The second oldest rally in Australia, this year’s 51st edition was Round 2 of the NSW Rally Championship as well as Round 4 of the East Coast Classic Rally Series and the ACT Regional Rally Series. Its origins date back to the Snowy Rally and Southern Mountains Rally.
The Bega Valley Rally which was run by the Sapphire Coast Sporting Car Club with the service park and start/finish at the Bega Saleyards, attracted 66 entries. It featured specially built G4 cars, late model 4WD, and 2WD classic rally cars.
Held over two days and three heats, Walters and Crowley were able to complete the event in 2:08:16.4, just under 3mins ahead of Brendan Reeves and Aidan O’Halloran in their 2WD Datsun 1600. Justin Griffin and Peter Hellwig (Mitsubishi Mirage) were third and second in 4WD.
Heat 1 consisted of the first eight stages. However, Stage 8 was stopped after the first few cars passed, due to the poor road conditions from recent heavy rain. Neal Bates and Coral Taylor (Toyota RA40 Celica) won the first two stages and the fourth, and Griffin the third.
Tony Sullens and Kaylie Newell (Peugeot 208) headed Stage 6, but they didn’t get to finish due to a mechanical issue. Saturday’s final stage that counted went to Reeves.
The day was won by Walters over Bates and Reeves. Malcolm and Reagan Hurley (WRX) were next ahead of Griffin, Jason and Katie Giddins (Mitsubishi Evo), Mal Keough/Andrew Bennett (WRX), Luke Sytema/Rowan Woollard (Ford Escort RS1800), Andrew and Kirra Penny (WRX) with Scott Fletcher/Anthony Wilcockson (Holden Gemini) tenth.
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Bates only planned the do the first day while Josh Redhead and Ray Winwood-Smith failed to start because their Hyundai i20 G4 blew the turbo before the event started. They went back to Blayney for a replacement and spent Saturday night repairing the car for Sunday.
It was a worthwhile effort as they won Heat 2 which consisted of Stages 9, 10 and 11, and Heat 3. The latter was supposed to be over two Stages, however Stage 13 was cancelled.
They won Sunday over Walters and Griffin. Overall Giddins was fourth in front of David Opie/Kam Baker (Evo 4), Bryan van Eck/Jim Gleeson (Toyota Altezza), Warren Lee/David Lethlean (Evo 9), Sytema, Miles Sandy/Kim Bessell (Subaru) and Scott Fletcher/Anthony Wilcockson (Holden Gemini).
In East Coast Classic, Dennis Stanford/Luke Stanford (WRX) won 4WD, and Reeves was the 2WD winner. Dennis Stanford and Luke Stanford (WRX) were the ACT Series winners while the NSW Hyundai/Kia Series round went to John Brophy/Tiernan Lambert in a Hyundai Excel
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