The AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay will welcome a large number of RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) competitors to the state-based event in mid-July.
Following the postponement of the Les Walkden Enterprises Rally Tasmania from July to September, the gap in the calendar means a number of regular ARC crews will use the NSW event on 17 July as an opportunity to get valuable seat time, with some to also compete as part of the Motorsport Australia NSW Rally Championship.
This event will also become a ‘promotional’ round of the ARC, providing competitors with an opportunity to generate extra exposure and excitement for their sponsors and supporters. While the event now gains an ARC element, there will of course be no points on offer, with results not impacting the ARC standings.
The top two in the overall ARC standings, Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia’s Harry and Lewis Bates will showcase their brand new Toyota GR Yaris AP4s at the North Shore Sporting Car Club hosted event, alongside a host of ARC stars.
Current White Wolf Constructions Production Cup leader Arron Windus is set to take part and will also be joined by his father Darren Windus in their Western Victorian Crane Trucks entries.
The star-studded list will also include Shamrock Motorsport’s Richie Dalton, White Wolf Racing’s Tom Clarke, AGI Sport’s Luke Anear, Midstate Freight’s Nathan Quinn, High Country Motorsport’s Chris Higgs, Up and Go’s Troy Dowel and Curisoiti’s Taylor Gill - all having signalled their intentions to run in Batemans Bay.
J Sport’s JJ Hatton will also make his return, following a spectacular crash in testing for the Netier National Capital earlier this year.
Given the strong ARC numbers at the event, Motorsport Australia will also provide special extended social media coverage of the rally, with ARC co-host Jess Dane to be part of the ARC coverage. Motorsport Australia’s media production team will also work closely with the Rally NSW media team to support their extensive coverage of the NSW Championship and its large field.
North Shore Sporting Car Club Vice President and Event Director Nigel Bland said the opportunity to welcome more competitors to the event was an exciting prospect.
“The AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay is always such a strong event, and to have such a strong field of ARC competitors joining us at the event is a real boost for the NSW Championship and also for rallying in NSW,” Bland said.
“The quality of the field and the depth of talent throughout the classes will be a real treat for spectators. The addition of drivers such as 2019 ARC Champions Harry Bates and John McCarthy highlights the quality that this event offers up.
“We’re also really pleased to welcome the Motorsport Australia production team to the event, and their extra coverage will be a bonus for rally fans on top of what is an amazing and extensive product already delivered by Rally NSW at each NSW Championship event.
“I’d also like to once again extend my thanks to all our event sponsors who make this rally possible and to every single one of our competitors for putting on such a brilliant show.”
The AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay takes place in Batemans Bay on 17 July, 2021.