Competition Corner

Make a redemption between now and 31 January 2023 and you’ll go into the draw to win Mixed Six Wines + a carton of Coopers Pale Ale, worth 17,900 points!

Find the hidden codeword in Edition 12 of the Genuine Article, and be in to win a Ponting Red & White Wine Celebration Hamper valued at $145!

Terms and Conditions Apply.

Lewis Bates became the third member of his family to win the Australian Rally Championship title after finishing second in the Coffs Coast Rally. Combined with codriver Anthony McLoughlin, Bates joins his brother Harry, and four-time winning father, Neal, as Australian title holders.

The younger brother of team-mate Harry, Lewis went into the event needing to finish strongly to claim the title, and when his brother crashed out two stages from the finish, the title was his to lose. He won the title in style too, setting the fastest time on the final Power Stage.

Kiwi Hayden Paddon took the overall rally win in his Hyundai, but Australian Rally Championship honours went to local hero, Nathan Quinn, in his Hyundai i20 G4, complete with Mitsubishi Lancer engine and running gear. In second place, Lewis Bates was followed by another Toyota Yaris AP4, driven by Irishman Richie Dalton.

The rally used many of the roads made famous by Rally Australia from 2011 to 2018, and while wet weather has been the common feature of this year’s national series, hot, dry and extremely dusty conditions greeted crews.

Harry Bates had been the dominant force through the opening three rounds of the 2022 title race, but 2018 had retirements on the last three rallies – two from mechanical failures.

Next year’s Aussie series gets underway in March when crews head to Tasmania for Rally Launceston, the first of six rounds.