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Lazer High Performance Lighting Returns as Naming Rights Partner for the 2024 Rally of Bay

By Events, News, Rally of the Bay 2024

The Lazer Rally of Bay, one of the most eagerly anticipated events on the Australian motorsport calendar, is thrilled to announce the return of Lazer High Performance Lighting as the prestigious naming rights partner for the 2024 edition. This marks a continuation of the successful partnership that has elevated the rally to new heights in recent years.

Scheduled for the 27th of July, the Lazer Rally of Bay promises an exhilarating showcase of modern and historic rallying, with participants navigating through the scenic and challenging shire and forestry roads that have defined the event in previous years. Set against the stunning backdrop of the Eurobodalla shire, this year’s rally headquarters will once again be stationed at the Batemans Bay Marina Resort, offering a picturesque setting for both competitors and spectators.

Lazer High Performance Lighting, the leading name in motoring lighting technology, has been an integral part of the Rally of Bay’s success story, and their commitment as the naming rights partner underscores the brand’s dedication to supporting the motorsport community. The partnership continues to enhance the rally’s profile and contribute to the overall excitement surrounding the event.

“We are delighted to have Lazer back as our naming rights partner for the 2024 Rally of Bay,” said Brett Middleton, President of the North Shore Sporting Car Club, the organisation behind the event. “Their unwavering support has been instrumental in the growth and success of the rally, and we are confident that together, we will deliver yet another unforgettable experience for competitors and fans alike.”

The Lazer Rally of Bay has earned a reputation for attracting a diverse and competitive field with a great range of cars from the modern R5 and G4 specification, right through to historic classics like the Ford Escort and Datsun 1600.

Anticipation is already building for the 2024 edition, with a strong field of participants expected to compete in this challenging rally. Motorsport enthusiasts are urged to mark the date on their calendars and witness the thrilling action unfold on the traditional roads of the Eurobodalla shire.

 

Bethany Cullen and Mel McMinn in the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo preparing for the night stages lit with Lazer Hight Performance Lighting.

Redhead Brothers Triumph in 3rd Round of the Whiteline Tarmac Rallysprint

By Events, News, Tarmac Rallysprint

The third round of the Whiteline Tarmac Rallysprint at Sydney Dragway delivered an exhilarating night of motorsport action, culminating in a well-deserved victory for Josh and Matt Redhead in their formidable Mitsubishi Evo 5.

Facing stiff competition throughout the night, the Redhead brothers showcased their skill and determination, fending off a relentless challenge from runner-up Phil Heafey in the Evo 6. The crowd was treated to a gripping battle between the Evo rivals, with the Redheads ultimately claiming the top spot on the podium.

Tim Weston secured the third-place finish, piloting an Evo 10 and rounding out the impressive lineup of Mitsubishi contenders. The intense competition under the hot and windy conditions added an extra layer of challenge, making the victory even more commendable for the Redheads and their fellow competitors.

One of the standout moments of the night came from Steve Coad, who drove his HQ Monaro all the way from Melbourne to participate in the event. Coad’s dedication to the sport and impressive performance in the iconic Monaro added a unique touch to the rally, highlighting the passion and camaraderie within the motorsport community.

In the 2WD Class, Jack Hills and Louise Taylor dominated the under 2-litre category in their Holden Astra, showcasing their precision and speed. Meanwhile, James Keene and Shane Fowler claimed victory in the over 2-litre class, piloting the nimble Mini Cooper S to success.

Aris Caine emerged triumphant in the Junior category, displaying exceptional talent and promising prospects for the future of rally racing. Dimitri Agathos secured victory in the single-driver category, navigating his Nissan Pulsar with skill and precision throughout the challenging course.

Despite the challenging weather conditions, participants and spectators alike had a fantastic night, celebrating the spirit of rally racing and the diverse range of vehicles on display. The third round of the Whiteline Tarmac Rallysprint at Sydney Dragway will be remembered as a thrilling showcase of skill, dedication, and passion for motorsport.

