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Australian Rally Championship, West Australian Round, night stage. 2006.
The Australian Rally Championship (ARC) is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.
[edit] Current Competition
In 2006, the Australian Rally Championship started in the nation’s capital, Canberra, with the Rally of Canberra for the first time being run as a Round of the Super Series as well as remaining on as the opening Round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. The coastal tourist town of Busselton, near the Margaret River in WA moved to the second Round position before the series traveled to Queensland on the Sunshine Coast town of Caloundra then headed down to the southern forests of Tasmania. From there the Championship headed to the Barossa Valley for South Australia 's event and then Victoria 's Yarra Valley wine region. While not a Round of the Super Series, the World Rally Championship Round, Rally Australia, is the seventh and final Round in the ARC calendar and the final scoring opportunity for the manufacturers Championship. The championship features support from the regular manufacturer teams (Toyota, Mitsubishi and Ford) - having suffered the loss of manufacturer team Subaru in 2005 - and also boasts a field of privateer teams. Each event runs over two competitive days, with points scored by the top ten placed teams on each day. The final victor is decided by the most successful combination over the two days competition. Each event starts and finishes with a gala run and also supports the outright competition for manufacturer and driver.
[edit] Competition Classes
The Australian 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 form 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.
[edit] The Cars
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 GT4 chassis, engines, etc. A car that is starting to look promising is the 2.5L normally aspirated Ford Focus of Michael Guest and Mark Stacey. 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.
A Subaru Impreza WRX competing in an Australian rally.
[edit] The Drivers
As with the cars, it tends to be the factory-entered drivers that take the outright placings. Some of these drivers have been Cody Crocker, Scott Pedder, Simon Evans, Neil Bates, the late Possum Bourne and Ed Ordinski. But privateer crews that have enjoyed success have been, to name a few, Dean Herridge/Bill Hayes, Leigh Garrioch/Ken Garrioch and Bill Hunter/Patrick Hunter.
[edit] Past Winners
[edit] Australian Rally Champions
| Year |
Driver |
Co-Driver |
Vehicle |
| 1968 |
Harry Firth (VIC) |
Graham Hoinville (VIC) |
Ford Cortina |
| 1969 |
Frank Kilfoyle (VIC) |
Doug Rutherford (NSW) |
Lotus Cortina |
| 1970 |
Robert Watson (VIC) |
Jim McAuliffe (VIC) |
Renault R8 Gordini |
| 1971 |
Colin Bond (NSW) |
George Shepheard (NSW) |
Holden Torana |
| 1972 |
Colin Bond (NSW) |
George Shepheard (NSW) |
Holden Torana |
| 1973 |
Peter Lang (ACT) |
Warwick Smith (VIC) |
Holden Torana |
| 1974 |
Colin Bond (NSW) |
George Shepheard (NSW) |
Holden Torana |
| 1975 |
Ross Dunkerton (WA) |
John Large (WA) |
Datsun 240Z |
| 1976 |
Ross Dunkerton (WA) |
Jeff Beaumont (VIC) |
Datsun 260Z |
| 1977 |
Ross Dunkerton (WA) |
Jeff Beaumont (VIC) |
Datsun 7 |
| 1978 |
Greg Carr (VIC) |
John Dawson Damer (VIC) |
Ford Escort |
| 1979 |
Ross Dunkerton (WA) |
Jeff Beaumont (TAS) |
Datsun P510 |
| 1980 |
George Fury (VIC) |
Monty Suffern (VIC) |
Datsun Stanza |
| 1981 |
Geoff Portman (VIC) |
Ross Runnalls (VIC) |
Datsun Stanza |
| 1982 |
Geoff Portman (VIC) |
Ross Runnalls (VIC) |
Datsun P510 |
| 1983 |
Ross Dunkerton (WA) |
Geoff Jones (NSW) |
Datsun 1600 |
| 1984 |
David Officer (VIC) |
Kate Officer (VIC) |
Mitsubishi Galant |
| 1985 |
Barry Lowe (SA) |
Kevin Pedder (SA) |
Subaru RX Turbo |
| 1986 |
Barry Lowe (SA) |
Kate Officer * (VIC) |
Subaru RX Turbo |
|
|
* Note: Kate Officer co-drove for David Officer during the 1986 season. |
| 1987 |
Greg Carr (ACT) |
Fred Gocentas (ACT) |
Alfa GTV6 |
| 1988 |
Murray Coote (QLD) |
Iain Stewart (QLD) |
Mazda 323 4WD |
| 1989 |
Greg Carr (ACT) |
Mick Harker (ACT) |
Lancia Delta Integrale |
| 1990 |
Ed Ordynski (SA) |
Mark Nelson (SA) |
Mitusbishi Galant VR4 |
| 1991 |
Rob Herridge (WA) |
Steve Vanderbyl (WA) |
Subaru Legacy |
| 1992 |
Rob Herridge (WA) |
Mark Nelson (SA) |
Subaru Legacy |
| 1993 |
Neal Bates (ACT) |
Coral Taylor (NSW) |
Toyota Celica Turbo 4WD |
| 1994 |
Neal Bates (ACT) |
Coral Taylor (NSW) |
Toyota Celica GT4 |
| 1995 |
Neal Bates (ACT) |
Coral Taylor (NSW) |
Toyota Celica GT4 |
| 1996 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza 555 |
| 1997 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza 555 |
| 1998 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza 555 |
| 1999 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRC98 |
| 2000 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Mark Stacey (QLD) |
Subaru Impreza WRC98 |
| 2001 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRC |
| 2002 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Mark Stacey (QLD) |
Subaru Impreza WRC |
| 2003 |
Cody Crocker (VIC) |
Greg Foletta (VIC) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STi |
| 2004 |
Cody Crocker (VIC) |
Greg Foletta (VIC) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STi |
| 2005 |
Cody Crocker (VIC) |
Dale Moscatt (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STi |
| 2006 |
Simon Evans (VIC) |
Sue Evans (NSW) |
Toyota Corolla Sportiva |
[edit] Group N Rally Championship
| Year |
Driver |
Co-Driver |
Vehicle |
| 1990 |
Ed Ordynski (SA) |
Mark Nelson (SA) |
Mitsubishi Galant VR4 |
| 1991 |
Bob Nicoli (WA) |
Brian Harwood (WA) |
Daihatsu Charade GTi |
| 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 (NSW) |
Mark Stacey (QLD) |
Subaru Impreza WRX |
[edit] Australian Manufacturers Champions
| 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 |
[edit] Australian Formula 2 Rally Champions
| Year |
Driver |
Co-Driver |
Vehicle |
| 1995 |
Bob Nicoli (WA) |
Claire Parker (WA) |
Daihatsu Charade GTi |
| 1996 |
Ross McKenzie (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) |
Volkswagen Golf GTi |
| 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 |
[edit] Australian F16 Rally Champions
| Driver |
Co-Driver |
Vehicle |
| 2003 Lee Peterson (TAS) |
Graham Legg-Stoker (VIC) |
Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg |
| 2004 Denise Collins (SA) |
G McConkey (QLD) |
Honda Civic |
| 2005 Leigh Garrioch (VIC) |
Ken Garrioch (VIC) |
Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg |
| 2006 Leigh Garrioch (VIC) |
Ken Garrioch (VIC) |
Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg |
