Australian Rally Championship

The Motorsport Australia Rally Championship, also commonly known as the Australian Rally Championship (ARC), is Australia's premier gravel rally competition. A multi-event national championship has been held each year since 1968, excepting 2020.

Australian Rally Championship
CategoryRallying
CountryAustralia
Inaugural season1968
Tyre suppliersMRF Tyres
Drivers' championHarry Bates
Coral Taylor
Teams' championToyota Gazoo Racing Australia
Official websiterally.com.au
Current season
Australian Rally Championship, West Australian Round, night stage. 2006.

Competition

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The Australian Rally Championship (ARC) has, in recent season, been held across six rounds in most parts of Australia.

The drivers' champion of that year will claim the prestigious Possum Bourne Memorial Trophy, inaugurated in 2003 after the tragic passing of the seven-time Australian Rally Champion.

Alongside the outright drivers' and co-drivers' titles are multiple ARC Cups. With a variety of machinery on offer, these Cups give crews the ability to battle amongst like-for-like machinery. These include the Production Cup, 2WD Cup, Junior Cup, and Classic Cup.

Events vary between a mixture of endurance and sprint events. Endurance events will typically cover multiple days, with points awarded at the conclusion of the rally. Sprint events distribute points at the conclusion of each day, otherwise known as Heats.

A Power Stage also provides outright ARC crews the opportunity to collect bonus points on the final stage of each rally.

Events

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Six rounds will comprise the 2024 Bosch Motorsport Australia Rally Championship

• Rally of Canberra: 5–7 April

• Forest Rally: 17–19 May

• Rally Queensland: 28–30 June

• Gippsland Rally: 9–11 August

• Adelaide Hills Rally: 13–15 September

• Rally Launceston: 22–24 November

Competition classes

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A Subaru Impreza WRX competing in an Australian rally.

The Australia Rally Championship caters to a range of different competitors in the series and with a number of classes and categories; competitors can start rallying at the level that best suits their budget. The outright competition is fought out amongst the names of rallying and is the ultimate test for the competitors at the pointy end of the field. The ARC's top drivers compete in Group N (Production) - cars which have direct links to their road-going counterparts. The ARC also offers opportunities for manufacturers who don't produce Group N cars to build comparable machinery under both the Group N (P) and FIA Super 2000 regulations. Another award that is desirable for competitors to chase is the Privateers Cup for competitors who don't have support from the manufacturer teams. The F16 Championship is the small car category (1600cc, 2WD) and a budget-level place to start rallying. The outright winner of the Championship is an Australian Champion in the small car category and is added to the record books. The Aussie Cup is the Australian award for large cars (over 2500cc) that enables competitors in the big cars to run popular passenger car models such as V6 and V8's. Amongst the outright awards are the opportunities to chase individual class awards that are based on car capacity and specification which gives competitors the opportunity to pursue class victories.

Cars

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The more successful cars in recent years of the ARC have been the 4WD 2.0L Turbo models such as the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolutions, Subaru Impreza WRX STIs and the Toyota Corolla ARC-spec cars, which are actually running Toyota Celica GT-Four engines, 4WD system, etc.[citation needed]. Michael Guest and Mark Stacey campaigned a RWD 2.5L normally aspirated Ford Focus during the 2006 season, switching to a Ford Fiesta prepared for the Super 2000 class in 2007. Most of the cars in the privateer fields are of a similar make, but other makes with success have been the Mitsubishi Mirage, Mitsubishi Galant VR-4, Subaru Legacy, Datsun 1600, Datsun 240Z, Nissan Stanza and the Suzuki Swift GTi.

Drivers

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As with the cars, it tends to be the factory-entered drivers that take the outright placings. Some of these drivers have been Colin Bond, Greg Carr. George Fury, Ross Dunkerton, Geoff Portman, Scott Pedder, Simon Evans, Neal Bates, the late Possum Bourne and Ed Ordynski. Privateer crews that have enjoyed recent success include Nathan Quinn and Steve Glenney. In 2015 Molly Taylor became the first woman to win a heat in the Australia Rally Championship.[1]

Winners

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Possum Bourne and Craig Vincent (1998)
 
Scott Pedder and Dale Moscatt. Renault Clio R3. International Rally of Queensland 2014

