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2004 AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP

• Defending champion Cody Crocker and co-driver Greg Foletta won back to back Australian Rally championship.
• CROCKER (SUBARU): we're incredibly happy
  "... It's been such a hard year and while last year had a lot more emotion involved, this year has been hard in other ways ...To come out on top seeing how close it was, we're absolutely wrapped. I'm pleased for the team as well, they've put in so much work. We're pretty happy, actually that's an understatement we're incredibly happy."
• Another Subaru driver Chris Atkinson finished championship runner-up " .... I feel pretty good. We have bigger plans than this and can pursue them no matter the outcome here, so its not the worst thing that's happened to us. We've learnt so much against some really talented guys and we'll be taking that with us."

2004 AUSTRALIAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP (ARC)

• 6 round championship; March 28 - Oct 3, 2004
• 3 manufacturers (Subaru, Mitsubishi, Toyota)
• Defending champion: Cody Crocker, Subaru
• PRE SEASON:
• TOYOTA & MITSUBISHI CHALLENGE TO SUBARU
• EVANS JOINS FACTORY TOYOTA; KANGAS JOINS FACTORY MITSUBISHI

RALLY RESULTS

• VIC RALLY: R4, OCT 3, 2004
  won by Cody Crocker, Subaru
  Heat 2 (Sun): 1 Atkinson, Subaru 2 Crocker, Subaru 3 Herridge, Subaru
  Heat 1 (Sat): 1 Crocker, Subaru 2 Herridge, Subaru 3 Atkinson, Subaru

• NSW RALLY: R4, AUG 29, 2004
  won by Chris Atkinson, Subaru
  Heat 2 (Sun): 1 Atkinson, Subaru 2 Kangas, Mitsubishi 3 Evans, Toyota
  Heat 1 (Sat): 1 Atkinson, Subaru 2 Kangas, Mitsubishi 3 Evans, Toyota
  DNF: Ordysnki

• SA RALLY: R3, AUG 1, 2004
  won by Chris Atkinson, Subaru
  Heat 2 (Sun): 1 Atkinson 2 Crocker 3 Ordynski
  Heat 1 (Sat): 1 Kangas 2 Ordynski 3 Herridge

• SAFARI TASMANIA: R2, JUNE 27, 2004
  won by Juha Kangas, Mitsubishi

• ** ASIA PACIFIC RALLY - CANBERRA RALLY, MAY 9
  won by Dean Herridge
  ** debut of AWD Magna VR-X with 5 times champion Ross Dunkerton **

• ** WORD RALLY NEW ZEALAND, APR 18
  won by Dean Herridge (Production class)

• SEASON OPENER: R1, MAR 28, 2004, FOREST RALLY, Perth WA
  won by Simon Evans, Toyota (after Atkinson disqualification)

  (** non ARC driver championship rounds **)

MAIN CHANGES

• Control fuel for all cars
• TOYOTA EXPANSION
• Toyota expands to 3 factory cars with 2 new drivers: Simon Evans and Ben Barker
• SUBARU INITIATIVE
• New Subaru RS challenge for entry level drivers
• CHANGES AT MITSUBISHI
• Juha Kangas moves up factory Mitsubishi drive
• Alan Heaphy becomes Principal of Team Mitsubishi Ralliart
• Les Walkden becomes team manger of Mitsubishi Ralliart Lancers

New Subaru RS challenge

• 16 cars; 1 make series
• RS Subaru Impreza prepared by Subaru
• control pirelli tyres
• $100,000 winner prize

2004 TEAMS: FACTORY WORK TEAMS

• TOYOTA (TOYOTA TEAM RACING - TTR)
• 3 car team
• Neal Bates / Coral Taylor
• Simon Evans / Sue Evans
• Ben Barker
• SUBARU - PIRELLI
• 2 car team
• Cody Crocker
• Dean Herridge
• Pirelli tyres
• MITSUBISHI - PIRELLI
• 2 car team
• Ed Ordynski (2004 Lancer EVO VII)
• Juha Kangas (2004 Lancer EVO VII)
• Pirelli tyres

PRIVATEERS INCLUDE:

• Mark Thompson - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7
• Mark Atkinson - Subaru WRX; Suzuki (Asia Pacific Rally championship)
• Brad Goldsborough - Subaru WRX (ex Subaru factory car)
• Scott Pedder - Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7
• Mark Pedder - Lancer EVO 6

LAST SEASON: 2003

• 2003 FINAL STANDING
• 1 CROCKER 199
  2 ORDYNSKI 168
  3 KANGAS 148
  4 EVANS 5 HERRIDGE 6 PEDDER 7 LOWNDES 8 N BATES
• MANUFACTURERS
  1 Subaru 522
  2 Mitsubishi 370
  3 Toyota 182
• PRIVATEERS
  1 Kangas 2 Evans 3 Goldsbrough