Club Catalina Archives - North Shore Sporting Car Club

Jul 03

Official Accommodation for the 2023 Lazer Rally of the Bay at Batemans Bay Marina Resort

By John McCredie News, Rally, Rally of the Bay 2022

The organisers of the highly anticipated 2023 Lazer Rally of the Bay are pleased to announce that the official accommodation for this year’s event will be at the Batemans Bay Marina Resort. This stunning waterfront resort has once again been selected to provide a convenient and comfortable stay for the rally participants and their teams.

The Batemans Bay Marina Resort, located in the picturesque town of Batemans Bay, New South Wales, offers a range of luxurious cabins that provide the perfect retreat for rally teams. With breathtaking views of the marina and easy access to the rally Service Park, this resort is the ideal choice for those participating in the Lazer Rally of the Bay.

Teams are advised to book their accommodations early to secure their cabins so that teams can ensure they have a comfortable and convenient base during the rally.

One of the significant advantages of the Batemans Bay Marina Resort is its ample parking space, which includes parking for trucks and car trailers. This ensures that participants have secure and convenient parking facilities for their vehicles and equipment throughout the duration of the rally. The resort’s commitment to providing a comprehensive experience for rally teams sets it apart as an ideal accommodation option for the 2023 Lazer Rally of the Bay.

“We are thrilled to partner with the Batemans Bay Marina Resort for the official accommodation of the 2023 Lazer Rally of the Bay,” said Event Director, Nigel Bland. “The resort’s stunning location, comfortable cabins, and excellent parking facilities make it an ideal choice for our rally participants. We encourage all teams to secure their cabins early to guarantee a fantastic stay during the event.”

The 2023 Lazer Rally of the Bay is expected to draw participants and spectators from across the country. The event promises exhilarating rally action, showcasing the skills and expertise of the best rally drivers in the region.

To make reservations or for more information about the Batemans Bay Marina Resort, please visit their website at www.batemansbaymarinaresort.com.au

About Lazer Rally of the Bay:

The Lazer Rally of the Bay is an annual rally event held in Batemans Bay, New South Wales, showcasing the skills and thrills of rally drivers from across the region. It is known for its challenging forest stages and exciting competition, attracting participants and spectators alike.

About Batemans Bay Marina Resort:

Batemans Bay Marina Resort is a premier waterfront resort located in Batemans Bay, New South Wales. Offering comfortable cabins, stunning views, and excellent amenities, the resort provides an exceptional accommodation experience for leisure and event guests alike. With its parking facilities for trucks and car trailers, the resort caters to the needs of motorsport enthusiasts and rally teams.

May 19

Lazer Rally of the Bay to Thrill in 2023

By John McCredie Rally, Rally of the Bay 2022

The 2023 Lazer Rally of the Bay is shaping up to be one of the most exciting and competitive rally events of the year. With drivers from all over the country set to compete in this iconic Australian event, spectators are sure to be in for a treat.

Organised by the North Shore Sporting Car Club, the Lazer Rally of the Bay is a gravel rally event that takes place in the beautiful Eurobodalla township of Batemans Bay, New South Wales. The event attracts some of the best rally drivers in the state, all vying for the coveted top spot on the podium.

This year’s event promises to be even more exciting than previous years, with several new drivers and teams entering the competition. One driver to watch out for is Richie Dalton, who has won the Rally of the Bay in past. Dalton will be driving his Toyota Yaris, and he’ll be hoping to add another victory to his already impressive rally career.

In addition to the professional drivers, the Rally of the Bay also features a number of amateur and semi-professional drivers, all competing in a variety of classes. This allows drivers of all skill levels to participate in the event and adds an extra level of excitement to the competition.

One of the most unique aspects of the Rally of the Bay is the scenic location. The rally takes place on the gravel roads of the beautiful Eurobodalla Shire in South Coast region of New South Wales, providing a stunning backdrop for the high-speed action. Spectators are encouraged to come out and enjoy the scenery as well as the rally, with vantage points and viewing areas available on the course.

As with any rally event, safety is of the utmost importance. The organisers of the Lazer Rally of the Bay have implemented measures to ensure the safety of both drivers and spectators, including strict speed limits and safety barriers in certain areas.

Overall, the 2023 Rally of the Bay promises to be an exciting and thrilling event for all involved. With the State’s best drivers, a beautiful location, and a passionate community of rally enthusiasts, this event is not to be missed.

The Lazer Rally of the Bay takes place on the 29th of July and includes 10 special stages (5 stages repeated).

