(ARC) is a 6 Round National motorsport Championship run in forested countryside throughout Australia.
The Australian Rally Championship takes in some of the country’s most stunning and picturesque locations. The 2010 season starts with Rally Tasmania, the only tarmac round in the championship. Based in the small coastal city of Burnie, Australia's longest-running tarmac rally is celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year.
The second round sees the championship head across the country for the Quit Forest Rally. The rally is based in the coastal tourist town of Busselton, near Margaret River in Western Australia. Many of the rally stages are narrow and tree-lined, and are often covered in the notoriously slippery, ball-bearing gravel.
The third round of the championship takes place in the forest roads in the hills around Coffs Harbour, New South Wales. The Coffs Coast Rally, known for its numerous surface changes, was cancelled in 2009 due to heavy rains and road damage.
The championship then travels to South Australia for the Scouts Rally SA. The rally stages are located in the
regions, and are within driving distance of the state capital Adelaide. The rally stages are the smoothest and fastest in the championship, making the rally a favourite for competitors and spectators alike.
Round four of the Australian Rally Championship, and also a round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Championship, is the International Rally of Queensland. The stages are held in the forests around the township of Imbil, in the Mary Valley just north of Brisbane. The stages vary between tight and technical and fast and flowing, with many rough sections that give this event a reputation as a potential car-breaker.
The final round of the ARC will be a new round in the state of Victoria. The event is set to based in the town of Drouin, located about 100 kilometres east of Melbourne. The rally stages are to be held mostly in the foothills of Mount Baw Baw, using forestry roads in the Nojoee - Neerim district.
The Championship itself is a highly competitive series, featuring a host of talented teams all racing the clock for the honour of being champion. The competition is often very close, with drivers trading stage times over the gravel and tarmac roads and often finishing just tenths of seconds ahead, or behind, their rivals. In the forest, the action is thrilling. Cars slide sideways through high-speed corners and dodge and dive over challenging crested roads as the team-work between driver and co-driver is tested to the limit.
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
(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
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.
The more successful cars in recent years of the ARC have been the 4WD 2.0L Turbo models such as the
engines, 4WD system, etc. Michael Guest and Mark Stacey campaigned a RWD 2.5L normally aspirated Ford Focus during the 2006 season, switching to a
class in 2007. Most of the cars in the privateer fields are of a similar make, but other makes with success have been the
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, Mark and Scott Pedder, Simon Evans, Neal Bates, the late
. Privateer crews that have enjoyed recent success include, Dean Herridge and Steve Glenney.
| Year |
Driver |
Co-Driver |
Vehicle |
| 1968 |
Harry Firth Harry L. Firth is an Australian former racing driver and team manager. Firth was a leading race and rally driver during the 1950s and 1960s and continued as an influential team manager well into the 1970s...
(VIC) |
Graham Hoinville (VIC) |
Ford CortinaAs the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
|
| 1969 |
Frank Kilfoyle (VIC) |
Doug Rutherford (NSW) |
Ford Cortina LotusThe Lotus-Cortina is a high-performance car, which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1970 by the Ford in collaboration with Lotus Cars. The original version, which was based on the Ford Cortina Mark 1, was promoted by Ford as the "Consul Cortina developed by Lotus", with "Consul"...
|
| 1970 |
Robert Watson (VIC) |
Jim McAuliffe (VIC) |
Renault R8 Gordini |
| 1971 |
Colin BondColin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...
(NSW) |
George Shepheard (NSW) |
Holden Torana LC XU1The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
|
| 1972 |
Colin BondColin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...
(NSW) |
George Shepheard (NSW) |
Holden Torana LJ XU1The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
|
| 1973 |
Peter Lang (ACT) |
Warwick Smith (VIC) |
Holden Torana LJ XU1The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
|
| 1974 |
Colin BondColin John Bond is a retired Australian racing driver. Bond reached the highest levels in Australian motorsport in 1969 when he was recruited by Harry Firth to the newly formed Holden Dealer Team...
