When they first entered Telstra Rally Australia as a family in 2004 the three drivers claimed there was no rivalry between them. 19 year old James claimed his dad was the best in the team for being so generous. But after two years of competing together it’s all fair in love and war in the close-knit family.
“It’s got pretty competitive,” said 26 year old Chris. “It used to be fun and games but then James started getting good results and it got serious!” he added, referring to the youngest Anderson being the 2005 Clubman Rally Champion. “I reckon James would say he is the better driver, and dad, well I think he’s just waiting for a chance to teach us a lesson. But to be fair, we’ve never really had a clean run where we can compare ourselves.”
Adding to their new competitiveness is the support of a new sponsor, Richard Noble, a property services company based in the heart of the Perth CBD with offices throughout Perth’s western suburbs. Each member of the Anderson family team will rally new Group N Subaru Impreza cars that have been imported from Japan. The Anderson family have co-ordinated the work on their cars themselves.
The Andersons have a focussed goal for the final running of a World Rally Championship round in Perth. After using this year’s state rallies to develop the cars they feel it’s time to pitch themselves against the world’s best. “The cars feel 100 per cent,” said Chris. “So we hope to use Telstra Rally Australia as a yardstick against the best Group N drivers in the world. We probably know the roads better but then the other drivers are used to a more intensive level of competition,” he said. As Group N competitors, the Anderson family will be pitting themselves against the cars in the Production Car World Rally Championship of which Telstra Rally Australia is a part of.
It’s not just the Anderson men who are active in rallying. Mum, Sandy, has been an official working in the media centre for Telstra Rally Australia and daughter Melissa, was also a co-driver for her father.
Get to Gloucester Park or one of the country spectator areas to cheer the Anderson’s on! Visit www.rallyaustralia.com for more information and look out for car number 69 (Michael), 66 (Chris) and 72 (James).
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