The Confederation of Australian Motor Sport and the ACT Government have reached an agreement which will see the ACT Government hand over the reigns of Promoter and Organiser for the Rally of Canberra from 2008 onwards.
Highly respected event organiser, Mr Mike Bell, who has performed the senior sporting organiser role for the Rally for many years, will take over the conduct of the Rally for the 2008 event. The Rally, subject to FIA observation of this year's event, will then form Australia's round of the 2008 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.
The ACT Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation, Mr Andrew Barr, said he was pleased an agreement was reached.
"I would like to thank CAMS for working with us to find a way of retaining the Rally in Canberra.
"This is a positive outcome for both parties and is the result of lengthy but fruitful negotiations," said Mr Barr.
CAMS President Colin Osborne said that Canberra has a long history of supporting rallying and has an important and large rally enthusiast base.
"We are sure that under the leadership of Mike Bell the efforts of the many parties involved in the Rally of Canberra these past years will be rewarded with an event of ever increasing popularity," said Mr Osborne.
The Rally will also be a round of Australia's premier rally series, the NEC Australian Rally Championship.
The Rally of Canberra has been a round of the FIA Asia Pacific Championship since 1999 under the direct control of ACT Tourism.
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