Photo: Roy Meuronen

Excitement Builds for the 2024 Rally of the Bay

By Events, News, Rally

Photo by Roy Meuronen Photography

The North Shore Sporting Car Club is thrilled to announce the much-anticipated return of the 2024 Rally of the Bay, set to take place on the 27th of July. This exhilarating event will once again showcase the breathtaking landscapes of the Eurobodalla Shire, with its headquarters stationed in the picturesque town of Batemans Bay.

Rally enthusiasts and motorsport aficionados can expect an unforgettable experience as the event navigates through the traditional roads that have been an integral part of the rally’s history. The Rally of Bay has always been a thrilling spectacle, weaving over the scenic and challenging forest and shire roads that the Eurobodalla has to offer. The popular event providing both participants and spectators with a truly unique rally experience.

The organising team is hard at work, meticulously selecting the roads that will challenge the skills of the drivers and thrill spectators. The NSW South Coast has proven to be a perfect backdrop for this high-octane event, and the Rally of the Bay continues to be a highlight in the Australian motorsport calendar.

With Rally Headquarters based at the Batemans Bay Marina Resort in Batemans Bay, the event promises not only thrilling rallying action but also a celebration of the local community. The Rally of the Bay brings together competitors, officials, supporters, spectators and locals for a day filled with excitement and some of the best rally cars the country has to offer.

“We are excited to be organising the Rally of the Bay again this year” said Brett Middleton, President of the North Shore Sporting Car Club. “This year’s event promises to be another great event, with a stellar field of competitors expected to tackle the challenging roads that have become synonymous with this iconic rally.”

The North Shore Sporting Car Club welcomes back Ian Bigg as event Clerk of the Course and encourages all motorsport enthusiasts to mark their calendars for the 27th of July and join them for a day of thrilling action and unparalleled excitement. Anticipation is building for what is sure to be an amazing Rally of the Bay in 2024.

About the North Shore Sporting Car Club

The North Shore Sporting Car Club is a passionate community of motorsport enthusiasts dedicated to promoting and organising high-quality motorsport events. With a rich history and commitment to excellence, the club strives to provide memorable experiences for competitors and fans alike.

Bathurst to become new home for Oberon Stages

By Bathurst Rally, Events, News, Rally

North Shore Sporting Car Club has announced its annual NSW Rally Championship event, formerly known as the Oberon Stages, will move to a new home in Bathurst in 2023.

After more than a decade based in Oberon, the decision to move the rally was not an easy one but will allow the event to take advantage of the more extensive infrastructure and commercial opportunities in Bathurst.

The 2023 Bathurst Rally will be round three of the NSW Rally Championship as well as playing host to the East Coast Classic Rally Series, The NSW Clubman Rally Series and The Hyundai Rally Series.

Event Director and Clerk of the Course, Jon Thomson said that while Oberon has been a great home for the rally, the reality is that Bathurst offers some major advantages in terms of accommodation, commercial support, and some fabulous roads.

“In order to grow the rally and to deliver an even better competitor experience we believe the move to Bathurst, a town that is traditionally considered the ‘Cradle of Australian Motor sport’, is a very exciting one.”

“The stages incorporate some of the best forestry and shire rally roads in the country and will provide some adrenalin-pumping action for both competitors and rally fans,” he said.

“We have found some fantastic roads that will thrill motorsport enthusiasts from around the country, and this new event promises an unparalleled experience that combines skill, speed, and a breathtaking natural backdrop,” he added.

As the organisers prepare for the Bathurst Rally, they invite participants and spectators alike to mark their calendars for an unforgettable rally event. Scheduled to take place on Saturday 23rd September, the 2023 Bathurst Rally will bring together top-class rally drivers, teams, and fans in a
celebration of motorsport excellence.

The event will take place in the picturesque city of Bathurst, known for its rich motorsport heritage and the legendary Mount Panorama Circuit as well as a long history of hosting both NSW and Australian Championship rallies over many decades.

A unique feature of the event will be the Service Park that will be located right in the centre of the city in Russell St alongside the Bathurst Regional Council Offices and the beautiful Bathurst War Memorial Park, allowing locals to get up close to all the service action bringing the colour and spectacle of the rally to the centre of town.

