ARC STARS TO COMPETE IN NSW STATE EVENT

The AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay, a round of the NSW Rally Championship will see several national Australian Rally Championship drivers compete in the scheduled July event.

After the announcement that Rally Tasmania would be postponed from July to September due to the COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne, a large number of ARC teams have elected to enter the New South Wales event to keep themselves race sharp.

Due to the extensive numbers of entries, the event has become a ‘promotional’ round of the ARC, giving the sponsors and supporters some welcome exposure.

Of course, there will be no points on offer, with results from the event not impacting the ARC standings but can go to the state series should they choose.

Big names are flocking to the event including reigning champion Harry Bates and his brother Lewis Bates. Both are set to tackle the rally in their brand-new Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris AP4s.

The impressive entry list also includes Richie Dalton, AGI Sport’s Luke Anear, Nathan Quinn, Troy Dowel, Tom Clarke, Chris Higgs, and Taylor Gill, all of whom are ARC contenders.

The event run by the North Shore Sporting Car Club will also see many other ARC drivers take to the grid including Production Cup leader Arron Windus and his father Darren Windus in their entries.

Notably, JJ Hatton will make his return to competitive action following a spectacular crash in testing for the National Capital earlier this year.

Due to the quality of the ARC entry list, Motorsport Australia will provide special social media coverage of the event co-hosted by Triple Eight Race Engineering co-owner Jess Dane.

Motorsport Australia’s media production team has agreed to work closely with Rally NSW to support their extensive coverage of the NSW Championship.

Event director and North Shore Sporting Car Club vice president Nigel Bland is excited to welcome ARC regulars competitors to the event.

“The AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay is always such a strong event, and to have such a strong field of ARC competitors joining us at the event is a real boost for the NSW Championship and also for rallying in NSW,” Bland said.

“The quality of the field and the depth of talent throughout the classes will be a real treat for spectators. The addition of drivers such as 2019 ARC Champions Harry Bates and John McCarthy highlights the quality that this event offers up.

“I’d also like to once again extend my thanks to all our event sponsors who make this rally possible and to every single one of our competitors for putting on such a brilliant show.”

The AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay occurs in Batemans Bay July 17.

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