Taylor and Bates In Fierce Battle At ARC Forest Rally

Australian Rally Champion Molly Taylor and current championship leader Harry Bates are locked in a fierce battle in heat one of the Make Smoking History Forest Rally in Nannup, Western Australia.

Tankformers’ Eli Evans grabbed an early lead last night at the Trade Hire Busselton Super Special Stage but it was Subaru Do Motorsport’s Molly Taylor that hit the ground running this morning, hitting the lead after special stage four, closely followed by Toyota Genuine Parts’ Harry Bates.

West Australian local Brad Markovic jumped to third after stage four, while Evans slipped to seventh due to an issue with the inlet manifold sensor on the Peugeot 208 MAXI.

With his problems rectified, Evans made a spectacular recovery in special stage five, setting the fastest time but it was Bates that grabbed the overall lead from Taylor in second and Markovic in third.

By the end of special stage six, Bates and Taylor had traded places again, with Taylor’s Subaru Impreza WRX Sti leading the Bate’s Toyota Corolla S2000 by just 2.4 seconds.

Forest Rally debutant Marcus Walkem has had a solid morning, moving to third in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, closely followed by Coffs Coast Rally Team’s Nathan Quinn. Markovic rounds out the top five.

Special stages seven to ten take place this afternoon to complete heat one. Heat two takes place tomorrow.

ARC Top 10 (end of SS6)
1. Taylor
2. Bates
3. Walkem
4. Quinn
5. Markovic
6. King
7. Evans
8. O’Dowd
9. Penny
10. Sullens