The roar of rally cars through darkened forests will make a spectacular return to the Australian Rally Championship this year for the first time in almost a decade, bringing with it a taste of the classic challenges of nighttime rallying.
When Rally Australia released their itinerary for this year’s event Clerk of Course Adrian Stafford promised spectators that they wouldn’t miss out even though the event had dropped its traditional evening Super Special Stage.
“We were mindful we had to give fans something different,” explained Stafford. “Personally, and like most long standing rally fans, I love night stages and as soon as I floated the idea to our team I was overwhelmed with the enthusiasm.”
All drivers contesting the round of the World Rally Championship in Coffs Harbour will take on the 7.94km Valla stage at the end of the second Leg, giving crews the perfect chance to test their skills and spectators an ideal opportunity to see the best International and local drivers in full darkness.
“Valla is perfectly suited to night running as it is relatively open so will catch any breeze that is around, plus the surface is less dusty than some of our other stages. We have a great spectator point within the stage and already word has spread and rally fans love the idea,” continued Stafford.
Meanwhile Rally SA has followed a similar path with Clerk of Course Ivar Stanelis confirming that his event will run an even longer nighttime stage. “Our plan is for a 25 kilometre stage in Crawford Forest on the Friday afternoon in full daylight. Following a longish break at the service park, with specific time to fit lights, the plan is to run that stage again, lights on, after full dark at 8.30 pm,” he said.
Stanelis said that he too had spectators in mind when he and his organizing team began to plan the night stage. “The start and finish controls, and the major spectator point (the jump made famous by Jack Monkhouse) will be lit up by light towers.”
“This will be a unique experience for competitors and spectators alike. Those competitors that drive to the conditions will be rewarded, as I expect that this stage will need to be treated with great respect, and it is certainly a very new thing for the modern spectator. It will also provide a nostalgic flashback for the long-term aficionados,” Ivar added.
Both Stafford and Stanelis confirmed that crew safety was of paramount importance and both Clerks of Course have taken lengthy steps to ensure that despite the darkened conditions drivers and co-drivers will have the utmost care.
“We have a much enhanced Safety Plan covering the night stage with no less than 17 radio vehicles in place along the stage to give us almost visual coverage in case a car goes off – and we have 5 medical intervention vehicles through the stage in case of accident and because our helicopter may not be able to land in the dark,” said Stafford about Rally Australia’s plans for the Valla stage.
“All the not in use course cars will be tasked around the course to provide very close coverage,” added Stanelis of his safety arrangements. “All the MIVs, 8 of them, will be also on course strategically for extra cover. So we will have plenty of ability to deal with anything that comes up.”
Rally Australia fires up in Coffs Harbour from Thursday 10th until Sunday 13th September, while Rally SA marks the final round of the East Coast Bullbars Australian Rally Championship and runs from Friday 23rd until Sunday 25th October.
Photo: Neal Bates and Coral Taylor driving their Toyota Celica GT-Four on a Rally Queensland night stage in the 1990s. (Photo: Stuart Bowes)
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