car Club invites you all to join us for the final running of Rally Victoria in the Shire of Baw Baw,” explained Clerk of Course Alan McKay of the 2014 staging of the event.
“The organisers have not calendared the event for 2015 and hope to regroup, refresh, and return bigger, brighter and in a whole new area in 2016,” he continued.
2015 East Coast Bullbars Australian Rally Championship Calendar
Round 1 – Forest Rally – March 27-29
Round 2 – National Capital Rally – May 15-17
Round 3 – International Rally of Queensland – June 19-21
Round 4 - Rally Australia – September 10-13
Round 5 – Rally SA – 30th October – 1st November
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