The 2021 Motorsport Australia WA Rally Championship (WARC) season reaches its climax this weekend with a record field to contest the Make Smoking History Experts Cup. 
  
Taking place in and around beautiful Collie, 106 competitive kilometres over six stages await the 55 participating crews – the highest amount for any WARC round in the past 15 years. 
  
There will be plenty of eyes on just three drivers as John O’Dowd looks to become a three-time state champion at the expense of Ben Searcy and Jack Flanagan. 

After five completed rounds, just 62 points separate the three drivers and with this weekend's round seeing 80 points available for the winner, 68 points for second and 60 points for third, meaning anything is possible as far as the title fight is concerned. 
  
Despite O’Dowd holding a 40-point lead over Searcy, the latter had led the championship for much of the season, only to lose it at last month’s Safari Rally due to electrical issues resulting in a DNF. 
  
Joining O’Dowd and Searcy in the top five starting cars are WARC star Craig Rando, RSEA Safety Motorsport Australia Rally Championship (ARC) junior Max McRae and Dave Thomas – the latter trio to start ahead of Flanagan who will be sixth off the line. 

Click here to view the entry list.
  
Although there will be plenty of attention on the outright championship, the stakes in the 2WD Championship are just as high with Glenn Alcorn sitting just nine points ahead of Mark Travers on the standings. 


It’s likely to be an entertaining duel between the two during the six stages with Alcorn ninth in the starting order and Travers just two spots below. 
  
The event will also welcome high profile WA tarmac rally star Peter Rullo, who will be entering the event full of confidence after winning the 2021 Targa West last month. 
  
Clerk of Course Neil Threthowen was looking forward to the WARC season finale. 
  
“The stages are looking pretty good and because of the rain and moisture, the roads aren’t too rutted, so there should be some good runs for the drivers,” Threthowen said. 
  
“This rally has good base roads that weave through the forest with some hidden crests that can catch drivers out.” 
  
Rally fans are the big winners for the last round of the season with four stages open as free spectator points in addition to the Volunteer Fire and Rescue Service Training Area Service Park. 
  
Click here to view the Spectator Guide. 
  
Spectators will be able to attend both passes of the Kelly (SS1 and SS4) and Brook Stages (SS3 and SS6), while the Service break is from 2:30pm AWST. 
  
The 2021 Make Smoking History Experts Cup takes place in Collie on Saturday 30 October.