“Bathurst Regional Council and also Blayney Council have both been incredibly encouraging and helpful in allowing us to bring the event to their region and we’d like to thank them for all of their help and assistance,” said Thomson.

Competitors are set to take on a challenging course that will cover around 150km across 11 competitive special stages around Bathurst and Blayney. The rally will weave through some stunning countryside, offering a unique blend of great shire gravel and technical forestry roads. Competitors will be able to showcase their skills, teamwork, and strategic nous on some varied and challenging roads.

This year’s rally is sure to feature a diverse line-up of participants, ranging from leading ARC teams, top NSW and interstate crews, top classic competitors and up and coming Hyundai and Clubman competitors. Spectators will also have the chance to witness the fierce competition and the intense battles at several spectator points throughout the event.

The Bathurst Rally promises to be an extraordinary event celebrating the spirit of motorsport, camaraderie, and the thrill of speed in a controlled environment. Whether you’re a passionate fan, a rally aficionado, or simply looking for an unforgettable experience, this rally is not to be missed. Join us on the 23rd of September for an exhilarating adventure in the iconic Bathurst region.

Organisers are looking for volunteers to help with official duties at the Bathurst Rally and can contact bathurst@nsscc.com.au if they would like to be a volunteer official.

Businesses show support for Whiteline Tarmac Rallysprint

By Events, News, Rallysprint, Tarmac Rallysprint

The 2022/23 Season of the Whiteline Tarmac Rallysprint Series will feature a longer course of approximately 4.5km, taking in the new D2 Carpark constructed late in 2021, the braking area of the dragstrip and the dragstrip access road.

Whiteline has renewed their support of the event and will continue as the naming rights partner, with GFB and DBA also renewing their support as Major Partners. The North Shore Sporting Car Club, organiser of the popular event in Sydney also announced that Sparesbox would join the event as a Major Partner for this Season.

“We are very lucky to have such great brands supporting us”, said Brett Middleton, Event Director and NSSCC President. “Whiteline has been part of this event for many years, and we just love having them on board again. It’s also great to have Sparesbox join us for this season, they’ll be alongside GFB and Disc Brakes Australia as major partners.”

“We feel really privileged to have Shannons Insurance and Premier Pools, who have supported the club for many years, signed up again. They’ll join Haltech and Prospeed Racing as Platinum Partners”, concluded Middleton.

Gold partners include ProDriver Australia, Ryde Nissan, Transvent, BG of Australia, SRT Constructions, Lazer High Performance Lighting, Evolution Racing Spares, Lithiumax Batteries, UniFilter, TME Motorsport and Race Brakes Sydney. Silver Partners are Premier Panel Beating and Motorsport Race Gear.

GFB and Transvent will provide prize money for junior competitors.

Entries for the event are open, with 60 teams currently signed up. There are 50 entries still available, and competitors can enter online at http://tarmacrallysprint.com.au

AMH Rally of the Bay Cancelled

By Events, Rally, Rally of the Bay 2021, Wheelspin
Photo: Tim and Peter Joass at the 2020 running of the AMH Rally of the Bay – Photo by Bruce Moxon

Organisers of the 2021 AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 event due to COVID restrictions and lack of a suitable date to reschedule the popular Eurobodalla based event.

The event was due to run on July the 17th and was rescheduled to the 28th of August when NSW Government ‘Stay at Home’ orders were announced. With the likelihood of further restrictions and an extension of the orders, the event was again postponed with the hope that November 13th could be a new lucky date to run the Rally.

Event Manager Nigel Bland said that several innovative ideas were considered before making the difficult decision to cancel the event.

“We really wanted the event to happen”, Bland said. “We originally wanted to re-schedule the event into November, but with such a tight calendar in place already, and with other events also looking to reschedule, it became quite difficult to really plan on a November rally.” he added

“We also asked our customers and commercial partners for their feedback, and it was a mixed bag of responses. Some teams said they’d support a November date, whilst others thought it was too difficult to contemplate maybe three or four events in a six-week period”, Bland continued.

