Competitors at the GT Fabrication Bunbury Rallysprint are ready to put on a high octaine performance on 18th and 19th November.
Ahead of the competition, there’s an opportunity to admire the cars at the Show ‘n’ Shine on Saturday 18th November from 6.00pm to 8.30pm at the Pat Usher Foreshore on Blair Street, Bunbury.
Then strap in Bunbury.From 9am on Sunday 19th November, the streets of Bunbury’s Halifax Light Industrial Area will be transformed into a four-kilometre street-race circuit.
There are 107 drivers and co-drivers who will race the clock screeching and sliding around corners in a bid to finish fastest to take the top step on the coveted podium.
A huge range of rally cars will be put through their paces in a capacity field.
The oldest car is a heavy 1964 Ford Falcon Sprint that you’ll hear before you see, owned by Leschenault local Wayne Turner.
Other classic makes include Mini, Mustang, Datsun, Triumph, Chevrolet Camaro, Ford Escort, and Holden Commodore, and modern vehicles like Dodge Viper, Porsche, Audi, BMW, Toyota Yaris Rallye, Nissan GTR, Subaru WRX, Mistubishi Evos and a Tesla EV.
Competitors will need to negotiate the Halifax street circuit that has fast sections to go flat out, and also technical sections that require skill to traverse at speed.
Last year, a mechanical retirement for Troy Wilson in his 2010 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X left the door open for Matt Cherry’s pocket rocket to take the title.
A far cry from a standard small hatchback, Cherry’s red 1982 Toyota Starlet built by Racing Dynamics has been highly modified for tarmac rallying. The 1.8-litre turbo two-wheel-drive has 420 rear-wheel horsepower which last year was faster than four-wheel-drive rally cars with bigger engines and more horsepower.
Cherry said he was amazed with last year’s win, and you can bet he’ll be looking to repeat that result.
“The crowd was great and a lot of people came to have a chat about the car and the first they they asked was “what is this thing?” which is funny but they all loved the little rocket.”
Event Director Ross Tapper said that Bunbury is one of the most successful Rallysprint events in WA.
“Competitors love the short and fast Rallysprint format and Bunbury locals always turn out in droves to watch the rally cars race – the atmosphere is always exciting in Bunbury,” the Event Director said.
One local competitor loves the Bunbury Rallysprint so much, he is racing twice in two different cars. Mark Cates has entered two classic cars, a 1976 Holden Torana and a 1969 Ford Mustang.
There are eleven classes in the GT Fabrication Bunbury Rallysprint determined by engine size, 2WD or 4WD and decade of manufacture.
Each competitor will race the clock along the 4-kilometre course four times clockwise and four times anticlockwise. The odd numbered cars will go first and then the even numbers.
There are plenty of designated spectator points to witness the fast cars, roaring engines, motorsport action and drama, at the GT Fabrication Bunbury Rallysprint Sunday 19th November in the Halifax Light Industrial Area.
The entire GT Fabrication Bunbury Rallysprint is free.
Spectators are encouraged and only permitted in marked spectators areas:
- Corner Halifax Drive and Monkhouse Street
- Corner Hensen Street and Marchant Street
- Corner Halifax Drive and Clifford Street
- Corner of Sherlock Way and McCombe Road
- Corner of McCombe Road and Jordan Way (two spectator points)
For more information including results, visit https://tarmacevents.com.au/our-events/bunbury-rallysprint/.
Mark Cates (Bunbury) in his 1976 Holden Torana. Photo: Elevation Digital
Will While (Dardanup) in his 2018 Nissan GTR Nismo. Photo: Tim Allott