Brendan Reeves is very much in the spotlight heading into this weekend’s Rally Australia at Coffs Harbour.
Reeves sits third in the WRC Academy Cup in the World Rally Championship, but this weekend he will drive the car that has brought him success around Australia and in the Pacific.
Rally Australia is not a round of the WRC Academy, a competition aimed at finding the next world rally star, so the normally aspirated front-wheel-drive R2 Ford Fiesta has been replaced with a turbo-charged all-wheel-drive Production Class Subaru WRX STi.
With fellow Australian world rally drivers Chris Atkinson and Molly Taylor not entered, Reeves has become the local driver for Aussies to pin their hopes on.
The lead-up to this weekend’s rally has seen Reeves in a number of pre-event media activities including an appearance on Weekend TODAY with Ford World Rally Championship factory driver Mikko Hirvonen.
In what will be a trans-Tasman shootout, the Victorian will battle Kiwi hotshot Hayden Padden in the Production World Rally Championship (PWRC) competition. Reeves will also be charged with scoring points for the Norwegian Bilbutikken AS World Rally Team which has not made the journey to the Southern Hemisphere.
“We are the highest entered Australians so I’m really hoping that we can do well,” said Reeves.
“Hayden Padden has won the opening three rounds in the PWRC. He’s quick and I raced him in New Zealand not too long ago and we will give it our best shot.
“We are campaigning a car I know very well. It’s an older Subaru but it’s a great car which I’m looking forward to driving on the event and setting some fast stage times.”
Getting to the start line-up has all been done without manufacturer backing, but thanks to a concerted effort led by Reeves’ co-driving sister Rhianon Smyth a group of small businesses and supporters have grouped together to fund the entry. The WRX’s bonnet also features individual names that all pledged $50 apiece.
Speedcafe.com caught up with Reeves ahead of Rally Australia to discuss his year so far and Rally Australia.
Brendan Reeves and Mikko Hirvonen on Weekend TODAY with Cameron Williams
