Ford Driver Switches Camps To Give ARC A Toyota Based Boost

24 April 2009 · posted by Staff

Former Ford works driver Darren Windus has switched camps and will be behind the wheel of the ex works S2000 Toyota Corolla at his home event the QUIT Forest Rally in WA next week.

Windus has secured a deal with Neal Bates Motorsport to run the ex Simon Evans Corolla in WA and hopefully in the remaining rounds of the ARC this year providing a major boost to the series.

Windus, a former ARC Privateer’s Cup winner will run alongside reigning ARC champ Neal Bates in the two car Corolla team as Bates attempts to win his fifth Australian title.

Queensland co-driver, John Allen, will sit alongside Windus in the rapid Coroilla in WA.

The WA based Windus is adamant he will be competitive in the South Western forests around Busselton and Nannup with the Toyota entered under the Ground Force Rentals banner and will run on Michelin tyres.

“I can tell you we have not entered to just make up the numbers, we will be pushing hard,” said Windus.

“I am really keen on S2000, it is the future of rallying and I really enjoyed my time in the Ford Fiesta S2000, you have to rev them hard and push them to the limit, which suits my driving style,” he said

“I have watched the Corolla up close plenty of times and the job Neal and his team have done developing the cars is amazing, I am really looking forward to getting behind the wheel,” Windus added.

“It is a bit of a concern that I have not competed for over eight months, but being able to put in some serious kilometres in testing, and being on the good tyres for the event will certainly give our chances a big boost.

Neal Bates says he is looking forward to having Windus in the team and believes he will be a strong competitor in the Corolla.

“Darren knows how to drive an S2000 and I reckon we can give him a reliable package that will suit his style, I have no doubt he will be competitive.

Bates is hoping the third round of the ARC in WA will be less dusty than his home event in Canberra a few weeks ago when he suffered badly as second car on the road behind his former team mate Simon Evans.

“I am not saying I could have beaten Simon in Canberra but we would have been much closer if the dust had not been so bad, I am really looking forward to WA, I reckon it will be much better.

Bates will be transporting three Corollas across the Nullarbor in his massive semi trailer with the former works Group N P Toyota of Victorian privateer Glen Raymond completing the Toyota contingent.

While Windus will drive the Corolla which Simon and Sue Evans used in the 2008 ARC Evans will again be aboard a Mitsubishi Evo IX as he bids to maintain his slender lead in the 2009 title race. Evans and Bates have each won a round so far this year with Bates taking the opener in Tasmania in February and Evans taking the win in Canberra to lead the series on 152 points six clear of his former team boss.

Despite the economic gloom the WA round of the series has attracted more than 50 entries including a dozen teams who will make the long trek from the eastern states.

Along with the Corollas for Bates, Windus and Raymond and the Evans Lancer other ARC regulars heading across the continent include Eli Evans Subaru and the Lancers of Victorian Justin Dowell and Ryan Smart.

A major point of interest will be the all-new Mitsubishi Evolution X being campaigned by Queensland privateer Steven Shepheard, which will make its Australian Rally Championship debut in WA.

Local hero Dean Herridge will be one to watch, the former Subaru Australia works driver will be behind the wheel of a Subaru Impreza STi and is always hard to beat on home turf as is current WA State Champion and Busselton resident, Leigh Hynes who is also in a Subaru.

Both of the WA drivers have in the past shown the east coast runners that they have the speed it takes to dominate in the tricky WA conditions and could prove difficult to beat.