Drivers look like having wet and slippery conditions to contend with this weekend as the battle for the Kumho Tyre Australian Rally Championship kicks up another notch in South Australia.
Simon Evans will be out to reduce Harry Bates' ARC lead this weekend. (Photos: John Doutch)The Bureau of Meteorology are predicting up to 30mm of rain at Mt Crawford tomorrow, which should ensure that the roads for the Lightforce Rally SA are especially challenging. While the weather should fine up for Saturday and Sunday, temperatures will only be around 14 degrees.
Heading into the event, Harry Bates holds a 27-point championship lead over Simon Evans, with Molly Taylor just eight points further back.
Both Bates (Toyota Corolla S2000) and Evans (Subaru Impreza WRX) have stated that they have “nothing to lose” this weekend, however, both know that a strong point scoring finish is vital in South Australia if they are to have a chance of securing the national title at Rally Australia in November.
The fight for victory should be an enthralling one. Evans is the likely ARC favourite on an event he enjoys, but Brendan Reeves may well be the man to catch in his Subaru. Not registered for ARC points, Reeves will have only the event win on his mind, and after recent success in the final round of the New Zealand Rally Championship, he’s a driver in top form.
Taylor’s Subaru – in a striking new pink and yellow livery – will also be quick, but the heavier Group N car could be her Achilles heel over the SA stages.
Mark Pedder will be hoping for some long-overdue luck in his Peugeot 208 Maxi after being dogged by mechanical failures in the first three events of the championship, as will Brad Markovic. The WA driver was second early in round one of the ARC in his home state, but his car would later burn to the ground and he’s suffered teething problems with his replacement Subaru ever since.
Perhaps the real dark horse of the field, and a real unknown, will be young Victorian speedster, Arron Windus.
Arron Windus is in top form after a win in the recent VRC round.Windus won the most recent round of the Victorian Rally Championship and has had experience driving for the Vauxhall Junior Rally Team in this year’s British Rally Championship, so he comes to SA chock full of confidence and eager to make his mark on the national scene. It’s his first visit to the event, so he has plenty to prove.
Tasmania’s Eddie Maguire has transformed his tarmac-spec Lancer Evo 9 into a gravel car and should be well inside the top 10, as should leading South Australian driver, James Rodda, in another Lancer Evo 9.
Mal Keough’s awesome Audi Quattro S1 replica will again be a crowd favourite, as will Adam Kaplan’s Mazda RX7.
Business icon and race track owner, Tony Quinn, makes a welcome return to the gravel in his BMW M3, partnered by regular co-driver, and Adelaide girl, Naomi Tillett.
The event is also a round of the MRF Tyres South Australian Rally Championship, with Rodda the favourite, ahead of Aaron Bowering (Subaru), Zayne Admiraal (Subaru) and Neil Gehan (Subaru).
Matt Selley’s Escort and Andrew Gleeson’s Datsun Stanza are also expected to be in the running for top SARC points as the event progresses.
Also included in the event are the RallySafe Tag-Along Rally, and the RallySafe Intro Rally.
Lightforce Rally SA is Round four of the Kumho Tyre Australian Rally Drivers Championship 2016. It covers 12 stages on Saturday’s Heat One and eight stages on Sunday’s Heat Two. The shortest stage is 5.27 kilometres and the longest 20.14 km.
- Peter Whitten
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