A total of 58 cars will compete across the Australian Rally Championship and state-level competition in Coffs Harbour in a fortnight’s time.
Subaru do Motorsport’s Molly Taylor (Impreza WRX Sti) leads the CAMS Australian Rally Championship by a healthy 30-point margin as she seeks back-to-back titles.
Local hope Nathan Quinn of the Coffs Coast Rally Team, who is also cross-entered in the World Rally Championship round, is Taylor’s nearest competitor.
The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX driver comes into the event off the back of a dominant performance in the last round in South Australia.
Harry Bates, however, has given up on his outside chance to win the national championship in deference to testing himself in the WRC field.
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Bates had led the championship until teething problems for the brand-new Yaris made for a disastrous showing in Rally SA.
Other Australians competing in the WRC field are Richie Dalton (Skoda Fabia R5), Rhys Pinter (Ford Fiesta R2), and Brendan Reeves (Mazda 2 AP4).
Rally Australia also features the new-for-2017 ARC2 finals, a winner-takes-all final for each of the 2WD and 4WD classes.
The 4WD final is an all-Impreza WRX Sti fight between Tony Sullens, Craig Brooks, and John O’Dowd.
In 2WD, Stephen Mee (Toyota Corolla) will go up against Nathaniel Dillon (Suzuki Baleno), while Lewis Bates has opted instead to have his first outing in the Neal Bates Motorsport 4WD Toyota Corolla S2000, ruling him out of the final.
Kennards Hire Rally Australia takes place on the Coffs Coast from November 16-19.
Entry list: Rally Australia (Australian Rally Championship, Kennards Hire Cup, state championship entries only)
| Num | Driver/Co-driver | Competitor/Sponsor | Car | Drive | Group class | WRC entry | ARC entry | State c’ship | |||
| 83 | Molly TAYLOR (NSW)/William HAYES (WA) | Subaru do Motorsport | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5 | ARC | |||||
| 84 | Tony SULLENS (NSW)/Kaylie NEWELL (NSW) | Australian Truck Performance | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | ARC | ARC2 | NSWRC | |||
| 85 | Todd WEBSTER (QLD)/Ray PRIEST (QLD) | Todd Webster | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P6P | ARC | KC | QRC | |||
| 86 | Tim JOASS (NSW)/Peter JOASS (NSW) | TKJ Transport | Mitsubishi Lancer EVO II | 4WD | P6P | ARC | KC | ||||
| 87 | Troy DOWELL (VIC)/Matt deVAUS (VIC) | Ozstaff | Volkswagen Polo | 4WD | S2000 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 88 | Gerard McCONKEY (QLD)/Erik JOHNSSON (QLD) | Living Here Wilston | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | ARC | KC | QRC | |||
| 89 | Stewart REID (QLD)/Jon MORTIMOR (WA) | SR Automotive | Ford Escort Mk II | 2WD | C1 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 90 | Adam KAPLAN (NSW)/Aleshia PENNEY (NSW) | Ryde Auto Group | Mazda RX7 | 2WD | P4 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 91 | Brett STEPHENS (ACT)/Tony BRANDON (NSW) | JandalSport | Datsun Bluebird | 2WD | C2 | ARC | KC | NSWRC | |||
