After completing two rounds of the 2021 RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC), first-year driver Cahal Carey couldn’t have asked for a better start to his career.
The Irishman currently shares eighth spot in the standings with the highly experienced Tom Clarke and Luke Anear.
Although he is the least experienced driver in the top 10, he has shown plenty of positives in just his first two ARC rallies and is looking to slowly build for a full scale attack in 2022.
In his debut ARC event, the Netier National Capital Rally, Cahal guided his Mitsubishi Evo to 10th place outright before placing P15 and P12 in the two Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland Heats – a result that saw him stay inside the ARC top 10.
With a completely clean record thus far, Carey himself is surprised with how well he has gone but admits that he isn’t too fussed with getting good results this year.
“Of course I am a little surprised, but I have really enjoyed the journey so far and the first two rounds have been good,” Cahal said.
“I bought the car a few years ago and only did a few Queensland state rounds before deciding that I wanted to run in the ARC.
“My co-driver James Ford has made a massive difference for me and has helped me get very comfortable in the car.
“For me, it’s all about finishing and being consistent. I am not going to break records in the first few years, so I just want to have a clean run and finish all the events.
“Time in the seat is more important than anything. There is no point going hard and damaging the car – especially when I am just building, so with that said, I’m not really looking at the results, more just developing my skills.”
Based on his previous results, the future does look bright for Carey, who is also just five points off second place in the White Wolf Constructions ARC Production Cup.
The 40-year-old Queensland resident is hoping to use the events for more seat time, though Carey has his sights set on challenging the top contenders in the coming years.
“My attitude is that I want to get closer to the top drivers over the next three years and then upgrade the car when I am ready to do so – there is no point doing it now,” Carey added.
“With all the interruptions to the year, I have had to change my outlook a little bit, but if I can do the next few rounds and then add in some state rounds, it’s all geared up for a big year in 2022.
“This year is just about getting faster, and I am already starting to notice that there is a massive difference in my pace between the morning and afternoon stages.
“I am getting confidence because I am getting better and right now I am having a lot of fun in the ARC because it’s a great championship – I am looking forward to a big 2021.”
