WA’s John O’Dowd says he’s readying to make his charge on the top runners in the second half of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship.
Piloting the 2018 Championship winning Skoda Fabia R5 alongside co-driver Toni Feaver, O’Dowd now has a number of events under his belt and is quickly learning just exactly what the WRC2-spec car is all about.
“I’ve got a lot of time in that car now, so we’re hoping to put together some good stage times for the rest of the year,” O’Dowd said.
“There was a lot going on when I first got behind the wheel, it was totally different to anything I’ve driven before.
“It’s a car you have to drive aggressively and if you don’t – it doesn’t work. The more you ask of it, the more it gives back.”
With three events remaining on the ARC calendar, including this weekend’s Pedders Eureka Rush, O’Dowd said he was prepared for a second half charge on the Championship – and with the help of some “rally luck” doesn’t see why he and Feaver can’t challenge the top runners.
“I don’t think we’ll win it (the ARC), but I don’t think a podium (in the overall Championship) is out of the question for us if I have a good three rounds,” O’Dowd said.
“We’d need a bit of rally luck as I’d call it, but there’s three rounds left and we’re sitting fifth, anything can happen.
“There’s some good, talented drivers in Australia at the moment… but I think if I can push a bit harder I can be in the mix and once you’re in the mix anything can happen.”
O’Dowd and Feaver will be in action at Ballart’s Pedders Eureka Rush this weekend, with a Super Special Stage in Ballarat on Saturday evening, before competitors take to the forest stages of Victoria’s goldfields on Sunday.
For spectator information and more details about the Pedders Eureka Rush, click here.
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