Australian Rally Champions

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Year Driver Co-driver Vehicle
1968   Harry Firth   Graham Hoinville Ford Cortina Lotus[2]
1969   Frank Kilfoyle   Doug Rutherford Ford Cortina Lotus
1970   Robert Watson   Jim McAuliffe Renault R8 Gordini
1971   Colin Bond   George Shepheard Holden Torana LC GTR XU-1
1972   Colin Bond   George Shepheard Holden Torana LJ GTR XU-1
1973   Peter Lang   Warwick Smith Holden Torana LJ GTR XU-1
1974   Colin Bond   George Shepheard Holden Torana LJ GTR XU-1
1975   Ross Dunkerton   John Large Datsun 240Z
1976   Ross Dunkerton   Jeff Beaumont Datsun 260Z
1977   Ross Dunkerton
  George Fury
  Jeff Beaumont
  Monty Suffern
Datsun 260Z
Datsun 710
1978   Greg Carr   John Dawson-Damer* Ford Escort RS
1979   Ross Dunkerton   Jeff Beaumont Datsun Stanza
1980   George Fury   Monty Suffern Datsun Stanza
1981   Geoff Portman   Ross Runnalls Datsun Stanza
1982   Geoff Portman   Ross Runnalls Datsun 1600
1983   Ross Dunkerton   Geoff Jones Datsun 1600
1984   David Officer   Kate Officer Mitsubishi Galant GB
1985   Barry Lowe   Kevin Pedder Subaru RX Turbo
1986   Barry Lowe   Kate Officer ** Subaru RX Turbo
1987   Greg Carr   Fred Gocentas Alfa Romeo GTV6
1988   Murray Coote   Iain Stewart Mazda 323 4WD
1989   Greg Carr   Mick Harker Lancia Delta Integrale
1990   Ed Ordynski   Mark Nelson Mitsubishi Galant VR-4
1991   Robert Herridge   Steve Vanderbyl Subaru Liberty RS
1992   Robert Herridge   Mark Nelson Subaru Liberty RS
1993   Neal Bates   Coral Taylor Toyota Celica GT-Four
1994   Neal Bates   Coral Taylor Toyota Celica GT-Four
1995   Neal Bates   Coral Taylor Toyota Celica GT-Four
1996   Possum Bourne   Craig Vincent Subaru Impreza 555
1997   Possum Bourne   Craig Vincent Subaru Impreza 555
1998   Possum Bourne   Craig Vincent Subaru Impreza 555
1999   Possum Bourne   Craig Vincent Subaru Impreza WRC98
2000   Possum Bourne   Mark Stacey Subaru Impreza WRC98
2001   Possum Bourne   Craig Vincent Subaru Impreza WRC
2002   Possum Bourne   Mark Stacey Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2003   Cody Crocker   Greg Foletta Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2004   Cody Crocker   Greg Foletta Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2005   Cody Crocker   Dale Moscatt Subaru Impreza WRX STi Spec-C
2006   Simon Evans   Sue Evans Toyota Corolla Sportivo (NP)
2007   Simon Evans   Sue Evans Toyota Corolla Sportivo (NP)
2008   Neal Bates   Coral Taylor Toyota Corolla S2000
2009   Simon Evans   Sue Evans Toyota Corolla S2000
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
2010   Simon Evans   Sue Evans Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2011   Justin Dowel   Matt Lee Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
2012 2WD:  Eli Evans   Glen Weston Honda Jazz
4WD:  Michael Boaden   Helen Cheers Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
2013   Eli Evans   Glen Weston Honda Jazz
2014   Scott Pedder   Dale Moscatt Renault Clio
2015   Eli Evans   Glen Weston Citroen DS3
2016   Molly Taylor   Bill Hayes Subaru Impreza WRX STi
2017   Nathan Quinn   Bill Hayes *** Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX
2018   Eli Evans   Ben Searcy Skoda Fabia R5
2019   Harry Bates   John McCarthy Toyota Yaris AP4
2021   Harry Bates   John McCarthy Toyota GR Yaris AP4
2022   Lewis Bates   Anthony McLoughlin Toyota GR Yaris AP4
2023   Harry Bates   Coral Taylor Toyota GR Yaris AP4

* Fred Gocentas co-drove for Greg Carr during the 1978 season while Dawson-Damer co-drove for Colin Bond while also scoring points on one occasion co-driving for Dave Morrow which enabled him to beat Gocentas to the co-driver's title.
** Kate Officer co-drove for David Officer during the 1986 season.
*** Bill Hayes co-drove for Molly Taylor during the 2017 season. David Calder and Ben Searcy co-drove for Quinn in 2017.

