2020/2021 Adelaide Rally – Sticks and Stones Photography

Random photos from a few stages of the 2020/2021 Adelaide Rally.

The 2020 Shannons Adelaide Rally was run over 4 days (but on 24-27 March 2021 due to sudden Covid restrictions in Adelaide just days prior to the event’s scheduled start). The event is run on closed roads sections in the Adelaide Hills with iconic stages used since the early days of the Classic Adelaide first run in 1997. Some stages not run for many years were back in the event and several stages were run in the reverse direction as well.

Participants nominate what category they would like to participate in, eg Tour groups or competition categories and pay their relevant fees. The competition cars are further classified into more categories base on age, eg Competition Modern, Competition Classic, Challenge Modern (speed limited with penalties for exceeding maximum speed), Challenge Classic (speed limited etc) and then there is also the Heritage Trophy as well. Road closures were in place as per government gazette with time restrictions before the roads were opened again to the public. If there should be delays this may mean not all competitors can complete the stage, or in some cases not compete on it at all. The Tour group categories ran first, so were able to complete more stages than the Competition category cars, which caused plenty of discussion.

As a result of accidents (off road excursions) by both competitors and some tour group cars(!) several stages had to be cancelled as road closures ran out: SS8 for Competition cars, SS9, SS16, SS22, SS23 and SS24 for Competition cars, SS25 and SS26. SS27 and SS33 had to be withdrawn from the event due to road works which had appeared after the original 2020 dates. SS1 on Greenhills is not used for the event results.

Ben Calder and Steve Glenney dominated Modern Competition, leading the field at the end of each day. Likewise in Classic Challenge, Lachlan Cox and Sam Martin would also lead every Leg. Matt Selley and Hamish McKendrick had a good event leading on the first two days and more importantly after dropping to 2nd on Day 3, reclaiming the top spot on Day 4. Modern Challenge was the one that threw up the biggest change after Justin Perkins and Adrien Brabbins led for the first two days then dropped to 3rd on Day 3, and then did not start on Day 4, instead handing the victory to Gordon Christie and Nigel McGaffin.

Disclaimer re: photos of accidents. Drivers and co-drivers escaped their damaged cars and were all OK and had safety triangles and OK boards displayed at the scenes.

Results per Category per Leg/Day.

Modern Competition

Leg 1 – 1. Calder/Glenney (2000 Mitsubishi Lance EVO TME), 2. Newton/Wotton (2019 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9), 3. Lillie/Lilleyman (2009 Mitsbushi Lancer EVO 10)

Leg 2 – 1. Calder/Glenney, 2. Newton/Wotton, 3. Morton/Nicoli (2019 Porsche GT2 RS)

Leg 3 – 1. Calder/Glenney, 2. Morton/Nicoli, 3. Newton/Wotton

Leg 4 – 1. Calder/Glenney, 2. Morton/Nicoli, 3. Lillie/Lilleyman

Retirements: Newton/Wotton off road, Edge/Strauss (2001 Subaru Impreza WRX) off road, Spalding/Johnson (1991 Honda Integra) off road, Bowes/Browne (1996 Toyota Celica GT-Four), Mullins/Medlen (2006 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9RS), Lovell/Searcy (2007 Subaru STI Spec C)

Classic Competion

Leg 1 – 1. Selley/McKendrick (1985 Hartge H35-24S), 2. Paterson/Geue (1974 Porsche 911RS), 3. Pryzibilla/Powell (1983 Porsche 911)

Leg 2 – 1. Selley/McKendrick, 2. Paterson/Geue, 3. Lomman/Bainbridge (1972 Datsun 240Z)

Leg 3 – 1. Paterson/Geue, 2. Selley/McKendrick , 3. Lomman/Bainbridge

Leg 4 – 1. Selley/McKendrick, 2. Paterson/Geue, 3. Lomman/Bainbridge (1972 Datsun 240Z)

Retirements: Standen/Hiser (1962 Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint), Bourke/Reed (1976 Holden Torana A9X), Crane/Thomas (1969 BMW) electrical, Streckeisen/Streckeisen (1988 Porsche 944 Turbo) clutch

Modern Challenge

Leg 1 – 1. Perkins/Brabbins (2015 Subaru WRX), Bryden/Bryden (2020 Lotus Exige), 3. Christie/McGaffin (2014 Volvo S60)

Leg 2 – 1. Perkins/Brabbins, 2. Christie/McGaffin, 3. Robbins/Johnson (2000 Audi S3)

Leg 3 – 1. Christie/McGaffin, 2. Robbins/Johnson, 3. Perkins/Brabbins

Leg 4 – 1. Christie/McGaffin, 2. Robbins/Johnson, 3. Bryden/Bryden

Retirements: Modra/Lovell (2000 Toyota Celica) off road, Carruthers/Thomas (2004 Subaru WRX STi), Mosse-Robinson/Scott (2014 Subaru WRX STi) off road, Perkins/Brabbins DNS Leg 4

Classic Challenge

Leg 1 – 1. Cox/Martin (1970 Ford Escort Mk1), 2. Cook/Richards (1970 Ford Escort Mk1), 3. Coulter/Colliver (1986 Toyota Sprinter)

Leg 2 – 1. Cox/Martin, 2. Coulter/Colliver, 3. Cook/Richards

Leg 3 – 1. Cox/Martin, 2. Coulter/Colliver, 3. Smith/Smith (1984 Nissan 300ZX)

Leg 4 – 1. Cox/Martin, 2. Coulter/Colliver, 3. Smith/Smith

Retirements: Peal/Fotheringham (1972 Datsun 1600)

Leg 1 – SS2 Greenhills