“So, we started to think outside the box and came up with a plan. We asked the NSW Rally panel if they would consider extending the NSW Rally Championship into 2022, with the AMH Rally of the Bay running around the end of February or beginning of March. We knew it was something a bit different, and the NSW Rally Panel were supportive of the idea. Unfortunately, the NSW Regulatory Body who needed to approve the plan didn’t agree it was the right approach, so we were left back at square one”, Bland continued.

“So that has really left us with no choice, and like many other events this year, we have no other option than to cancel the 2021 event,” Bland concluded.

Brett Middleton is the North Shore Sporting Car Club President and also the rally’s Commercial and Partners Manager. He was dissapointed that the event has not been able to proceed, but was very positive about the events future and also praised the organising team.

“The team have worked extremely hard”, Middleton said. “We’ve been planning and re-planning this event since January and to have to cancel the event is tough on everyone, very few people know the volunteer effort required to run an event like this. But we’ll start planning for the 2022 event straight away and we even have a few new ideas to make the event even better.”

“I really feel for the Community of Batemans Bay and the Eurobodalla region”, Middleton continued. “They’re doing it tough down there and they were looking forward to our event giving the local economy a real boost. We have some great partners, including the Eurobodalla Shire, Batemans Bay Marina Resort and the Village Centre and Bridge Plaza Shopping centre, but despite the event not proceeding, they know we’ve done our best at promoting the event, the shire and our partners”, Middleton continued.

“The team have applied to the NSW Rally Panel for a July 30th date for 2022 and we hope that this gets the go ahead. The team has a great event leader in Nigel Bland and a media team lead by John Mccredie and despite the cancellation, next year looks to be an even better event”, Middleton concluded.

The 2021 AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay was a round of the NSW Rally Championship, East Coast Classic Rally Series, Hyundai Rally Series, Clubman Rally Series, ACT Regional Rally Series and a promotional round of the Australian Rally Championship.

Midstate Freight Oberon Stages Rally Cancelled

By Caves Classic, Events, Oberon Stages, Rally, Wheelspin

Organisers of the 2021 Midstate Freight Oberon Stages Rally have made the difficult decision to cancel the 2021 event due to COVID restrictions and increased Forestry Operations.

With ongoing restrictions in Sydney and beyond, North Shore Sporting Car Club (NSSCC) is not confident that travel constraints will change sufficiently to allow the event to proceed on the 18th of September.

Event director Jon Thomson said the decision was extremely difficult.

“We’re really in a no-win situation, even if we see changes to the lockdown in Sydney, September is likely to see travel restrictions into regional NSW,” Thomson said.

“On top of that, we haven’t had the opportunity to check and write roadbooks, meet with stakeholders or assess road conditions and suitability.”

“Forestry has also increased their operations in the area and many of the roads we’d originally selected are now in sections that are being harvested, meaning we’d need to look for new roads and change many of the stages we had originally planned on using”, Thomson added.

The event organising team looked at moving the event to October, but the calendar is crowded with events and access to volunteers and particularly securing Rallysafe for the event was proving difficult.

“We really have been left with no choice but to cancel the event altogether”, Thomson said.

“It is a great pity as we had some absolutely terrific roads and stages selected for this year’s rally, but we will be back with an even better event in 2022,” he concluded.

The Midstate Freight Oberon Stages Rally was a round of the NSW Rally Championship, East Coast Classic Rally Series and Clubman Rally Series. The organising team is planning on running the event in 2022 and will seek a date from the NSW Rally Panel in due course.

Opportunities Galore for Molly Taylor

By Events, News, Rally, Results, Wheelspin
PHOTO: Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall in the Rally3 M-Sport Ford Fiesta – Rally Estonia – Source: Facebook

North Shore Sporting Car Club Member, Molly Taylor, has been exceptionally busy over the past few months, and with a range of different international events on her calendar. For Taylor, the second half of 2021 is packed with excitement.

Taylor last competed in Australia at the Accent Benchtops Rally of Queensland in an Orange Motorsport Subaru WRX STi. With Malcom Read in the co-drivers seat, Taylor was placed third in Heat One, overcoming issues with the rear suspension. A damaged radiator in the second heat on Sunday would see the team making urgent repairs to the car after completing the first three stages, but despite their best efforts, they were forced to retire.

