The 2026 EROAD Australian Rally Championship (ARC) title fight is reaching the pointy end of the season in South Australia this weekend, with a strong field confirmed for the Adelaide Hills Rally.
The penultimate round of the season will feature a three-way championship battle between three former champions, with Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin leading the standings in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.
The Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia pairing will face a major challenge from Pedders Rally Team’s Scott Pedder and Glenn Macneall in their Skoda Fabia Rally2, with just 12 points separating the two crews.
Harry Bates and Coral Taylor will also be looking to close the gap in their Toyota GR Yaris Rally2. The 2024 champions currently sit 58 points behind Pedder, making Adelaide a crucial round in their championship campaign.
The WOLF Sports Cup will also feature a highly anticipated return, with Clayton Hoy and Brad Jones back at national level for the first time since last year’s Adelaide Hills Rally.
Hoy finished fourth outright and won the WOLF Sports Cup at last year’s event, and will again compete in his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6.
He will face current Cup leader Josh Redhead and Ray Winwood-Smith, who have recorded two victories and two retirements this season. Redhead will need to finish second or better to keep the pressure on current leaders Toby Price and Ben Searcy.
Other notable entries include South Australian Rally Championship leader Bradley Clements and Naomi Povey, who will make their first national appearance since 2023 in a 1994 Subaru WRX. Glenn Campbell will also return to the ARC after last competing in 2024.
Adelaide Hills Rally Clerk of Course Michael Clements was excited to welcome the national championship.
“As we have seen all year, the ARC title fight looks to be going right down to the wire and our event in Adelaide is likely to play a major role in this entertaining battle,” Clements said.
“It’s very exciting knowing the title contenders will be putting on a show for the South Australian rally fans and there is plenty of positive vibes in the area ahead of the event.”
“I am also very much looking forward to seeing Clayton Hoy back at the top level and feel proud that he has chosen Adelaide to make his highly anticipated return.”
“I look forward to welcoming the best ARC crews in the country for the 2026 Adelaide Hills Rally and can’t wait to see the show they put on.”
Crews will tackle the 170 competitive kilometres across 22 stages over three days in and around Mount Barker from 1-4 October.
For full results and the current championship standings, please go to Subaru Results Hub.
