The Dunlop Motorsport Australia Tasmanian Rally Championship wraps up its 2020 season this weekend with the iconic Rally Tasmania on Saturday.
Taking part in the 10 stage rally in and around Launceston will be a field of 16-crews, many of whom will be wanting to end the year on a high and with some valuable championship points that could go a long way in deciding the title.
From round one winner Eddie Maguire and co-driver Zak Brakey in the Mitsubishi Evo to young gun Bodie Reading and his co-driver Mark Young in the Subaru WRX, there are multiple crews in the title fight.
However one team who isn’t in the running but will headline the field is 2016 RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Champion Molly Taylor and the highly experienced Andy Sarandis as her co-driver.
In what is Taylor’s first event for the year, the duo will be running in the familiar Craig Brooks prepared Subaru WRX Sti and will be using the event as preparation for the Netier National Capital Rally later this month.
“It feels long overdue as it’s been over a year since I was last in the car. I am feeling a bit strange but it’s nice to be back and hopefully I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” Taylor said.
“When this opportunity came up, it was great as we wanted to get as much seat time as possible ahead of Canberra later this month and it’s great we can do it right before too.
“I have gotten to know Tassie quite well over the years through Les Walkden and ‘Brooksie’ (Brooks) and I think there are awesome roads and an awesome place to be. Feels like a second home to me to be honest.
“We definitely need to get back into the swing of things but we’re not expecting to do the first corner and feel like home again. The plan is to lose the rust, get everything working well and get some kilometres in the car.
“It’s great having someone like Andy in the car next to me. He has a lot of experience, especially in the Subaru alongside Steve Glenney in 2018 so he knows the car, Tassie and certainly what he is doing.”
Taylor and Sarandis will be the first car out of the blocks on Saturday morning with the duo to start the last stage at 5pm local time.
Also taking place at the rally will be the Buckby Subaru Challenge - a mini-series open to crews running with Subaru Imprezas RS from between 2002 and 2005.
Rally Tasmania takes place in and around Launceston on 7 November.
Events around Australia this weekend
Round 3 Dirt Khanacross Series Day/Night
Benaraby Motor Sport Complex
7 November
Rally Tasmania
Launceston
7 November
NSW Multi-Club Supersprint
Mount Panorama, Conrad Straight
7 November
BMW Drivers Club of NSW Motorkhana Round 5
Sydney Motorsport Park
7 November
Young Driver Development Course
Ringwood Park Hillclimb
7 November
Cough Plastics Ingham Forest Rallysprint
Ingham Forestry Area and HQ Plantations
7 November
Safari Darling Rally 2020
Jarrahdale Forest and Surrounds
7 November
LBMCCC Small Khanacross
Hills Motorsport Park
7 November
Khanacross/Burnouts
Proston Rally Track
7-8 November
Coghlans Carnival
Ballarat Airport
7-8 November
Piarc Access
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
7-8 November
Collie Motorplex Hillclimb & Sprint
Collie Motorplex
7-8 November
MG Car Club Covid Cup
Gramzow Road, Mt Cotton
7-8 November
GCC Club Hillclimb
Bryant Park
8 November
Round 11 2020 Club Championship
Reef and Rainforest Track
8 November
Motorkhana
Boisdale Hillclimb Circuit
8 November
2020 Mountain Straight Hill Climb
Mount Panorama, Mountain Straight
8 November
SDCC Test and Tune
Little Road Track Mooroopna
7-8 November
SDMA Club Hillclimb
Fairbairn Park Hillclimb Circuit
8 November
aSunday Sliding
Sydney Motorsport Park
8 November
Motorkhana #3
Traffic Education Centre - Armidale
8 November
End of Year Bash
Mount Cooperabung Hillclimb
8 November
MGCCN KC6 Dirt and Tar Khanacross
Ringwood Motorsport Complex
8 November
Time Attack Tasmania powered by Motors Hobart
Pepsi Max Baske