The entry list for the upcoming Buckby Motors Rally Tasmania is live as a large contingent of EROAD Australian Rally Championship (ARC) stars will make the journey across the Bass Strait for the 2025 season finale.

Taking place on the roads of Burnie, the season finale will see the 2025 title fight reach its conclusion with New Zealand’s Hayden Paddon and John Kennard striving to secure a maiden Australian Rally Championship title in their Hyundai i20N Rally2.

Title rivals Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin will be looking to spoil the Kiwis’ party, but the Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia pairing will need quite a few big scenarios to fall their way if they are to secure the title.

The pair will have Toyota teammates Harry Bates and Coral Taylor, who are no longer in contention for the title, to help them attempt the unlikely title.

Paddon and Kennard will have Hyundai pilots Alex Rullo and Steve Glenney in their corner to secure a manufacturer title outside of Toyota for the first time since 2019.

“It’s really exciting to see another quality ARC field heading down to Tasmania,” Buckby Motors Rally Tasmania Clerk of Course Matt von Bourtouch said.

“The list of drivers and teams is really good. It all comes down to this round for the final round of the championship which is great for us and great for the sport.

“There’s a mix of strong Australian and New Zealand entries and shows real depth in the quality of the competitors that we have in this part of the world.

“The whole Rally Tasmania team has pulled together what is shaping to be a great event. We’ve kept together a pretty tight group from last year that have made the event happen and I couldn’t be more proud.

“It’s going to be a great little event and, of course, I’m a bit biased but Tassie has the best rally roads in Australia, so we’re ready to go.”

Outside of the big four, the 2025 ARC will welcome a number of notable names for the season finale.

Scott Pedder and Glenn Macneall make their first appearance since Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland in their repaired Skoda Fabia RS Rally2, while popular Irishmen Richie Dalton and Mac Kierans are back for their maiden ARC round for the year in a Toyota GR Yaris AP4.

Kiwi star Emma Gilmour makes her official ARC debut in the Skoda Fabia R5 alongside Ben Searcy.

Searcy, co-driving for Gilmour, means he won’t be alongside Peter Rullo for the first time this year, who now acquires the services of highly experienced co-driver Kelly Thomas in the Skoda Fabia R5.

The WOLF Production Cup will take an interesting turn in Tasmania as reigning champion Bodie Reading and co-driver Brad Jones guide their 1999 Subaru Impreza WRX to another title.

Standing in the local’s way for outright honours will be a trio of Tasmanians, led by Aidan Peterson and Mitchell Newton in their 2001 Subaru Impreza WRX, and the two Buckby Motorsport Subaru WRXs of Ben Newman and Crichton Lewis, who have Adam Kudra and Anthony Carr as their co-drivers respectively.

Buckby Motors Rally Tasmania welcomes the return of Jaidyn Gluskie and new co-driver Rhys Llewellyn, with the Tasmanian driver contesting his third event for the year.

Gluskie will be cross-entered in the WOLF Production Cup and the ARC Junior Cup, similarly to 4WD Classic Cup title rivals Shane Garner and Molly Spalding, who are also running in the ARC Production Cup. Both Garner and Spalding will have their regular co-drivers in Sylvie Garner and Matthew Dillon alongside.

In the Subaru WRX Challenge, ARC Junior Cup champion Jackson Long and Damien Long will continue their battle with Andy van Kann and Catherine Saayman, while Glenn Brinkman and Scott Beckwith return to the class after running in the Classics in Adelaide.

The 2025 ARC season finale wraps with the Buckby Motors Rally Tasmania in Burnie on 7-9 November.