The Brisbane Sporting Car Club will get the 2021 Next Level Creations QLD Rally Novice Series underway this weekend with the KCF Rallysport Winter Stages rallysprint.
Taking place on the outskirts of Benarkin, 42 crews from around the state have entered the rallysprint, 13 of which are novice competitors featuring in the series and looking to continue their development in the sport.
All crews will tackle up to 76 competitive kilometres throughout the day, which includes a 19km non-competitive night stage that is optional to all novice crews.
The entry list features some of the state’s biggest rally stars such as Tristan Carrigan, Glenn Brinkmann and Cahal Carey- the latter of which has been enjoying a fine season in the RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) and is currently ranked inside the ARC's top 10.
Click here to view the entry list.
However, while there will be plenty of start power taking on multiple stages spread over two heats, one of the main objectives of the event is to help rookies gain valuable experience behind the wheel of a rally car.
The event, which is the first round of the state’s novice series, does not have a restriction on age but requires eligible drivers to have contested six or less rallies prior to the start of 2021.
There's also no limit on vehicle types, but participants were encouraged to consider 2WD vehicles as their initial vehicle of choice.
Clerk of Course Peter Flynn believed these types of events were essential for inexperienced drivers.
“Novices are exactly what these entry level events are aimed at,” Flynn said.
“We utilise A to B timing to give maximum flexibility and reduce pressure. We offer recce beforehand and we have experienced people on hand to help them through the day. So they can compete and learn and hopefully come back looking for more.”
Queensland Rally Advisory Panel Chairman Gerard McConkey echoed Flynn’s comments, further highlighting the panel’s goals to grow participation in this area.
“The QLD Rally Advisory Panel has been working hard to encourage new competitors to the exciting sport that Rally is,” McConkey added.
“It is awesome to see that work coming to fruition with 13 Novice Competitors in this weekend's KCF Short Course Rally.
“This event is the first round of the Next Level Creations Novice Series, and to see such a healthy field of new competitors getting ready to fight it out with each other shows just how exciting and healthy Queensland Rally is.”
The event is open to the public with one free spectator point available for fans to see the cars go past.