Tasmania stage of Australian Rally Car Championships wrap up

It is the first time in about 12 years that the Confederation of Australian Motor Sport brought the Australian Rally Championships to Tasmania.

The Tasmania leg of the championships did not disappoint, events spokesman Mitch Newton said. 

“It’s been fantastic from the start on Friday with 5000 people down at Inveresk for The Examiner’s Ceremonial Start,” he said. 

“There are members of the rally media team who believe it’s probably been the biggest rally attendance outside of a world rally event in Australia since the early 2000s.” 

Mr Newton said the drivers were also impressed with the Tasmanian stage. 

“They haven’t been in Tasmania on gravel since 2006, and it’s given them a really unique set of challenges,” he said. 

“It’s the first time in a long time that they’ve had to contend with frost and ice on the road. That, as well as the mud, has been a really big challenge for them.”

Other parts of the championships had been dry, dusty and rough. 

“But in Tasmania, the roads are very smooth, very fast, and add in mud, rain, frost and ice, it’s really given them something different to go for,” Mr Newton said. 

While organisers have not confirmed their calendar of events for next year, funding has been secured for the championships to return to Tasmania. 

“Based on the feedback we have been receiving I would think it’s incredibly likely that we will be back next year,” Mr Newton said. 

More than 2000 people, from outside of Launceston, were thought to have attended the weekend’s events. 

Mr Newtown said the events had also attracted international attention. 

“The Tasmanian stage] tends to get the interest of the national and international media just because it is so different to what is normally on the Australian rally calendar,” he said.  

“That’s also while there is quite a famous rallying event happening in Finland this weekend, which has been attracting a lot of attention.”

More than 30 cars took part in the events during the weekend.