It was straight to the airport following the Rally of Queensland, with Taylor heading to Senegal in West Africa. Senegal, made famous in rally circles because of its capital city, Dakar, hosted round 2 of the Extreme E Racing Series.

After a brilliant drive with Johan Kristoffersson at the first round of the Extreme E Racing, Taylor and the Rosberg X Racing (RXR) team went into the Ocean X Prix round leading the series. The RXR team were competitive from the outset, securing a place in the final and ultimately winning the event. They now lead the series with 71 points, 14 points in front of Cristina Gutiérrez and Sébastien Loeb from X44 Racing.

Taylor was thrilled with another win, saying: “It feels so good to take our second win of the season in Senegal. The semi-finals were wild because of the course here on the beach and the close racing, but we really enjoyed it, and it got us even more pumped for the last race. The Final was my first time racing wheel-to-wheel at the start of a race and getting the inside line heading into Turn 1 was really important. From there I just had to bring the car home for Johan to jump in and do what he does best for the second lap.”

“The win didn’t come easy”, Taylor continued. “And it’s been a great reminder of how competitive this series is, but that makes this victory even more special. We’ll savour the moment and look forward to the next race in Greenland.”

The next event for Taylor was the WRC Rally Estonia, driving for the M-Sport Poland team in an all new four-wheel-drive M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally3. In the leadup to the event, Taylor said she was happy to be getting the band back together, referring to re-joining with co-driver Seb Marshall for three WRC events.

“I’m really excited to have this opportunity and get back to some of my favourite WRC events in Finland, Estonia, and the Acropolis, which has always been on the bucket list. We’ve been working towards this programme for a while, so it seems like it’s been in the distance for so long. You don’t want to get too excited, because you’re always trying to put programmes together, and it’s often that nothing happens. Then it all started to come together, and it looked like it was finally happening.”

“Now it’s coming around really soon, so it’s pretty surreal. It’s exciting to be a part of the beginning of the [Rally3] category and I think, from everything that I see, it looks like a really good package, so I’m really excited to give it a go”, she continued.

“When this opportunity with the new Rally3 car came up, I think it was a combination of all the little things that just fell into the right place, and so when the opportunity arose, it was possible to jump at it. I always wanted to get back into the WRC. I feel like it’s been many years of trying to get to an opportunity like this – that I was trying for back in 2012 – but I’ll take it now!”, Taylor concluded.

But things didn’t go according to plan in Estonia, and a crash on stage 4 would see Taylor and Marshall retire with a badly damaged M-Sport Fiesta.

In a Facebook Post, Taylor announced: “Gutted to say we are out of Rally Estonia. On stage 4, I ran a little wide on a very fast section and caught a drainpipe hidden in the ditch. Doesn’t take much over here to have a big one. Certainly not the start to our program we wanted and I’m really sorry to the team and all our partners for this mistake . Seb and I are OK. Thank you for all your messages and support through both the good times and the bad.”

The other WRC events Taylor and Marshall will be seen at in addition to the Rally Estonia will be the Acropolis Rally Greece from the 9th to the 12th of September and then Rally Finland from the 1st to 3rd of October.

But there will be little time to think about what could have been in Estonia with Taylor heading straight to yet another challenge. She is entered in the Baja Aragón Rally, based out of the city of Aragon, Teruel, located in eastern Spain.  The 824km Baja style cross country rally raid event takes place on the 23rd and 24th of July and Taylor will be driving a South Racing prepared Can-Am Maverick X3.

The opportunity to drive the buggy style vehicle in Baja Aragón came about through an invite and she will be joining with rally raid and Red Bull Off-Road Junior Team Co-Driver Dennis Zenz. Taylor met Zenz while testing prior to Estonia where he had been co-driving for Fabio Schwarz, son of rally driver Armin Swartz.

There are other testing and driving opportunities in the pipeline for Taylor, but her focus will be on the remaining two WRC events, and of course the next Extreme E Series on the snow and ice surface at Arctic X Prix on the 28the to 29th of August in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland.