| 92 | Guy TYLER (SA)/Zayne ADMIRAAL (SA) | Compass Oils | Datsun 1600 | 2WD | C2 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 93 | Mal KEOUGH (NSW)/Pip BENNETT (NSW) | G.K. Denney Tyres | Datsun 1600 | 2WD | C1 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 94 | Michael O’HAGAN (NSW)/Eoin MOYNIHAN (NSW) | Michael O’Hagan | Ford Escort MK II | 2WD | C1 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 95 | Lindsay COLLITS (NSW)/Brad DAWSON (QLD) | Macksville Service Centre | Holden Commodore | 2WD | P4 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 96 | Jason LOWTHER (WA)/Paul LOWTHER (WA) | LRT Custom Engineering | Toyota Corolla | 2WD | P2 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 97 | Stephen MEE (SA)/Matthew HARRIOTT (VIC) | McMRallySport | Toyota Corolla | 2WD | P3 | ARC | ARC2 | ||||
| 98 | Nathaniel DILLON (QLD)/Mark MALPAS (QLD) | Racerviews.com | Suzuki Baleno | 2WD | P3 | ARC | ARC2 | QRC | |||
| 99 | Andrew HITCH (VIC)/Kenneth POLLEY (VIC) | VACC Auto Apprenticeships | Mitsubishi Galant | 2WD | C1 | ARC | KC | ||||
| 62 | Mike YOUNG (WA)/Malcolm READ (NZL) | Mike Young Motorsport | Citroën DS3 R3 | 2WD | R3 | WRC | ARC | KC | |||
| 65 | Tony GOSLING (NZL)/Blair READ (NZL) | Stadium Finance | Citroën DS3 R3 | 2WD | R3 | WRC | ARC | KC | |||
| 68 | Nathan QUINN (NSW)/Ben SEARCY (WA) | Coffs Coast Rally Team | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | 4WD | P5 | WRC | ARC | ||||
| 69 | Eli EVANS (VIC)/Glen WESTON (QLD) | Tankformers | Mini Cooper AP4 | 4WD | AP4 | WRC | ARC | ||||
| 72 | Craig BROOKS (TAS)/Steve GLENNEY (TAS) | Contel Communications | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5 | WRC | ARC | ARC2 | |||
| 73 | Justin HATTON (NSW)/Steve FISHER (SA) | J-Sport | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | 4WD | P5P | WRC | ARC | KC | NSWRC | ||
| 74 | Wayne MORTON (QLD)/Megan BENSON (QLD) | Warren Morton | Toyota Corolla S2000 | 4WD | S2000 | WRC | ARC | KC | QRC | ||
| 75 | Tom CLARKE (NSW)/Ryan PRESTON (QLD) | White Wolf Racing | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | 4WD | P5P | WRC | ARC | KC | NSWRC | ||
| 76 | Andrew PENNY (NSW)/Kirra PENNY (NSW) | Kosciuszko Automotive | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P6P | WRC | ARC | KC | NSWRC | ||
| 77 | John O’DOWD (WA)/Kenneth SHEIL (WA) | Maximum Motorsport | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | WRC | ARC | ARC2 | |||
| 78 | Lewis BATES (ACT)/Dale MOSCATT (NSW) | Neal Bates Motorsport | Toyota Corolla S2000 | 4WD | S2000 | WRC | ARC | KC | |||
| 80 | Peter DUNN (NSW)/Dennis NEAGLE (QLD) | Alliance Motorsport | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | WRC | ARC | KC | |||
| 71 | Dean HERRIDGE (WA)/Samuel HILL (NSW) | Maximum Motorsport | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | WRC | KC | ||||
| 81 | Mark BEARD (NSW)/Scott BECKWITH (SA) | BP Kumho Tyres Woolgoolga Service Centre | Subaru Impreza RS | 4WD | P4 | WRC | KC | ||||
| 101 | Bryan VAN ECK (NSW)/Jim GLEESON (NSW) | Bryan van Eck | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo XI | 4WD | P5P | NSWRC | |||||
