Dalton the top seed for Rally of the Bay
Richie Dalton and Mac Kierans will lead all comers when the Rally of the Bay returns this weekend.
Dalton and his ex-factory Toyota Yaris AP4 are fresh off strong results in the Australian Rally Championship and will head into the event as favourites.
Seeded second on the road is Clayton Hoy, who has enlisted Dalton’s former co-driver, John Allen, for the event, in what Hoy hopes to be his first clean run of the season.
He didn’t make the start line of the National Capital Rally in April and was a late withdrawal at Rally Queensland due to COVID.
Running third on the road will be Nathan Quinn, who would arguably be the favourite would it not be for him running on the rally’s road book, rather than pace notes.
That will hamper Quinn’s quest for the win, but the choice is purely his. The disadvantage might put him out of contention for the win, but a strong result should be achieved if his Hyundai holds out through the event.
Victorian Troy Dowel returns to the Bay again, but this time it will be in a Ford Fiesta G4, rather than his regular Hyundai.
Dowel lies third in the national series at present and his seeding could be higher for this event, however, his consistency so far this year will put him in good stead for a podium, and even a win if things go his way.
Late route changes to the event have meant that competitive sections have been shortened slightly, but the 70-strong entry will be hard up against it getting through the rally unscathed.
Damp conditions are expected for the rally, but rainfall is expected to be minimal.
Nine stages cover 134.22 competitive kilometres at the event, with the first stage getting underway just after 10am on Saturday.
