A STRONG field of 51 cars and crews will line up for this weekend’s Narooma Forest Rally. The event, an old favourite of rally crews, returned in 2014 after a long absence, and in 2015 has attracted the highest number of entries of any other rally event in NSW this year.
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Canberran and leading Australian Rally Driver Adrian Coppin and co-driver Erin Kelly will lead the field away in a newly acquired Toyota Corolla prototype, closely followed by Harry Bates and John McCarthy in another Toyota.
Bates, 20, is the son of four-time Australian Rally Champion Neal Bates, and will be out to back up his breakthrough drive in this event last year where he finished second Outright in only his third rally.
The other leading Australian driver Simon Evans has been forced to withdraw from the event, with critical car parts not arriving in time to allow him to make the trek to Narooma from Victoria.
The cars and crews will assemble from 10am on Saturday, with the event based on NATA Oval which will serve as the start venue as well as the service park, for running repairs on the vehicles throughout the day.
Everyone is welcome to join the crews on the oval to get up close to these fantastic machines, and chat with the drivers about the day’s activities.
Those that prefer to witness the high speed spectacle of rallying are welcome to visit the event spectator point from 1pm and again at 4.45pm.
The spectator point is located approximately 2km along Mitchells Ridge Road from the highway, approximately 9km north of Narooma. Spectators are asked to park off to the side of Mitchells Ridge Road to leave the road free for emergency vehicles if required.
Spectators will witness the cars approach at speed, before negotiating a tight left hand hairpin and then shooting back off into the forest.
Spectators are reminded to obey all direction from event officials, and stay behind the safety barriers at all times.
Further information can be found at www.rallynsw.com.au/
The event organisers are grateful to the support they have received from the local community, most significantly from Eurobodalla Shire Council, NSW Forestry, Horizon Holiday Apartments and Club Narooma.