| 102 | Richard SHIMMON (NSW)/Katie FLETCHER (NSW) | Rocket Signs | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo XII | 4WD | P5 | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 103 | David DARBY (NSW)/Christopher CHERRY (NSW) | David Darby | Nissan 180sx | 2WD | P4 | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 104 | Bethany CULLEN (NSW)/Mel McMINN (ACT) | Bethany Cullen | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo XI | 4WD | P6P | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 105 | Tony QUINN (QLD)/Kate CATFORD (SA) | Darrell Lea | Volkswagen Polo 2Day | 4WD | S2000 | QRC | |||||
| 106 | Phillip PLUCK (NSW)/Peter HELLWIG (ACT) | Pacific Motors | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | NSWRC | |||||
| 107 | Stuart COLLISON (ACT)/Bernie WEBB (NSW) | Repco Rally Team | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P5P | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 108 | Ian MENZIES (QLD)/Bob McGOWAN (QLD) | Bespoke Metals | Ford Falcon XR8 | 2WD | P4 | QRC | |||||
| 109 | Tony SCOTT (QLD)/Jay DAVIDSON (QLD) | On the Spot Filter Clean | Toyota Corolla | 2WD | C2 | QRC | |||||
| 110 | Ross COX (QLD)/Janet BINNS (NSW) | DBA Plumbing | Mitsubishi Galant VR4 | 4WD | P6P | QRC | |||||
| 111 | Colin FLETCHER (NSW)/Scott FLETCHER (NSW) | Colin Fletcher | Holden Gemini RS | 2WD | P4 | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 112 | Ralph FRENCH (QLD)/Andrew LENTON (QLD) | Ralph French Dental Practice | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P6P | QRC | 2Day | ||||
| 113 | Brad HURFORD (QLD)/Dominic CORKERON (QLD) | Evolution Electrical | Ford Falcon XR6 | 2WD | P4 | QRC | |||||
| 114 | Cameron HENRY (QLD)/Michelle VAN DER WILK (QLD) | ACO Pty Ltd | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P6P | QRC | |||||
| 115 | Ryan WILLIAMS (QLD)/Mikayla MACDONALD (QLD) | Ed’s Engineering | Hyundai Excel | 2WD | P2 | QRC | |||||
| 116 | Steve ALLMARK (QLD)/Chris MILLER (QLD) | Perfourmance Motorsport | Subaru Impreza WRX Sti | 4WD | P6P | QRC | |||||
| 117 | Connor OLDHAM (QLD)/Denis BAKER (QLD) | Oldham Rallyzports | Mazda 323 | 4WD | P6P | QRC | |||||
| 118 | Rod REID (QLD)/Belinda REID (QLD) | Huxton Motorsports | Mitsubishi Mirage | 2WD | P2 | QRC | |||||
| 119 | Jesse HEITMANN (QLD)/Grant BURISCH (QLD) | Top Dog Diff & Gearbox Centre Caloundra | Mazda RX7 | 2WD | P4 | QRC | |||||
| 120 | Ray LUCAS (QLD)/Kevin O’CONNOR (QLD) | Ray Lucas | Subaru Liberty | 4WD | P5P | QRC | |||||
| 121 | Damien FRIZELL (NSW)/Todd McDONALD (NSW) | Armidale Town & Country Real Estate | Hyundai Excel | 2WD | P2 | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 122 | Brayden WILSON (QLD)/Tony WILSON (QLD) | Alljap Auto Parts | Mitsubishi Mirage | 2WD | P2 | QRC | |||||
| 123 | Bruce McDOUGALL (NSW)/Kellie PEARCE (NSW) | BK Motorsport | Daihatsu Charade | 2WD | P2 | NSWRC | 2Day | ||||
| 124 | Andrei ARTAMONOV (NSW)/Gleb BONCH (NSW) | Andrei Artamonov | Mitsubishi Mirage | 2WD | P2 | NSWRC | |||||
| 125 | Rhys SIMMONS (QLD)/Holly KILBRIDE (QLD) | Rhys Simmons | Datsun Stanza | 2WD | P4 | QRC | |||||
| 126 | Stephen WHITAKER (QLD)/Jarryd WHITAKER (QLD) | Whitaker Rally Sport | Mitsubishi Mirage | 2WD | P2 | QRC | |||||
| 127 | Sam MATHER (NSW)/Breanna McCLOY (NSW) | McCloy Enterprises & Excavations | Hyundai Excel | 2WD | P2 | NSWRC |
ARC2 = ARC2 Finalist; KC = Kennards Hire Cup; NSWRC = New South Wales Rally Championship; QRC = Queensland Rally Championship; 2 Day = includes Sunday
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