Why five figure costs to race are worth it for Tassie rally duo
It costs them five figures just to get to the starting line for each round, but a desire to prove themselves against the best is fuelling a Tassie duo’s first full Australian Rally Championship series tilt.
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Rising Tasmanian rally driver Bodie Reading reckons it costs five figures to race at an Australian Rally Championship round on the mainland.
But a desire to prove he can compete against the best, despite having a car almost 30 years old – is fuelling his first full season in the ARC.
Huonville-based Reading and Invermay co-driver Mark Young’s racing is usually confined to the state rally scene, and the annual ARC round in Launceston.
But they’re taking full advantage of competing in the entire series for the first time this year.
They lead the Production Cup standings after overhauling fellow Tasmanian Steve Maguire and his co-driver Dale Moscatt at Rally Queensland near Gympie on the weekend.
Reading, 26, is fourth in the ARC driver standings after they finished fourth overall at Rally Queensland, with another Tasmanian duo in Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey second for the round.
It was Reading and Young’s equal-best result of the season through three rounds, with three rounds remaining.
Reading said the strong results are vindication for the expense needed to not only prepare the car for racing, but to get it to venues.
“To get the boat return is $2500 and an entry fee is $2000, and you’re allowed 12 tyres for the weekend at almost $500 a tyre,” he said.
“It’s between 10 and 12 grand to do a round on the mainland.
“Good results make it worth it. There’s a few local businesses we’re lucky to get a couple of grand per round off, which helps.
“The only reason I’m doing it all (entire series) this year is I did get some inheritance money from one of my mum’s cousins who passed away. He was heavily supportive of my racing, so I thought why not go and take it to the next level for a year and see what happens.
“I can probably only afford to do it this year the way it’s going, but if we can get a good result and show we can compete with the best in Australia I’ll be happy with that.
“The last couple of years they’ve made a category (Production Cup) for that so you’ve got something to fight for, instead of just fighting for sixth or seventh overall.”
Reading said trying to match wits with the best drivers, despite not having the resources they enjoy, is a satisfying challenge.
“We drive a ‘95 Subaru WRX, so it’s almost 30 years old. A lot of those other cars we’re up against aren’t even ten years old, and it’s nowhere near as sophisticated as those cars with the new technology,” he said.
“We’re definitely punching a long way above our weight at the moment.
“I prepare the car a lot myself, but it was pretty run down whe I bought it so I’ve been slowly trying to build it back up over the last six or seven years.
“I’m pretty sure we’re the only car in the top 15 or 20 that doesn’t have a sequential gear box – they say there’s probably a second per kilometre (advantage without having to use the clutch.”
Reading and Young will compete in the next ARC round at Gippsland late next month.
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