Group N Rally Championship

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Year Driver Co-driver Vehicle
1990 Ed Ordynski (SA) Mark Nelson (SA) Mitsubishi Galant VR4
1991 Bob Nicoli (WA) Brian Harwood (WA) Daihatsu Charade GTti
1992 Robert Herridge (WA) Mark Nelson (SA) Subaru Liberty RS
1993 Ed Ordynski (SA) Mark Stacey (SA) Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E
1994 Ed Ordynski (SA) Mark Stacey (SA) Mitsubishi Lancer RS-E2
1995 Ed Ordynski (SA) Mark Stacey (SA) Mitsubishi Lancer RS-Ev2
1996 Michael Guest (NSW) Steve O'Brien-Pounde (NSW) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3
1997 Michael Guest (NSW) Mark Stacey (SA) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3
1998 Cody Crocker (VIC) Greg Foletta (VIC) Subaru Impreza WRX
1999 Cody Crocker (VIC) Greg Foletta (VIC) Subaru Impreza WRX
2000 Cody Crocker (VIC) Greg Foletta (VIC) Subaru Impreza WRX
2001 Cody Crocker (VIC) Greg Foletta (VIC) Subaru Impreza WRX
2002 Possum Bourne (NZ) Mark Stacey (QLD) Subaru Impreza WRX

Australian Manufacturers Champions

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Year Company
1969 Ford Motor Co of Aust.
1970 Renault (Aust) Pty Ltd
1971 General Motors-Holden's
1972 General Motors-Holden's
1973 General Motors-Holden's
1974 General Motors-Holden's
1975 Nissan Motor Co (Aust)
1976 Nissan Motor Co (Aust)
1977 Nissan Motor Co (Aust)
1988 Mazda Motors Pty Ltd
1989 Lancia Spa
1990 Mitsubishi Motors Aust Ltd
1991 Daihatsu Australia Pty Ltd
1992 Daihatsu Australia Pty Ltd
1993 Daihatsu Australia Pty Ltd
1994 Daihatsu Australia Pty Ltd
1995 Daihatsu Australia Pty Ltd
1996 Daihatsu Australia Pty Ltd
1997 Mitsubishi Motors Aust Ltd
1998 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
1999 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2000 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2001 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2002 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2003 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2004 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2005 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2006 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited
2007 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited
2012 Honda Motor Company Australia Limited
2013 Honda Motor Company Australia Limited
2014 Citroen Australia
2015 Citroen Australia
2016 Subaru Australia Pty Ltd
2022 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited
2023 Toyota Motor Corporation Australia Limited

Australian Formula 2 Rally Champions

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Year Driver Co-driver Vehicle
1995 Bob Nicoli (WA) Claire Parker (WA) Daihatsu Charade GTi
1996 Ross Mackenzie (WA) Tony Brandon (ACT) Daihatsu Charade GTi
1997 Brett Middleton (NSW) Linda Long (NSW) Honda Civic
1998 Rick Bates (ACT) Jenny Brittan (NSW) Daihatsu Charade GTi
1999 Simon Evans (VIC) Sue Evans (VIC) VW Golf Mk III Kit Car
2000 Lee Peterson (TAS) Graham Legg-Stoker (VIC) Nissan Pulsar GTi
2001 Andrew Hannigan (WA) Duncan Jordan (WA) Daihatsu Charade GTi
2002 Warwick Rooklyn (NSW) Linda Long (NSW) Daihatsu Charade GTi

Australian F16 Rally Champions

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Year Driver Co-driver Vehicle
2003 Lee Peterson (TAS) Graham Legg-Stoker (VIC) Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg
2004 Denise Collins (SA) Gerard McConkey (QLD) Honda Civic
2005 Leigh Garrioch (VIC) Ken Garrioch (VIC) Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg
2006 Leigh Garrioch (VIC) Ken Garrioch (VIC) Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg

See also

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References

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  1. ^ David McCowen (4 April 2015). "Molly Taylor makes rallying history by winning a heat of the Australian Rally Championship". Drive.com.au. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  2. ^ "1968 CAMS AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP, www.snooksmotorsport.com.au, as archived at web.archive.org" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 5 February 2019. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
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