Rally Tasmania will provide competitors with more than 240 kilometres of racing in the forests surrounding Launceston on stages that haven’t seen competitive rallying since the 1990s.

The entry list was confirmed earlier this week with Launceston’s two-time Targa Tasmania champion Steve Glenney and co-driver Andy Sarandis leading the home-state charge in their Subaru WRX STi. 

Organisers will bring the event into the heart of the city with a special Friday night launch in Inveresk before exploring the forests between Launceston and Scottsdale over the weekend.

Event director Graham Malcolm praised the welcome the event had received.

“The City of Launceston have been a very enthusiastic supporter of the event, and it is fantastic that we have been able to bring rallying to the city on Friday night,” he said.

“The region is seeing a boom in winter tourism, and we are very happy to be a part of it. The beauty of Tasmania in winter is a well-kept secret, and we encourage the teams and families to take the time to explore Launceston and its attractions.”

Saturday will see crews test themselves on the fast and flowing roads in the Diddleum Plains area before tackling the tight, technical sections in the Sideling Range and Lisle State Forest.

Rally Tasmania’s assistant clerk of course Matt von Bertouch said it promised to be a significant test for competing teams.

“There is a wide variance in roads, with crews facing wide and flowing stages early before taking on some quintessential Tasmanian style stages that are exceptionally twisty and narrow,” von Bertouch said.

Sunday’s first two stages are on the fast forestry roads of the Retreat Forest before a return to the Lisle State Forest.

“The final stage is the toughest,” von Bertouch said.

“At 25 kilometres long, the stage will feel more like a 30 or 35 kilometre long stage, as it is physically and mentally demanding with how tight the corners are and how narrow it gets in places. There is very little relief for drivers and co-drivers.”

The field will be led by Eli Evans and Ben Searcy in a Skoda Fabia R5 and the Toyota Yaris AP4 of Harry Bates and John McCarthy.

While Evans has at times looked untouchable, Bates pushed the three-time Australian champion all the way at the Capital Rally, winning the day-two battle on time. The battle looks set to continue in Tasmania.

​Adrian Coppin will be fourth off the line in the second Skoda Fabia R5 with co-driver Toni Feaver ahead of Molly Taylor and Malcolm Read with their Launceston-based team, Les Walkden Rallying, also enjoying home comforts.

Glenney, Mark Butcher and Matt How will be on the hunt for ARC2 points in addition to their Tasmanian Rally Championship campaigns.

A 23-strong field will contest round three of the Tasmanian Rally Championship, all out to catch Championship leader Brodie Reading in his Carver Mechanical Subaru WRX STi.