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Big end to Australian Rally Championship

By Thomas Miles

Date posted: 21 November 2024

The 2024 Australian Rally Championship will end on a high with the title on the line at Rally Tasmania this weekend.

Reigning champions Harry Bates and Coral Taylor are in the box seat as they chase back to back successes.

They have 398 points up their sleeve, but with the top four covered by 108 points and 110 up for grabs this weekend, nothing is certain.

Tasmanian local Eddie Maguire will have the home crowd cheering him and co driver Zak Brakey on as they are the nearest challengers.

Maguire has been a consistent force all year with four straight podiums since Western Australia and sits 75 points back.

But it is a long shot as the Skoda entry needs to win both the rally and Galvaniize Insurance Power Stage, and rely on Harry Bates to finish outside the top 10.

Previous champions Scott Pedder (2014) and Lewis Bates (2022) also hope to take the fight to the #1 and are in mathematical contention, but need trouble to strike.

A big 50-car field will be taking on Rally Tasmania and some who are returning to the Australian Rally Championship.

A story of inspiration is Tony Dowel as another cancer battle paused his ARC career earlier in 2024.

However, he has bravely fought off the illness to make an incredible comeback alongside Bernie Webb in a Ford Fiesta Rally2.

Richie Dalton will jump into the 2022 championship winning Toyota GR Yaris AP4 next to Mac Kierans.

Although Molly Taylor leads the Production Cup, she will not take part in the finale and there is a risk the title could be snatched.

Defending cup champions Bodie Reading and Mark Young are only 44 points adrift and are determined to keep their crown.

Also in the class are Clayton Hoy and Erin Kelly aboard their Mitsubishi Evo 6, plus three-time ARC Champion Cody Crocker and Greg Foletta in a former FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship Subaru WRX.

A nine-car field will be taking on the 2WD Classic Cup.

Tom Clarke and Ryan Preston have reunited with their rapid Datsun Stanza.

They will be the top seed ahead of Jack Monkhouse and Neill Woolley in a Datsun 180B.

Another tight fight is Classics which will go down to the wire as Peter Dimmock and Dave Thompson are separated by just 27 points.

Mitch Garrad and Taylah Murphy also lead the way in the ARC Junior Cup, with Tasmanian family duo Jaidyn and Lucy Gluskie eager to go all the way on home turf.

The Dakar Rally inspired Red-Lined Revo T1 Plus car of Adam Kaplan also makes a wildcard appearance as an invitation vehicle with co-driver Dale Moscatt by his side.

Image: Ozsportphotos

Rally Tasmania entry list

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