(NSW) |
George Shepheard (NSW) |
Holden Torana LJ XU1The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
|
| 1975 |
Ross Dunkerton Ross Dunkerton is considered Australia's most successful rally driver to date, originating in Perth, Western Australia. He was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two...
(WA) |
John Large (WA) |
Datsun 240Z |
| 1976 |
Ross Dunkerton Ross Dunkerton is considered Australia's most successful rally driver to date, originating in Perth, Western Australia. He was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two...
(WA) |
Jeff Beaumont (VIC) |
Datsun 260Z |
| 1977 |
Ross Dunkerton Ross Dunkerton is considered Australia's most successful rally driver to date, originating in Perth, Western Australia. He was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two...
(WA)
George FuryGeorge Fury is a retired Australian rally and racing car driver. For the majority of his career Fury was associated with Nissan, twice winning the Australian Rally Championship, and twice runner up in the Australian Touring Car Championship.-Rallying:Born in Hungary, Fury rose to prominence during...
(VIC) |
Jeff Beaumont (VIC)
Monty Suffern (VIC) |
Datsun 260Z
Datsun 1600The Datsun 510 was a series of the Datsun Bluebird sold from 1968 to 1974, and offered outside the U.S. and Canada as the Datsun 1600. According to AutoWeek's G.D...
|
| 1978 |
Greg Carr Greg Carr is an Australian former rally driver. Carr won the Australian Rally Championship three times and dominated the prestigious Castrol International Rally in the 1970s as well as winning numerous other rallies....
(VIC) |
John Dawson-Damer (VIC) |
Ford Escort RS |
| 1979 |
Ross Dunkerton Ross Dunkerton is considered Australia's most successful rally driver to date, originating in Perth, Western Australia. He was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two...
(WA) |
Jeff Beaumont (TAS) |
Datsun StanzaThe Nissan Stanza started out in Japan as the Nissan Violet in 1973, and then was split into two other models in 1977 called the second generation Nissan Auster and Nissan Violet . All three bore the A10 series identifier, and were built in Japan at Hiratsuka and Oppama, Incidentally, the series...
|
| 1980 |
George Fury George Fury is a retired Australian rally and racing car driver. For the majority of his career Fury was associated with Nissan, twice winning the Australian Rally Championship, and twice runner up in the Australian Touring Car Championship.-Rallying:Born in Hungary, Fury rose to prominence during...
(VIC) |
Monty Suffern (VIC) |
Datsun StanzaThe Nissan Stanza started out in Japan as the Nissan Violet in 1973, and then was split into two other models in 1977 called the second generation Nissan Auster and Nissan Violet . All three bore the A10 series identifier, and were built in Japan at Hiratsuka and Oppama, Incidentally, the series...
|
| 1981 |
Geoff Portman (VIC) |
Ross Runnalls (VIC) |
Datsun StanzaThe Nissan Stanza started out in Japan as the Nissan Violet in 1973, and then was split into two other models in 1977 called the second generation Nissan Auster and Nissan Violet . All three bore the A10 series identifier, and were built in Japan at Hiratsuka and Oppama, Incidentally, the series...
|
| 1982 |
Geoff Portman (VIC) |
Ross Runnalls (VIC) |
Datsun 1600 The Datsun 510 was a series of the Datsun Bluebird sold from 1968 to 1974, and offered outside the U.S. and Canada as the Datsun 1600. According to AutoWeek's G.D...
|
| 1983 |
Ross Dunkerton Ross Dunkerton is considered Australia's most successful rally driver to date, originating in Perth, Western Australia. He was previously a councillor for the Town of Bassendean, but moved with his family to Cairns in Far North Queensland in late 2007.Ross is married to his wife Lisa has two...
