Competitive Australian Rally Championship battle awaits
The most competitive Australian Rally Championship contest for 20 years is about to kick off in the nation’s capital Canberra tomorrow.
An influx of new world-class cars, and a growing group of speedy youngsters, will inject some much-needed uncertainty into the series.
Veteran Scott Pedder, as fast as anyone in recent memory, should also provide genuine opposition to the factory Toyotas of Harry and Lewis Bates.
The Bates team from Canberra has been able to play a one-sided game in recent years but that could easily change in season 2024 with a Top 10 line-up crowded with relative newbies in cars as good as anything ever available to non-factory drivers in Australia.
Lewis Bates will be driving the older spec Toyota Yaris in Canberra. Image: Peter Norton EPIC Sports Photography
There is a bunch of the Rally2 cars which have levelled the field, with most drivers going for a Skoda, as well as Hyundai Rally2 cars and the modified Subaru Impreza for former champion Molly Taylor.
The last time the series looked so competitive – open is not the right word – is when there were genuine factory entries by Subaru, Mitsubishi and Toyota.
But that was in the early 2000s and the only survivors from the superstar drivers of the time are Pedder and Neal Bates, although he has virtually stopped driving.
“This is the best field in a very long time. There are a lot of people who are making big steps forwards this year,” Bates told Auto Action.
“I’m very excited about Canberra. I think there will be some people there who will be right on the pace. I want to see who can step up and make the series what it should be.
Molly Taylor will be one of the stars to watch in Canberra. Image:Peter Norton/EPIC Sports Photography
“The Maguires from Tasmania are doing the ARC for the second year and Alex Rullo was running third in Canberra last year.
“Obviously Scott Pedder is very quick, and Molly Taylor was very competitive last year in Canberra.”
But surely the Toyota team only wants to win, especially with Harry Bates driving a new Rally2 version of the Toyota Yaris which has been air-freighted to Australia for the start of the Australian Rally Championship.
“Of course we like winning, but you also want to earn it,” said Bates.
“We enjoy the challenge. We’ve very, very happy to have the challenge.”
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The challenge is even bigger for Pedder, a 40-something former national champion who has imported a Skoda Fabia Rally2 car for a genuine attempt at a second title.
“I want to see if I’m still good enough. That’s pretty much what I’ve done for my whole career – test myself,” Pedder told Auto Action.
“I need to scratch the itch. And ‘multiple Australian champion’ sounds a lot better to me.
Scott Pedder is determined to slide his way back to the ARC title. Image: Peter Norton/EPIC Sports Photography
“To win the Australian Rally Championship you need to finish 12 days of competition. And that’s something I’ve never done. Hopefully, when you turn 48 you have a level of maturity that says you don’t have to win every stage.
“When the red mist descends it’s tough to tame. But I’ve go my eyes on the biggest prize.
“There are also genuine commercial opportunities with Pedders, as it’s the 75th year for the business and next year will be 50 years of involvement in the ARC.”
Like everyone in the field who is not driving a factory Toyota, Pedder can see the challenge.
“I think we can beat them. Will it be easy? Hell, no,” he said.
“They have two very good drivers, a good team, and a lot of experience.
A decent crowd is expected to watch the 2024 ARC opener. Peter Norton/EPIC Sports Photography
“But the odds are evened a bit this year with a change to MRF tyres. And the competition is going to be very strong. There are four or five guys and gals who can potentially win.”
“Canberra is the only rally I haven’t won. I’ve got four seconds. But no reason why I cannot win there this time.”
The two-day Canberra contest on April 6-7 is regarded as an ‘endurance event’, which means it’s not split into a pair of heats.
It’s also one of the toughest Australian Rally Championship rounds, with slippery ball-bearing surfaces for the first day in the Tidbinbilla area and then stony rough roads in the Kowen forests on the opposite side of the ACT for the second day.
The Canberra contest was run as the Australian Rally Championship finale in 2023 with Harry and Lewis Bates – predictably- taking a 1-2 sweep, but with young Eddie Maguire coming home third.
One of the oldest and unique cars to look out for will be the 1970 Porsche 911 driven by Sharath (Zach) Hegdé and Nicola Hoey. Peter Norton/EPIC Sports Photography
Crews have already hit took on the forests to the west of Canberra today for their pace noting reconnaissance and encountered dry and slippery conditions.
However, all eyes are on the weather forecasts and the threat of heavy rain on Friday and Saturday.
Due to the dire forecast, all public events on Friday have been cancelled, including the Friday evening ceremonial start.
But this will not diminish the fight for the 2024 Rally of Canberra title which will be broadcast on 7plus over the weekend.
Images: Peter Norton/EPIC Sports Photography
2024 RALLY OF CANBERRA Starting list
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