Coates Hire Rally Australia 2015

[Livewireshock]

Rally Guide 1 has been out for a couple of weeks and some route announcements made, so I thought I would start this thread now to allow discussion about this years WRC round in Australia.

First major change will see Friday's stages held west of Macksville, around Taylors Arm. This is located in the next valley south of the long Nambucca Stage.

Three stages, Utungun, Bakers Creek and North Bank will be run twice on fast flowing Shire Roads. These are similar in nature to the popular Nambucca and Valla stages. All 6 stages will be run before returning to Service in Coffs Harbour. Remote Refuel will be situated near the iconic "Pub with No Beer" at Taylors Arm (do not worry visitors, the name is from an old song and beer is plentiful there now). After service a lengthened Newry Stage will be run once to end Friday's action.

The second major change is that there will be no Super Specials run at night in Coffs Harbour, however Saturday's schedule will see the Newry Long stage run again first thing in the morning, followed by the Nambucca and Valla stages, with the later two stages run again in the day, with the Valla stage held at night, just after sunset.

The change for Sunday is the exclusion of the Shipmans Stage, so no watersplash. It has been replaced by the Settles Road stage which was used as the Shakedown Stage, although in the reverse direction, in the 2013 Rally Australia.

Service Park remains unchanged, staying at the Coffs Harbour International Stadium for this year.

So quite a few changes as more farmland and less forest roads are being used, however it should be very popular with the drivers and spectators alike.