RACING starts this weekend in one of the biggest events on the Coffs Coast motorsports calendar.
The 2025 Coffs Coast Rally will be held on Saturday, 11 October, in Woolgoolga.
The event features a trio of series, including Round 2 of the Rally NSW Championship, Round 3 of the Queensland Rally Championship, and Round 1 of the NSW Clubman series.
The event has been organised by the Coffs Harbour and District Sporting Car Club, with some much-appreciated help from the Brisbane Sporting Car Club and a mountain of volunteers.
A spokesperson for the organisers gave this preview of the big day of racing ahead.
“The event will happen during the day and evening, and there will be four competitive stages run twice during the day and a 30km-long stage run twice in the late afternoon and evening.
“The event is a combination of driver/navigator skill and endurance as well as car reliability.
“The event was initially planned to occur in May, but due to the wet weather it needed to be postponed.
“Ian Menzies in a Toyota Yaris currently leads the Queensland Rally Championship by 37 points from Erik Johnsson who will also be in attendance driving his Subaru WRX STi.
“Ian is no certainty for the title as the event’s 10 stages will be divided into three heats for the Queensland nominated competitors, with a maximum 75 points on offer.
“The NSW Rally Championship is a closely fought affair with Jody Mill currently leading with his Mitsubishi EVO 8 on 134 points, only two points ahead of Tony Sullens in a Citroen DS3.
“Lachlan Moore, Nathan Quinn, and Josh Redhead are also within striking distance, especially if Mill and Sullens fail early in the day.
“The NSW Championship nominated entrants are competing for a maximum of 50 points with the 10 stages split into two NSW heats.”
The club spokesperson provided details on how to attend the event, as well as its itinerary.
“There will be two spectator points, a day spectator point and late afternoon/night spectator point,” they said.
“Instructions are available on the Coffs Coast Rally Facebook page, or you can drive to Woolgoolga, turn west along Pullen Street, and follow the signs.”
Pullen Street leads to both spectator points with signs to change when the day point is closed and the night point is opened.
“Day spectator point rally car action is estimated between 8:50am-11am, and 12:30pm-2:40pm.
“Afternoon/night point is estimated between 5pm-10pm.
“There is no entry fee but be sure to follow any instructions from the Spectator Marshalls”.
The public is welcome to walk through the service park on the Woolgoolga Centennial Reserve.
Competitor cars will be leaving and entering at two-minute intervals for most of the day and evening, with service activity occurring while the cars are at the park.
The rally presentations will be at Woolgoolga Diggers on Sunday morning from 9am.
By Aiden BURGESS
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