Jul 28

Route Changes for Lazer Rally of the Bay

By Media News, Rally of the Bay 2022

Mick Harding in the Subaru WRX in wet conditions at the opening round of the NSW Rally Championship
Photo: Roy Meuronen

With less than three weeks before the Lazer Rally of the Bay, organisers have had to make several changes to the route.

“It’s not ideal to be making changes, but sometimes the weather can affect the condition of a road, so it makes sense to change it”, said Road Director, John McCredie.

“Runnyford Road has been impacted the most and Eurobodalla Shire Council made the decision that it was not suitable for our use. There are parts of the road that are fantastic, but then there are sections that are so wet, it’s impossible to use it for a rally. The Council are also doing road works in several sections and it’s just unsuitable for us to use.”

“We’ve extended the Buckenbowra stage by 6km. We’ve also changed the Clyde Long stage to avoid an area where there has been significant timber harvesting operations”.

“The changes mean the event is now 134km for the State teams and 124km for the Clubman competitors. We purposefully made the original route longer because we anticipated some weather events may play a part in the final route”, McCredie concluded.

With a full entry of 70 cars, there has been additional teams who wanted to enter. The revised route can now accommodate those extras and Event Manager, Nigel Bland is excited about the opportunity to allow more cars to enter the event.

“It’s fantastic to have a full field two weeks before entries close”, said Bland. “Plus, it’s great to be able to give a few more teams the opportunity to experience everything the Rally and the Eurobodalla Shire has to offer.”.

The Lazer Rally of the Bay is set to take place on Saturday the 13th of August in the forests surrounding Batemans Bay on the NSW south coast. The rally cars will be flagged away from Corrigan’s Beach Reserve in Batehaven. Lazer High Performance Lighting is the naming rights partner.

The 2022 Lazer Rally of the Bay is a round of the NSW Rally Championship and East Coast Classic Rally Series (ECCRS), and also incorporates the NSW Clubman and NSW Hyundai Series.

Jul 20

Entries rolling in fast for Lazer Rally of the Bay

By Media Rally of the Bay 2022

In less than a week, the Lazer Rally of the Bay has had a flood of entries with almost 50 teams signed up for the August 13th event.

“What a great response”, said Event Manager, Nigel Bland. “It’s really encouraging to see so many entries coming in so quickly.”

“It’s a great looking field, with Richie Dalton entered in his Toyota Yaris and Former Australian Rally Champion, Nathan Quinn in his Hyundai i20”, Bland continued.

“Peter Dimmock will also be running his Toyota Yaris, so we’ll have a great contingent of modern rally cars in the forest, as well as plenty of classic rally cars like the crowd favourite Mk2 Ford Escort of Sean McAloon”, Bland concluded.

Several new partners have also joined to be part of the Lazer Rally of the Bay, with Cavallino Motorsport and Simpson Race Products joining with the other partners for the 2022 edition of this classic event.

“With a full field of 70 cars expected, it’s difficult to predict a winner,” said Club President, Brett Middleton. “There are potentially a dozen drivers that could easily win, and I can’t wait to see the battle develop for the top step of the podium”.

“The local Eurobodalla community are looking forward to the positive economic impact, with significant spending generated for the Batemans Bay area”, Middleton concluded.

The 2022 Lazer Rally of the Bay is a round of the NSW Rally Championship and East Coast Classic Rally Series (ECCRS), and also incorporates the NSW Clubman and NSW Hyundai Series.

Jul 14

Entries Open for Lazer Rally of the Bay

By Media News, Rally of the Bay 2022, Spectators, Wheelspin

North Shore Sporting Car Club (NSSCC) has today opened entries for this year’s Lazer Rally of the Bay. The event is on 13th of August Crews will be able to commence unlimited reconnaissance immediately once their entry has been received.

NSSCC closely reviewed the event costs and this has resulted in an increase in the entry fee. For competitors who kept their entry with NSSCC from last years cancelled event, the increased fee will not apply, and the club will absorb the difference.

“We didn’t want to raise the entry fee”, said Brett Middleton, NSSCC President. “However, the cost of running the event has increased yet again, with many of our suppliers also increasing their fees. Rallysafe, Radio Network, Council road use Fees, Service Park Hire, Forestry Fees, the Medical Intervention Vehicles, and a bunch of other costs, are just some that affected us. Over 70% of our costs are fixed and non-negotiable.”

“We believe the event is still great value, but for the future sustainability of the sport, we as a club and the sport as a whole need to be realistic about event costs and make sure that it generates enough income to cover expenses and to guarantee the long-term viability of the rally”, he added.