(WA) |
Geoff Jones (NSW) |
Datsun 1600 The Datsun 510 was a series of the Datsun Bluebird sold from 1968 to 1974, and offered outside the U.S. and Canada as the Datsun 1600. According to AutoWeek's G.D...
|
| 1984 |
David Officer (VIC) |
Kate Officer (VIC) |
Mitsubishi Galant The first generation of the car, initially known as the Colt Galant, was released in December 1969. The design was dubbed "Dynawedge" by Mitsubishi, referring to the influence of aerodynamics on the silhouette. Three models were available, powered by the new 'Saturn' engine in 1.3 or 1.5 L ...
|
| 1985 |
Barry Lowe (SA) |
Kevin Pedder (SA) |
Subaru RX TurboThe Subaru Leone was a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Fuji Heavy Industries from 1971 to 1994. The word "leone" is Italian for lion....
|
| 1986 |
Barry Lowe (SA) |
Kate Officer * (VIC) |
Subaru RX TurboThe Subaru Leone was a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Fuji Heavy Industries from 1971 to 1994. The word "leone" is Italian for lion....
|
|
|
* Note: Kate Officer co-drove for David Officer during the 1986 season. |
| 1987 |
Greg Carr Greg Carr is an Australian former rally driver. Carr won the Australian Rally Championship three times and dominated the prestigious Castrol International Rally in the 1970s as well as winning numerous other rallies....
(ACT) |
Fred Gocentas (ACT) |
Alfa Romeo GTV6Alfa Romeo GTV redirects here. For 916 series GTV see Alfa Romeo GTV & SpiderThe Alfa Romeo Alfetta is an Italian rear-wheel drive executive saloon car and fastback coupé produced from 1972 until 1987 by Alfa Romeo...
|
| 1988 |
Murray Coote (QLD) |
Iain Stewart (QLD) |
Mazda 323 4WDMazda's automotive plans for the early sixties consisted of growing alongside the Japanese economy. To achieve this goal, they began by building an extremely cheap Kei car, the R360 in 1960, planning on introducing gradually larger and pricier cars as the Japanese customers became able to afford them...
|
| 1989 |
Greg Carr Greg Carr is an Australian former rally driver. Carr won the Australian Rally Championship three times and dominated the prestigious Castrol International Rally in the 1970s as well as winning numerous other rallies....
(ACT) |
Mick Harker (ACT) |
Lancia Delta IntegraleThe Lancia Delta is a small family car produced by Italian automaker Lancia with the first generation being produced between 1979 and 1994, the second generation running from 1993 until 1999, and the third generation Delta entering production in 2008. It was first shown inFrankfurt Motor Show in 1979...
|
| 1990 |
Ed Ordynski Ed Ordynski is an Australian former rally driver. He served as Chairman of the Australian Rally Commission in 2007....
(SA) |
Mark Nelson (SA) |
Mitsubishi Galant VR-4The Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 was the range-topping version of Mitsubishi Motors' Galant model, available in the sixth , seventh and eighth generations of the vehicle...
|
| 1991 |
Robb Herridge (WA) |
Steve Vanderbyl (WA) |
Subaru Liberty RSThe Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
|
| 1992 |
Robb Herridge (WA) |
Mark Nelson (SA) |
Subaru Liberty RSThe Subaru Legacy is a mid-size car built by the Japanese company Fuji Heavy Industries, and manufactured by its division Subaru since 1989, and is available as a sedan or wagon. Part of the original design goals for the Legacy model was to provide Subaru a vehicle in which they could compete in...
|
| 1993 |
Neal Bates Neal Bates is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia...
(ACT) |
Coral Taylor Coral Taylor is an Australian female rally co-driver.She began her motorsport career at the age of 18, when she co-drove for her father, Norm Fritter, in the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial, sparking a passion that lives to this day....
(NSW) |
Toyota Celica GT-Four The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient...
|
| 1994 |
Neal Bates Neal Bates is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia...
(ACT) |
Coral Taylor Coral Taylor is an Australian female rally co-driver.She began her motorsport career at the age of 18, when she co-drove for her father, Norm Fritter, in the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial, sparking a passion that lives to this day....
