2010 Australian Rally Championship


The 2010 Australian Rally Championship was series of six rallying events held across Australia, including the international event 2010 International Rally of Queensland. It was the 43rd season in the history of the competition.
Husband and wife team Simon and Sue Evans won their fourth Australian Rally Championship in five years. Driving their own privately prepared Subaru Impreza the duo became the first pair to win the Championship in vehicles of three different manufacturers.

Season review

After winning the 2009 championship in a Mitsubishi the Evans returned in 2010 with a Subaru, while after a several year lay-off the Pedder brothers in a two car team of Mitsubishis. Scott Pedder was instantly competitive, winning the opening round of the series, the all-tarmac Rally Tasmania. Simon Evans and his brother Eli, driving a JAS Motorsport built Honda Civic Type-R, shared the second places. With the dirt-surface season commencing with the Forest Rally, Peddar won both heats again from Evans. Former factory Ford rallyist Darren Windus making a one-off appearance at his home event in a Toyota and Ryan Smart, also Toyota mounted shared the third places. Next the Australian Championship returned to Coffs Harbour when Simon Evans won his first Heat for the year and backed it up immediately. Pedder was second in Heat 1 but rolled out of the rally in Heat 2. Mitsubishi driver Nathan Quinn finished second in Heat 2, with Smart taking a pair of thirds.
At Rally SA Evans won Heat 1 from Pedder and Mitsubishi driver Justin Dowel, but Heat 2 saw Evans win unopposed as an accident took Pedder out of the rally and the championship. While co-driver John Mortimer was largely unhurt, Pedder sustained a knee and ankle injuries ruling him out of a return to the championship in 2010. Evans won the heat from Quinn and Eli Evans.
Evans won the International Rally of Queensland, the ARCs annual get-together with the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. Glen Raymond was second in a Mitsubishi with Mark Pedder third. The victory was enough for Evans to secure his fourth championship. Reymond struck back at his home event when Evans and Pedder stuck trouble and the Mitsubishi driver raced home to take a popular win Rally Victoria. Fellow Mitsubishi drivers Justin Dowel and Mark Pedder finished second and third. The podium finish for Pedder allowed him to tie on points with Ryan Smart for runner's up in the championship. The countback worked in Smart's favour giving him and sister Rebecca Smart second place in the title.
Scott Pedder still had enough points to finish fourth in the title, four points ahead of Queensland Mitsubishi driver Steven Shepheard. Glen Raymond and Eli Evans all finished the season within ten points of Scott Peddar.
Mitsubishi won the manufacturers title, 444 points to Subaru's 432. Eli Evans in the Honda took out the two-wheel drive title convincingly. Mitsubishi driver Michael Boaden won the Privateer's Cup.

The Rallies

The 2010 season featured six rallies.
RoundRallyDate
1Rally Tasmania26–28 February
2Quit Forest Rally16–18 April
3Coffs Coast Rally14–16 May
4Scouts Rally SA24–26 June
5International Rally of Queensland31 July–1 August
6Rally Victoria13 November

Teams & Drivers

The following are the competitors from the 2010 ARC season.
TeamVehicleNumberDriverCo-driverClass
Evans MotorsportSubaru Impreza WRX STI1Simon EvansSue EvansGroup N
Evans MotorsportHonda Civic Type R3Eli EvansGlen WestonPRC
Raymond Partners AccountingMitsubishi Lancer Evo X2Glen RaymondMatt RaymondGroup N
Activ RallysportMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX4Justin DowelMatt LeePRC
OzTec SuspensionMitsubishi Lancer Evo X5Steven ShepheardJohn McCarthyPRC
Yandina Automotive RepairsToyota Corolla Sportivo6Ryan SmartRebecca SmartGroup N P
Pedders SuspensionMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX7Scott PedderJonathan MortimerGroup N
Pedders SuspensionMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX8Mark PedderCatherine SmallbonePRC
Wauchope MotorsMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX9Michael BoadenHelen CheersPRC
Speedie ContractorsToyota Corolla Sportivo10Simon KnowlesMargot KnowlesGroup N P
Fullerton Financial ServicesMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX11Bruce FullertonHugh Reardon-SmithPRC
Daikin and Allied Air ConditioningMitsubishi Lancer Evo IX12Nathan QuinnDavid GreenGroup N
Hand ShieldMitsubishi Mirage13Barry KirkDaniel WilsonPRC
Groundforce Truck RentalsToyota Corolla S200014Darren WindusJohn AllenSuper 2000
Secure GlassSubaru Impreza WRX STI15Roman WatkinsToni FeaverPRC
Busselton Subaru ServiceSubaru Impreza WRX16Leigh HynesStuart PercivalGroup N
Wendys Bunbury ForumSubaru Impreza WRX STI19Tom WildeNerralie WildePRC
Mark Fawcett MotorsportSubaru Impreza WRX Spec C20Mark FawcettSimon EllisPRC
SaabCare Motorsport ServicesMitsubishi Lancer Evo VII21Mike BaileyCaitlin EarleyPRC
Allquip AustraliaFord Fiesta21Barney HoganDarren GraingerSuper 2000
John BerneSubaru Impreza RS22John BerneTony BestPRC
North Oz ProjectsHolden Commodore SS27Jacob BruinsmaLisa WhiteGroup N
Hyundai Motor Company AustraliaHyundai i30 CRDi30Mick GillettHarvey SmithPRC
RallyschoolMitsubishi Lancer Evo VII32Charlie DrakeEoin MoynihanPRC

Drivers Championship

Pointscore as follows.