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Rally season gets underway in WA with Trade Hire Karri Rally

21/03/2018
 
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John O'Dowd. Photo: Maximum Motorsport / Aaron Wishart

Rally season gets underway in WA with Trade Hire Karri Rally

 
This weekend the season opener of the Onslow Contracting Western Australian Rally Championship (WARC), the Trade Hire Karri Rally, will be held in Nyamup, east of Manjimup on Saturday 24 March 2018.
 
The picturesque rally will take place on State Forest roads with 118 kilometres of competitive stages, 194 kilometres in total, compromising of three stages run multiple times.
 
The longest stage in the Trade Hire Karri Rally is also the longest stage in the WARC at 35 kilometres and will be run twice. There are two shorter stages, Toponup is just under 18 kilometres run twice and Cormint which is a short and sharp 3.57 kilometre stage that will be run three times.
 
Clerk of Course Ross Tapper said competitors would be on a level playing field.
 
“The rally is taking place in a unique area that we haven’t used for rallies for over 30 years,” Tapper said.
 
“At the end of the longest stage of the Championship, competitors will know that they have been physically and mentally challenged.
 
“The stages are tight and twisty with very challenging and good quality roads.
 
“Nyamup is an original Bunnings timber town but there’s nothing left there now except a few privately owned cottages, most of which are used as holiday rentals, and peace and quiet – that is until the rally comes through!” Tapper quipped.
 
“There are three spectator points walking distance from the Service Park in Nyamup making it easy for family, friends and rally fans to enjoy a day out in beautiful countryside - spectators should plan to arrive before the first car, which is due just after 1pm.
 
“The weather is looking perfect, not too hot with slight wind, it should be a beautiful weekend for a rally.”
 
Maximum Motorsport driver John O'Dowd finished runner-up in the 2017 championship; this year his eyes are set firmly on a state title.
 
“I've got some unfinished business in the state series,” O’Dowd said.
 
“I came within two points of winning last year, so I'll be going all out to claim the title this year.”
 
Last year, O’Dowd narrowly missed the title in a battle with Tom Wilde who won the Championship in a 2WD car, making history in the process. But for the Trade Hire Karri Rally and the WA round of the Australian Rally Championship, the Make Smoking History Forest Rally in Busselton in April, the rivals will once again become teammates, with Wilde stepping in as co-driver.
 
“It will be great to have Tom sitting in the co-driver’s seat again. Tom and I have teamed up in the past, and it will be great having him back in the car,” O’Dowd said.
 
O’Dowd’s regular co-driver Ken Shiel is unable to compete due to work commitments.
 
Last year’s state champion Wilde said that he was happy to be in a car this season
 
“Of course I’d rather be driving, but finances and time prevent it. I’m happy to be co-driver for John for a couple of rallies and we’ll see what happens from there.”
 
For more information and results visit www.rallywa.com
Michael Joss/Melissa Logue. Photo: CMR Photographic
Stephen Oxley. Photo: CMR Photographic
John O'Dowd / Kenneth Shiel. Photo: BTeamRallyMedia GollyPhoto

NOTES TO EDITORS

High resolution images available to download from Dropbox here
or contact Dianne Bortoletto dianne@prontopr.com.au 

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)

 
The WA Rally Championship has three main categories and awards trophies to top finishers in each sub category:
 

  1. WA State Rally Championship
    All events are one day that start at 1pm and typically finish around 9pm.Night rallying is a feature.
    1. 4WD category
    2. 2WD category
    3. State Challenge – restricted 2WD category (no recce / pace notes)
 
  1. Clubman Cup
    Clubman Cup is half the length / distance of the WA State Rally Championships. This category is more accessible to enthusiasts and encourages those without the budget to compete in the WA State Rally Championships to rally.
    1. 2WD category – no recce / pace notes
 
  1. State Rookie Driver and Co-Driver
    1. WA State Rally Rookie Driver
    2. WA State Rally Rookie Co-Driver
    3. Clubman Cup Rookie Driver
    4. Clubman Cup Rookie Co-Driver
 
  1. Points
For each place from 1 to 20, the following points allocated to the overall Rally WA championship. There is a championship for drivers and one for co-drivers:
 
Place Championship Points   Place Championship Points
1st 80   11th 20
2nd 68   12th 18
3rd 60   13th 16
4th 52   14th 14
5th 44   15th 12
6th 40   16th 10
7th 36   17th 8
8th 32   18th 6
9th 28   19th 4
10th 24   20th 2

 
 

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

 
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