(NSW) |
Toyota Celica GT-Four The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient...
|
| 1995 |
Neal Bates Neal Bates is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia...
(ACT) |
Coral Taylor Coral Taylor is an Australian female rally co-driver.She began her motorsport career at the age of 18, when she co-drove for her father, Norm Fritter, in the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial, sparking a passion that lives to this day....
(NSW) |
Toyota Celica GT-Four The Toyota Celica GT-Four is a high performance model of the Celica liftback, with a turbocharged 3S-GTE engine, and full-time AWD. It was created to compete in the World Rally Championship, whose regulations dictate that a manufacturer must build road-going versions of the vehicle in sufficient...
|
| 1996 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRX 555The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 1997 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRX 555The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 1998 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRX 555The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 1999 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRC98The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 2000 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Mark Stacey (QLD) |
Subaru Impreza WRC98The Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 2001 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Craig Vincent (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRC |
| 2002 |
Possum Bourne (NZ) |
Mark Stacey (QLD) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STiThe Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 2003 |
Cody Crocker Cody Crocker is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Crocker has won seven titles in the last seven years and with 24 wins and four consecutive championships is the most successful driver in the history of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.Crocker was discovered in the mid 1990s, winning a...
(VIC) |
Greg Foletta (VIC) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STiThe Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 2004 |
Cody Crocker Cody Crocker is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Crocker has won seven titles in the last seven years and with 24 wins and four consecutive championships is the most successful driver in the history of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.Crocker was discovered in the mid 1990s, winning a...
(VIC) |
Greg Foletta (VIC) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STiThe Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 2005 |
Cody Crocker Cody Crocker is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Crocker has won seven titles in the last seven years and with 24 wins and four consecutive championships is the most successful driver in the history of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship.Crocker was discovered in the mid 1990s, winning a...
(VIC) |
Dale Moscatt (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STi Spec-CThe Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
|
| 2006 |
Simon Evans (VIC) |
Sue Evans (NSW) |
Toyota Corolla Sportivo (NP)The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
|
| 2007 |
Simon Evans (VIC) |
Sue Evans (NSW) |
Toyota Corolla Sportivo (NP)The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
|
| 2008 |
Neal Bates Neal Bates is an Australian rally and racing car driver. Throughout his career Bates has been associated with Toyota in the Australian Rally Championship and for 19 years his Neal Bates Motorsport outfit ran Toyota's official rally program in Australia...
(ACT) |
Coral Taylor Coral Taylor is an Australian female rally co-driver.She began her motorsport career at the age of 18, when she co-drove for her father, Norm Fritter, in the 1979 Repco Round Australia Trial, sparking a passion that lives to this day....
(NSW) |
Toyota Corolla S2000The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
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| 2009 The 2009 Australian Rally Championship season is the 42nd season in the history of the competition.It is also the first since the mid 1980s to take place with no significant manufacturer support after Toyota withdrew its support of the Bates Motor Sport rally team which has competed as Toyota Team...
|
Simon Evans (VIC) |
Sue Evans (NSW) |
Toyota Corolla S2000The Toyota Corolla is a line of subcompact and compact cars manufactured by the Japanese automaker Toyota, which has become very popular throughout the world since the nameplate was first introduced in 1966. In 1997, the Corolla became the best selling nameplate in the world, with over 35 million...
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IXThe Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, colloquially known as the Lancer Evo or Evo, is a high-performance sedan manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors. There have been ten official versions to date, and the designation of each model is most commonly a roman numeral...
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| 2010 The 2010 Australian Rally Championship is series of six rallying events held across Australia, including the international event 2010 International Rally of Queensland. It is the 43rd season in the history of the competition....
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Simon Evans (VIC) |
Sue Evans (NSW) |
Subaru Impreza WRX STiThe Subaru Impreza WRX STI, has the highest trim in the Subaru Impreza compact car line, produced by Japanese automaker Subaru.In the late 1980s, Subaru created the Subaru Tecnica International division to coordinate development for the FIA World Rally Championship and other motorsports activities...
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