Simon Evans is ready to launch into his first appearance in Coates Hire Rally Australia since it moved to the east coast late last decade.

A four-times Australian Rally champion, Evans has not competed in Rally Australia since 2002, missing all four of the recent events held in New South Wales.

Evans will campaign his two-wheel-drive Honda Jazz at the event starting in Coffs Harbour next week.

However Evans is no stranger to the gravel stages around the Coffs Coast having competed in the region in the non-WRC rounds of the Australian Rally Championship.

“I won a Heat in Coffs a couple of years ago when the event was just a round of the ARC,” said Evans.

“It was our second event in the Rallyschool Mazda, we had a terrible Heat 1 but took the win in Heat 2.

“We also used to test in Coffs all the time back in the Toyota days, so I know my way around some of those roads pretty well.”

Evans and co-driver Ben Searcy are still coming to grips with the Jazz which had limited running in the Canberra and Queensland rounds of the Australian Rally Championship earlier this year.

“The biggest problem is just a lack of kilometres in the car,” said Evans.

“We were out early in Canberra, and again in Queensland we didn’t get many stages.

“There are a couple of traits in the car that are a bit hairy at the moment but we are getting on top of those one-percenters that will transform it I’m sure.

“In Coffs I’m sure we’ll be right in the window.”

A field of 36 local drivers are entered for Rally Australia which runs from September 10-13.