The CAMS Australian Rally Championship made its long awaited return to the Apple Isle in 2018, eight years after the national rally championship last visited Tasmanian shores.
Subaru Rally Tasmania welcomed Australia’s best rally teams to Launceston in July, showcasing the pristine winter wonderland of northern Tasmania.
The Tasmanian locals embraced the event’s grand return as thousands flocked to central Launceston on the Friday night for the Inveresk Super Special Stage.
Aus Rally Championship in Launceston tonight. Thousands out supporting the event #Tasmania #Supportlocalevents #politas #auspol pic.twitter.com/4BLhj4xyW7
— Helen Polley (@polley_helen) July 27, 2018
The huge crowd did not leave disappointed as the 35-strong field put on a show around The Roundhouse, as well as mingling with spectators at The Examiner Ceremonial Start.
The next two days were just as entertaining as competitors tackled 240km of fast, wide and flowing roads in Launceston’s surrounding forests, seeing the twisty and narrow challenges that Tasmania has to offer first hand.
Another major challenge for the competitors through the rally were the ‘unknown roads’, which had not seen any competitive action since the 1990s, providing a unique challenge for competitors with no previous notes to go off.
While it was 2018 champions Eli Evans and Ben Searcy who eventually sealed their third consecutive ARC round for 2018 ahead of Molly Taylor and Adrian Coppin, it was Steve Glenney who won the hearts of the locals.
The Tasmanian local put on a fantastic performance throughout the weekend to claim the Super Special Stage and Sunday’s Heat, his first heat for the year.
Following the event, a pleased Coppin lauded the organisers and the rally as a spectacle.
“Having a rally here in the centre of Launceston has been awesome,” Coppin said.
“They’ve been so welcoming, the crowd that turned out to the super special stage was amazing, I haven’t seen anything like that at an ARC for years.
“Great roads, great service park, officials have all been friendly, I can’t wait for next year.
It wasn’t just the competitors that were impressed with Subaru Rally Tasmania’s return to the ARC, with the event later named the ‘Outstanding Event’ for 2018 at the Launceston Chamber of Commerce 2018 Business Excellence Awards.
The Subaru Rally Tasmania is back in 2019 and will take place as round three of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship on 21 – 23 June.
This memorable moment is part of a special CAMS Australian Rally Championship Top-10 countdown series recapping an entertaining 2018 season.
