The BOSCH Australian Rally Championship has confirmed its calendar for 2012 with six events including the revolutionary new Rally Calder in March and finishing in Victoria in November.
The 2012 ARC will usher in a new era with the introduction of an SUV series alongside separate championships for both two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive cars.
The 2012 series will mark the last year four wheel drive turbo rally cars will be able to score points, with the 2013 Championship to be open only to two wheel drive machines.
“The Bosch ARC is taking a cautious approach despite the very encouraging growth we have had this year,” said ARC Chief Scott Pedder.
“We will add one new event in 2012 although that new event, Rally Calder is a pretty radical and out there concept.
“We could have scheduled seven or eight events next year; however that would have taxed resources and the commitment of competitors at this stage in the expansion of the series.
“Growth has been phenomenal this year with entries across the five round series up by better than 70 percent compared with the 2010 Championship, despite the fact that last year’s series ran over six rounds.”
“With the new SUV series and the prospect of new teams entering the 2012 Bosch ARC we are looking to further expand the fields in the coming year, particularly with the new format at Rally Calder.”
2012 BOSCH Australian Rally Championship calendar*
| Round | Event | Location | Date |
| 1 | Calder Rally | Melbourne – Victoria | 2-4 March |
| 2 | QUIT Forest Rally | Busselton – Western Australia | 31 March-1 April |
| 3 | International Rally of Queensland | Sunshine Coast – Queensland | 26-27 May |
| 4 | Scouts Rally SA | Barossa Valley – South Australia | 28-29 July |
| 5 | Coffs Harbour | Coffs Harbour – New South Wales | 13-14 October |
| 6 | Victoria | Warragul – Victoria | 9-10 November |
* Subject to final approval by CAMS
