John O’Dowd will be vying for the WA Rally Championship title when he competes in the rough and tough Carringtons Safari Rally around Chidlow next weekend.
“It’s going to be a fight to the end,” he said.
O’Dowd and co-driver Ken Sheil are second on the 2017 CAMS Onslow Contracting WA Rally Championship leaderboard ahead of the sixth and final event of the season.
The pair is currently trailing Tom Wilde and Madelin Kirkhouse, who’ve provided strong competition all year, but with 80 points available for a win, there is still plenty to fight for.
“We’ve had some great battles with Tom and Maddie,” O’Dowd said.
“What Ken and I need at the Safari though is a strong finish and a little bit of luck so we can steal the championship.”
While O’Dowd is a stalwart on the WARC scene, it’s the first year he’s competed with Irish import Sheil.
The pair gelled straight away and, together, they’ve claimed four podium finishes from five WARC rounds so far.
O’Dowd and Sheil have also challenged themselves by heading interstate to compete against the best rally teams from around the country.
Just three weeks ago, they finished fourth in round four of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship, Lightforce Rally SA.
“That was my first time competing in South Australia, so I went in quite cautiously,” O’Dowd said.
“But it didn’t take too long to get used to the roads and we came away with a great result.”
The Carringtons Safari Rally is regarded as the most grueling event of the WARC and is run over challenging roads around Chidlow.
“It’s a really technical rally,” O’Dowd said.
SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY
RallySport Magazine Subscription
Select Subscription Level
Select Subscription Length
Recurring Subscription Cost
A subscription to RallySport Magazine give you access to all our rally
content from Australia, New Zealand and around the world – with news,
features and experiences nobody can match.
Our team are dedicated to providing an unrivalled experience which
shares, supports and promotes the sport of rallying.
By clicking "Subscribe Now" you agree to receive news, offers and updates on RallySport Magazine.
If you do not wish to receive marketing communications, you can update your preferences in My Account.
We will commence charging your payment method after the 7 day free trial expires.
If you cancel after expiry of your trial, cancellation will take effect from the end of your current monthly subscription period.
You will not be refunded any fees paid to RallySport Magazine unless otherwise set out in the terms and conditions.
Account Created!
Welcome to RallySport Magazine VIP Membership.
Get ready for your rally news experience to completely transform.
Start browsing news, exclusive VIP content or check out your account.