“Some clubs use sponsorship to reduce entry fees, but our club has a policy of only spending sponsors money on promoting their brand through promotion of the event and its rally teams .”

“Our organising committee is based predominantly in Sydney, therefore the costs of setting up and running the rally needs to be taken into consideration with things such as fuel and accommodation costs. Our team already donate hundreds of hours of time, the club can at least cover their costs. Our sports organisers are predominately an ageing crew, we need to encourage younger volunteers, we need to plan for the future sustainability of the sport,” Middleton concluded.

Event Manager, Nigel Bland, has put together a handy visual cost breakdown to help teams understand how their entry fee is distributed.

Fees includes all Bank, Credit Card Merchant, PayPal, NSW Rally Panel, Motorsport Australia Permit, Service Park Hire, Council Road Usage Fees, Forestry Permit and Forestry Per Car fees.
Operations includes Rubbish Bin Hire, Portable Toilets, Door Stickers, Rally HQ Hire, Printing Costs, RallySafe, RallySafe Support, Stationary and Postage.
Infrastructure includes Radio Communications, Rally HQ Equipment and Setup, Medical Intervention Vehicles and Staff, Barriers, Bunting, Signage and signage equipment.
Mandatory Advertising includes forest signage, newspaper advertisements and associated communications to local residents.
Setup and Accommodation includes the costs associated with the rally setup and pack up including accommodation, fuel, meals and other essential travel costs for senior officials who invest 50 hrs or more in volunteer time.

Jul 07

Businesses show support for Lazer Rally of the Bay

By Media Rally of the Bay 2022

Photo: The Shamrock Haulage Toyota Yaris AP4 – photo by Wishart Media

This year’s Lazer Rally of the Bay will feature more than 10 fantastic stages, Including the ever-popular Runnyford Road and a long 29km stage that utilises sections of the smooth and fast Clyde Ridge Road to the Northwest of Batemans Bay.

Lazer High Performance Lighting is the naming rights partner, and the rally will feature a night stage to allow teams running Lazer Lights to showcase the superiority of the Lazer product over conventional driving lights.

Rally stage names will reflect the businesses that have put their support behind the rally, with some familiar, and also new businesses getting involved. The stages will be separated into two heats with a service opportunity back in Batehaven at Corrigans Beach Reserve. The Hoosier Service Park will be a great opportunity for rally fans to get up close and personal with the teams and their machines.

Stage Sponsors include Shamrock Haulage, Shannons Insurance, Premier Pools, Prodriver Rally School, White Wolf Constructions. Premier Panel Beating, Prospeed Racing, Disc Brakes Australia (dba) Trailer Camper Australia, Techworkz Automotive and Motorsport Race Gear. Hoosier Tire Australia will take the name for the Hoosier Service Park.

Entries for the popular event are due to open next week and a long entry list is expected for this year’s approximate 150km rally. Organisers are expecting to see some big names entering including Motorsport Australia Rally Championship contender, Richie Dalton in the Shamrock Haulage Toyota Yaris AP4.

Throughout the event, stage and overall results will be fed directly from Rallysafe and be available on the Chris Sport website. https://www.chrissport.nz/index.php?c=aus

Jun 22

Club Catalina destination for AMH Rally of the Bay Social Hub

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

The AMH Rally of the Bay will bring teams from across the state and beyond to Batemans Bay over the weekend of the 17th of July and event organisers from North Shore Sporting Car Club have worked with Club Catalina to establish the venue as the ‘Social Hub’ for the rally.

“We haven’t had the opportunity to socialise at rallies for a while with COVID, so we thought we needed to establish a Social Hub”, Club President, Brett Middleton said. “Club Catalina was the perfect choice. It’s right across the road from Rally HQ and an easy walk from the official rally accommodation at the Batemans Bay Marina Resort”, Middleton added.

“Club Catalina has great facilities with multiple bars, a café, bistro and a fantastic Golf Course. We’ve planned a meet and greet social get together for Friday night and we’d love to see all of our drivers, co-drivers, service crew and officials attend. In fact, everyone is welcome”, Middleton said.

“Having a Social Hub gives our Rally Teams the opportunity to grab a meal together in the lead up to the event and makes catching up with friends so much easier. Hopefully I’ll see you there one night for dinner”, Middleton concluded.

The Rally Meet and Greet will get underway from 7:30pm on Friday the 16th of July in the main lounge area of Club Catalina with food available from the Bistro and drinks available from the bar.

Club Catalina