To keep up with all of Molly’s adventures, you can follow her Facebook Page or visit her website.

Molly Taylor and Seb Marshall – Rally Estonia – Source: Facebook

AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay Proceeding on 28 August

By Events, News, Rally of the Bay 2021, Spectators, Wheelspin

Photo: Bruce Moxon

The 2021 AMH Rally of the Bay organising team has officially announced that the 2021 running of the AMH Rally of the Bay will now take place on Saturday the 28th of August.
Event Manager, Nigel Bland is confident that when the current NSW lockdowns are lifted the team from North Shore Sporting Car Club (NSSCC) will be ready to run the event.

“We’ve been really lucky to have a number of volunteers based in Batemans Bay come on board to help us get things ready. Whilst we can’t get down to the Bay ourselves, our volunteers have been getting out into the forests preparing for the rally”, Bland said.

“The current COVID situation is very fluid, and we really don’t know what restrictions will be in place by the end of August, so we are moving forward with the event as planned. Should things change, we’ll make that decision closer to the event”, added Bland.

The proposed date of the 28th of August was originally slated for a Rallysprint run by Shoalhaven and Kiama Districts Auto Club (SKDAC) and was offered to NSSCC.

“We really appreciate SKDAC giving up their rallysprint date so we could re-schedule our event. In fact, we didn’t even have to ask them. They offered it up to us when it looked like the restrictions would impact the event. We really want to thank SKDAC and particularly SKDAC President Peter Ewing for the club’s generosity” Bland concluded.

The Rally of the Bay is still looking for officials and volunteers and if you would like to assist on the 28th August, simply send an email to andrew.benefield@nsscc.com.au

AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay postponed

By Events, News, Rally, Rally of the Bay 2021, Wheelspin

Organisers of the 2021 AMH Automotive Group Rally of the Bay have made the difficult decision to postpone the event and are working with relevant authorities and the NSW Rally Panel to secure August 28.

With ongoing restrictions in Sydney and beyond, North Shore Sporting Car Club (NSSCC) is not confident that travel constraints will change sufficiently to allow the event to proceed on the 17th of July.

Event Manager Nigel Bland said the decision was extremely difficult. “Even if the stay-at-home order in Sydney is lifted, there’s still a good chance people will be restricted from travelling” he said. “And whilst many of the competitors are not Sydney based, the entire organising team is.”

“That’s left us in a difficult position. Do we continue with the event and hope that everything gets opened up next weekend, or do we make the decision now to give competitors the opportunity to plan for a new date.”

“There are so many variables at play here that it’s just not worth the risk to continue with the original date.”, Bland said.

The proposed date of the 28th of August was originally slated for a Rallysprint run by Shoalhaven and Kiama Districts Auto Club (SKDAC) and was offered to NSSCC.

“We really appreciate SKDAC giving up their rallysprint date so we could re-schedule our event. In fact we didn’t even have to ask them. They offered it up to us when it looked like the restrictions would impact the event. We really want to thank SKDAC and particularly SKDAC President Peter Ewing for their generosity” Bland concluded.

The event organising team met today and were confident the date change was the right decision based on the evolving health situation.

“The other option was to cancel the event altogether”, said NSSCC President, Brett Middleton.

“But there’s so many businesses in the Eurobodalla Shire that rely on our event. Last year we estimated the rally brought $750,000 worth of economic benefit to the region and it’s important for us to support the local community”, Middleton continued.

“Three of our major partners are local to Batemans Bay including the Batemans Bay Marina Resort, the Village Centre and Bridge Plaza shopping centres and the Eurobodalla Shire. We’ve already invested in a major marketing campaign in the lead up to the event so moving the date is the best outcome for everyone.”

“We understand this now puts some pressure on competitors because there are other events that are now closer to ours, but the Rally of the Bay is such an iconic event and we know our rally teams will expect us to reschedule and go ahead with it”, Middleton said.

“With event scrutineering due to start this weekend, it’s important to make the decision before people start to get prepared. We hope our customers stick with us and that the event goes ahead in August and is a great success”, Middleton concluded.

NSSCC expect to formally announce the new date early next week.