Entry list set for 2026 ARC season opener in Queensland

The first entry list for the 2026 EROAD Australian Rally Championship (ARC) has been confirmed, with a field of 23 crews to tackle the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland.

Taking place in and around the forests of Gympie, as well as in the heart of the town centre across 17-19 April, the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland will kick off the year in style as the Sunshine State hosts the opening round of the ARC for the first time ever.

Headlining the 2026 season opener will undoubtedly be the battle between Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia and Pedders Rally Team, supported by Famous Insurance – bringing the rivalry between Toyota and Skoda to the forefront of the competition.

Leading the charge for the Toyota crew in the new-look Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 cars will be three-time champion Harry Bates and co-driver Coral Taylor in one, and 2022 ARC champions Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin in the other.

Behind the wheel of a pair of Skoda Fabia Rally2 cars, Pedders Rally Team’s two-pronged attack will be led by 2014 ARC champion Scott Pedder and Glenn Macneall, while emerging star Jackson Long and father Damian Long step up to the outright competition, having had a hugely successful rookie season last year.

Other notable entries in the overall ARC include Ezi Up’s Troy Dowel and Bernie Webb in the Toyota GR Yaris AP4, and the MRF Peugeot 208 AP4 of Tony Sullens, who has a different co-driver to replace Kaylie Newell in 2026, re-uniting with Julia Barkley for the first time since 2015.

Australian motorsport champion Toby Price will also begin his four-round charge in the Subaru WRX Challenge, with experienced Ben Searcy stepping in as Price’s co-driver for Holly Kilbride. In addition to the Subaru WRX Challenge, Price and Searcy are cross-entered in the WOLF Cup (previously known as the WOLF Production Cup) and the newly introduced East Coast Cup – giving them plenty of opportunities for silverware.

Both the WOLF Cup and the East Coast Cup are littered with talent across the board, with New South Welshmen Josh Redhead and Ray Winwood-Smith entering the round as series contenders for each.

Running in the WINPART Group Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 5, the pair will have no shortage of competition in the two classes, including DRC 4×4’s Darren and Michelle Crozier (Ford Fiesta G4), rally stalwarts Wayne Stewart and Lucas Zinsstag of Lucas Automotive (Volkswagen Beetle G4), and locals Nathan Stokes and Ian Wheeler in The Stable Subaru Impreza WRX.

There will also be a strong contingent of Junior Cup drivers entered in the WOLF Cup and the East Coast Cup, including the returning Josh Wiedman and Ryan Preston in the Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9, and much hyped ARC debutant Riley Waters alongside Andrew Crowley in a Subaru Impreza WRX.

Rounding out the classes for the event will be the Classic Cup, which will have three entries and be led by husband-wife pairing Shane and Silvie Garner in their Racing Dipsy 1994 Subaru WRX Impreza.

ABRQ Entry List_20260405

Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland Clerk of Course Brian Everitt was pleased to have a strong field for the historic event.

“It’s very exciting to be able to kick off a season of the Australian Rally Championship, and to have such a strong field of Australia’s best rally drivers entered for this landmark event for us is even better,” Everitt said.

“There is a diverse range of drivers entered across all classes, so I am hopeful that there will be some great competition throughout the field, which will give fans around the country plenty to get excited about.

“Everyone in the town is buzzing with the prospect of the first ever Campbell’s Super Special Stage, which is fully supported by local businesses, and I have no doubt this field will put on a show for what we are expecting as a full house.

“Add all of that with our event being broadcast on Kayo SPORTS – we can’t wait to get started later this month and look forward to welcoming the best ARC crews in the country.”

EROAD Australian Rally Championship fans can tune into the event via Kayo SPORTS, the ARC Facebook and YouTube feeds and the Speedcafe social platforms.