Subaru, have made a solid start to their return to rallying in Australia, with a 4th place finish in heat one of the Quit Forest Rally. This is only the first part of the 2016 Kumho Tyres sponsored campaign, and it is expected that the team will become stronger as the competition continues. When their cars have had a Subaru service, Perth drivers can testify to how good Subaru engineering is. Let’s take a more detailed look at how heat one unfolded and look forward to the rest of the campaign.
How Heat One Started on Friday
The WRX STI driven by Molly Taylor and co-driver Billy Hayes started out with an 11th place finish at Barnard Park in Brusselton. This Friday evening session may have been a disappointment to some, but with such a long break since Subaru last raced it was to be expected. Many informed race fans already understand that the Group N WRX STI being used has been tweaked for racing, but unlike its rivals, it is not a dedicated race car.
When Saturday Comes
The next day saw the rally move onto a challenging dirt stage around Nannup. This was then followed by a couple of sprints on a 0.85km local oval track. Taylor is a talented driver and over the course of the day, she began to close the gap. A finish of 8th place on the 6.32km SS3 stage brought team Subaru up to 10th place overall. This was followed by the longest stage of the day, the SS4 Ferntree, a 26.78km stage that was skillfully negotiated to produce a 4th place finish. This was followed by the 17.85 SS5 Ellis stage, where team Subaru managed to maintain their overall 4th place before lunch. In the afternoon session, it became clear that the performances were becoming consistent. The SS8 was a 2nd run on the longest Ferndale stage and Taylor managed to finish 3rd this time. This was followed by another pair of laps around the local oval and the day ended with an overall 4th place.
The Aftermath of Heat One
The placings after heat one are as follows:
- The Bates/McCarthy team, Toyota Corolla S2000, 01:03:27.7
- The Evans/Searcy team, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, 01:03:28.8, +00:01.1
- The Pedder/Moscatt team, Peugeot 208 Maxi, 01:05:06.3, +01:38.6
- The Taylor/Hayes team, Subaru WRX STI, 01:05:21.4, +01:53.7
Molly Taylor stated that “Today’s been a big lesson in sweeping roads and it’s fair to say our education continues big time,” she went on to say “this car is certainly helping build our confidence over the weekend.”
Round 2 of the Kuhmo Tyre Australian Rally Championship 2015 kicks off on the 27th of May at the National Capital Rally in Canberra.
If they would like to know more about having a Subaru service, Perth drivers should contact us. Here at City Subaru, we offer a comprehensive service carried out by Subaru trained technicians. We only use genuine Subaru parts and approved consumables to ensure that your car meets the standards set by the Subaru factory. If you would like further information, visit our website or call us and we would be happy to answer any further questions that you may have.
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