Rally crews looking to enter the 2020 ARC4 competition can now begin to formulate their schedules with the nominated ARC4 events for each state confirmed.
The RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship’s (ARC) fourth tier is open to any competitor who doesn’t receive manufacturer support or does not drive R5 or AP4 class vehicles.
To qualify for the title, crews must nominate and enter one round in their local state championship, plus two ARC rounds, one of which must be their home event as well as an interstate event.
For Victorian, West Australian and Queensland crews to be eligible for the ARC4 title, they must enter at least two of their nominated state championship rounds plus an interstate ARC event of their choice.
On top of having the honour of being the inaugural ARC4 winner, the driver with the most points at the conclusion of the 2020 season will receive free ARC entry into each ARC round next year.
Each state has two available events for potential crews to enter, with Tasmania and South Australia the only exceptions – South Australia’s sole authorised event being the SEAC Forest Rally in August and Tasmania’s Mountain Stages in October.
With the first ARC event to be the Netier National Capital Rally on 26-27 September, the first eligible ARC4 will be this week’s MTA Motorsport Australia NSW Rally Championship’s season opener in Batemans Bay – the AMH Automotive Rally of the Bay.
Rally of the Bay Event Director Nigel Bland was proud the Rally NSW event would be the first 2020 ARC4 event available.
“This is a great opportunity for anyone who is entered in our Rally to score some points in the national competition in,” Bland said.
“The Australian Rally Championship ARC4 category is a great initiative and we’re really fortunate to be one of the State Rounds nominated for points towards the award.
“There are plenty of teams entered in our event that will likely do a few ARC rounds, like the Netier National Capital Rally and the possible NSW ARC round, so there is no doubt they should consider this opportunity, as they could easily find themselves winning ARC4.”
Scoring for the ARC4 will be awarded as per the ARC’s Technical and Sporting Regulations with only the first ten places to score points.
Crews must also note that all ARC4 competitors will be required to run Hoosier Tyres during their nominated ARC4 national events. Hoosier tyres are a recommendation for competitors at their chosen state events.
ARC4 eligible state events
NSW/ACT* – 4 July - Rally of the Bay
NSW/ACT* – 31 October - Monaro Stages
VIC – 20 September - Valley Stages
VIC – 18 October – Akademos Rally
TAS – 3 October - Mountain Stages
QLD – 19 September - Imbil
QLD – 31 October - Manumbar
SA – 15-16 August - SEAC Forest Rally
WA – 13 September - Forest Rally
WA – 7 November - Safari Rally
ARC Calendar
26-27 September - Netier National Capital Rally*
17-18 October - Adelaide Hills Rally
7-8 November - Rally Tasmania
27-29 November - NSW (Still TBC)*
* The Netier National Capital Rally can be interstate round for NSW competitors and the ARC NSW event can be the interstate rally for ACT competitors.