82 entries are now locked in for next week’s Rally of Canberra, including Guy Wilks, current British Rally Champion, driving a factory-prepared Honda Civic.
The rally of Canberra will be the largest forest rally seen in Canberra since the heady days of the famous Castrol International of the 1970sand this large field confirms the ACT event as one of Australia’s most significant rallies.
The Rally of Canberra is the second round of the prestigious FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) the second round of the Australian Rally Championship (ARC) and a round of the PCD Engineering ACT Rally Series. Its three rallies rolled into one, and featuring a a wide variety of world-class machinery. The rally starts in Garema Place in the heart of Canberra’s CBD at 6:30pm next Friday night (May 9) with a ceremonial start.
This is the 21st running of the Rally of Canberra, making it the longest running international rally in Australia. Canberra is famous for rallying worldwide since the late 70’s when stars like Finland’s Ari Vatenen and Stig Blomqvist competed, with special stages on roads in yet-to-be-completed ACT suburbs.
Asia-Pacific teams are entered from Malaysia, India, Japan, New Caledonia and Australia. A record number of crews from overseas have entered the rally.
Canberra is the home to Neal Bates, Canberra’s own three-times Australian rally champion and the current leader in the 2008 Australian Rally Championship after a superb win in WA in the Toyota Racing Development rally team, where he competes against his team-mate, Simon Evans, last year’s championship winner who is out to knock off the “boss” in his similar S2000 Corolla.
ACT local businesses are also winners with teams and spectators flocking to the rally, drawn by the city’s proximity to the rally course and its world-class food, entertainment and accommodation. Canberra’s stunning scenery will be featured on Network Ten sports coverage and in press coverage around the world an extra bonus to the ACT.