Championship Battle Heats Up Ahead of Snowy River Sprint
The Australian Tarmac Rally Championship heads into its crucial third round this weekend, with the Snowy River Sprint set to bring Australia's best tarmac rally competitors, some of the country's most impressive machinery and a championship fight that is rapidly heating up to the roads of East Gippsland.
Taking place on 12–13 September, the Snowy River Sprint will see competitors tackle 18 competitive stages and approximately 240 kilometres of closed-road competition across the spectacular roads surrounding Buchan.
With two rounds completed and one remaining after Snowy River, every kilometre is beginning to carry greater significance.
Michael Harding/James Thornburn arrive leading the Championship on 185 points, but the fight behind them remains wide open.
Jonathan Moir/Brad Jones sit second on 151 points, while Paul Dowie holds third on 100, just one point ahead of Justin Waterhouse/Adrian Bryant on 99.
Michael Mansey/Julie Winton-Monet round out the top five on 95 points.
With the championship standings so tightly contested, a strong result at Snowy River Sprint could dramatically alter the order heading into the final round.
One of the Snowy River Sprint's greatest strengths is the sheer diversity of machinery competing across the field.
At the sharp end, the Modern Super Rally category features reigning championship holders Jason Wright/Fiona Wright in their 2011 Nissan R35, alongside Michael Harding/James Thornburn in their Subaru WRX STI.
The Modern AWD category delivers another fascinating battle, featuring the likes of Scott Coppleman/Nathan Deckers, Damian O'Halloran/Brian Foster, Barrie Smith/Jan Smith, Greg Burrowes/Rhonda Burrowes and David Thirlwall/Jackie Thirlwall.
The field represents an impressive range of modern performance machinery, including Audi TTRS and RS3s, Subaru WRX STIs and Toyota GR Yaris.
The Early Modern categories bring another generation of rally favourites to the event, with Mitsubishi Evos, Subarus and other machinery from the 1980s and 1990s era.
Then there are the cars that simply cannot be replicated.
The Classic and Classic Super Rally categories feature machinery including a 1976 Ford Escort Mk2, 1977 Porsche 911 and 1985 BMW E30 325e, putting some of Australia's most iconic performance cars on the same closed roads as today's modern supercars.
For competitors looking for a different level of challenge, Rally Sport and Rally Challenge provide their own battles, while the Tour category offers a non-competitive opportunity to experience the roads and atmosphere of the event.
Even the Tour field is packed with impressive machinery, including Porsche GT3s, GT4 RSs, a Cayman S, Spyder, Audi TT and Toyota GR Yaris.
The Snowy River Sprint has earned its place as one of the most distinctive events on the tarmac rally calendar. The combination of challenging closed roads, spectacular scenery and a diverse field creates an event that demands commitment and consistency from every competitor.
It is fast. It is technical. It is unforgiving. And that is precisely why competitors keep coming back.
These events also provide a significant boost to the East Gippsland region, bringing competitors, service crews, officials and spectators into the area for the weekend from all around the country.
Staying locally, purchasing fuel, dining at local venues and utilising accommodation and businesses throughout the region provides an important injection of activity into the local economy.
Australian Tarmac Rally acknowledges the impact that a closed-road event can have on local communities and thanks residents, businesses, landholders and authorities throughout the region for their patience, cooperation and continued support.
We are incredibly proud of what we have built and of the opportunity to deliver events that showcase some of Australia's best roads in a way that few other forms of motorsport can.
The Snowy River Sprint is another chapter in that story. But the 2026 season isn't finished yet.
Following the Snowy River Sprint, the Australian Tarmac Rally Championship will head towards its final round of the season, culminating in the Great Tarmac Rally 2026 in Marysville/Eildon-Jamieson/Reefton from 23–25 October.
Set across three days and featuring more than 450 kilometres of closed-road competition, the Great Tarmac Rally will bring together the championship contenders, Australia's best tarmac rally machinery and some of Victoria's most spectacular mountain roads for what promises to be an unforgettable finale to the 2026 season.
Follow the action this weekend on socials www.facebook.com/tarmacrally and www.instagram.com/AUSTRALIANTARMACRALLY
