The 2018 CAMS Australian Rally Championship’s (ARC) Sporting and Technical Regulations are now available.
In good news for competitors, CAMS recently announced significant cost savings with the removal of the championship registration fee and reduced event entry costs, potentially saving competitors up to $2,700.
Continuing this trend, ARC2 is back in 2018 and has also had its registration fee scrapped.
Introduced in 2017 to help rally drivers transition from state to national competition, competitors eligible for ARC2 in 2018 will automatically be nominated for their home round, where they will receive points towards the ARC2 series.
Drivers will need to nominate their second ‘out of state’ round at least 10 days prior to their selected event.
The top five ARC2 drivers after round five will receive free entry to Rally Australia and a set of MRF tyres to take part in the winner-takes-all ARC2 final. In 2018, both 2WD and 4WD entrants will compete for a single ARC2 title.
CAMS General Manager of Motor Sport Michael Smith said ARC2 will continue to provide a stepping stone for state competitors to try out national competition.
“We want to make the ARC accessible to more competitors, so it’s about removing barriers to entering the ARC,” Smith said.
“Initially, some competitors don’t have the time or the money to commit to a whole season of national competition.
“By creating a competition that spans only two rounds and has the chance to get your foot in the door of an international event like Rally Australia, it’s a great option for those interested in stepping up.”
Smith said the CAMS Australian 2WD Rally Championship will remain part of the 2018 ARC however the Australian Classic Rally Challenge will not be part of this year’s Championship.
“The classic rally scene is very strong in Australia and there are numerous high-quality events for classic rally enthusiasts to choose from,” Smith said.
“Our experience is that entrants in the Classic Rally Challenge are often unable to commit to the full ARC along with their commitments to other classic rally events.
“We have made the decision to put the class on hold for now and will continue to monitor this decision going forward.”
Round one of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship kicks off with the Eureka Rally in Ballarat, Victoria, on 3-4 March.
Registration for the Championship and ARC2 Nominations open on 1 February 2018, with details on www.rally.com.au
