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Podium place and top ten finishes for West Australian competitors in CAMS Australian Rally Championship season opener

06/03/2018
 
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Evans/Searcy. Photo: BTeamRallyMedia John Doutch

Podium place and top ten finishes for West Australian competitors in first round

 
Five West Australian competitors in three cars all finished in the top ten with one on the podium in the season opener of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship (ARC), The Courier-Eureka Rally in Ballarat, Victoria.
 
Dominating the stages was Harry Bates (ACT) with co-driver John McCarthy (QLD) who finished first in a Toyota Yaris and Tasmanians Steve Glenney and Michael Potter finished second in a Subaru WRX STI.
 
The highest placed West Australian was East Vic Park’s Ben Searcy, new co-driver to three-time Australian Rally Champion Eli Evans, finishing third overall in a Mini Cooper AP4.
 
The pair showed good form all weekend with a win on SS4 and top five fastest times in the remaining 16 stages.
 
Searcy, 39, said he was happy with the result and it was his first big event co-driving for Evans.
 
“Everything went well, Eli writes good pace notes,” Searcy said.
 
“It was a very high speed rally and we didn’t have too many big issues but did have lots of little issues with the car, a few over heating and power steering issues.
 
“It was a close rally – in the first stage on Sunday there was just 2.7 seconds separating the top four - it’s great fun to have a close competition.”
 
Perth-based Maximum Motorsport has entered two cars entered in the ARC this season, both Subaru WRX STI hatchbacks.
 
Delighted with finishing sixth place overall, Maximum Motorsport’s Brad Markovic and co-driver Toni Feaver made an impressive return to ARC.
 
Markovic, who has been recovering from back surgery for seven months, said it was a fantastic rally.
 
“It was great to jump back in the driver’s seat and Toni and I gelled straight away.  Our plan was to get through the event, get it under our belt and really focus on the next round the Forest Rally in April, which is our home rally,” said 40-year-old Markovic of Lesmurdie.
 
“The car went really well and I’m really happy with our result. All of those who finished in front of us are seeded ahead of us, so it’s a good result.
 
“Saturday’s stages were brilliant, really good flowing stages. Sunday’s stages were trickier with a more powdery surface that challenged the tyres a bit, but over all, a really nice event.”
 
John O’Dowd and co-driver Ken Shiel in a Maximum Motorsport Subaru WRX STI finished the Eureka Rally in tenth place over all.
 
O’Dowd said he was happy to get through the event.
 
“It was a very strong field and I struggled to find my rhythm to be honest,” said Gooseberry Hill resident O’Dowd.
 
“The car was awesome and well prepared. We got through every stage and finished the event, it’s onwards and upwards from here.”
 
As well as competing in the ARC, O’Dowd and Shiel will again contest the WA Rally Championship, trying to get one better on their second place last year, falling short of the title by just two points.
 
The Onslow Contracting WA Rally Championship opens with the Trade Hire Karri Rally on March 24.
 
The Eureka Rally saw competitors tackle eight stages that were twice run, racing the clock a total of 108 competitive kilometres and travelling a 630 kilometres over the weekend.
 
For news and results visit www.rally.com.au or www.EurekaRally.com.au.
 
 
THE COURIER EUREKA RALLY - PROVISIONAL RESULTS*
 
1 BATES / McCARTHY, Toyota Yaris
2 GLENNEY / POTTER, Subaru WRX STI
3 EVANS / SEARCY, Mini Cooper
4 BATES / MOSCATT, Toyota Corolla
5 TAYLOR / READ, Subaru WRX STI
6 MARKOVIC / FEAVER, Subaru WRX STI
7 COPPIN / KELLY, Peugeot 208
8 RAYMOND / CATFORD, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo
9 PENNY / LLEWELLYN, Subaru WRX
10 O’DOWD / SHEIL, Subaru WRX STI
 
 
CAMS AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS – TOP TEN*
  1. Harry Bates/John McCarthy 81 pts
  2. Steve Glenney/Michael Potter 68 pts
  3. Eli Evans/Ben Searcy 56 pts
  4. Lewis Bates/Dale Moscatt 48 pts
  5. Molly Taylor/Malcolm Read 42 pts
  6. Brad Markovic/Toni Feaver 38 pts
  7. Adrian Coppin/Erin Kelly 34 pts
  8. Glen Raymond/Kate Catford 30 pts
  9. Andrew Penny/Rhys Llewellyn 28 pts
  10. John O’Dowd/Kenneth Sheil 22 pts
 
* Subject to final confirmation by CAMS        
 
Markovic/Feaver Photo: BTeamRallyMedia John Doutch
John O'Dowd / Kenneth Shiel. Photo: BTeamRallyMedia John Doutch
John O'Dowd / Kenneth Shiel. Photo: BTeamRallyMedia GollyPhoto
Evans/Searcy. Photo: BTeamRallyMedia John Doutch
Markovic/Feaver Photo: BTeamRallyMedia John Doutch

 


 
2018 CAMS Australian Rally Championship
 
Round 1:  3-4 March – Eureka Rally, Ballarat, VIC
Round 2:  27-29 April – Forest Rally, Busselton, WA
Round 3:  1-3 June – Netier National Capital Rally (APRC), Canberra, ACT
Round 4:  27-29 July – Rally Tasmania, TAS*
Round 5:  21-23 September – Adelaide Hills Rally, Adelaide Hills, SA
Round 6:  15-18 November – Rally Australia, Coffs Coast, NSW
 
 
2018 Onslow Contracting Western Australian Rally Championship 
 
Round 1:  24 March 2018 - Trade Hire Karri Rally, Manjimup 
Round 2:  27-29 April 2018 – Make Smoking History Forest Rally, Busselton & Nannup 
Round 3:  3 June 2018 - MRF Tyres Boddington Safari, Boddington
Round 4:  7 July 2018 - Wheels on Yirrigan Kumho Tyre Kirup Rally, Kirup
Round 5:  15 September 2018 – Make Smoking History Experts Cup, Collie 
Round 6:  10 November 2018, Darling 200, Jarrahdale (2WD and Clubman Cup only)



 
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