Super Special Stage to headline revamped Gippsland Rally 

In what will be the fifth running of the Victorian based round of the EROAD Australian Rally Championship, the new changes come in line with event organisers wanting to mix things up for teams and drivers.

The most notable inclusion for the event will be the newly introduced Super Special Stage, which will take place on Friday off the back of the Rally Show at the West Sale Airport.

With the Rally Show to take place from 5pm AEDT, where there will be cars on display for fans able to get up close and personal with teams and drivers, the official competition for the event will then begin at 6pm. Crews complete one pass of the one-kilometre special stage, giving fans the opportunity to see the same cars in action under the setting sun.

The addition of food trucks and entertainment will create a festival-like atmosphere to officially launch the event with a bang – making it the first-time organisers have run anything like it.

“This year we’ve changed the format of the event, with West Sale Airport becoming our headquarters, service park and the home of a brand-new Super Special Stage,” Event Clerk of Course Andrew Roseman said.

“We wanted to create something special for spectators, giving them the opportunity to get up close to the cars, meet the drivers and teams, and then watch the competitors tackle a purpose-built stage at the airport.

“The stage is just under a kilometre long and, so with cars running through the twilight, it should create a fantastic atmosphere to kick off the event.

“We’ll have the cars on display before competition begins, along with food trucks and entertainment, so it will really have a festival feel and provide a great way for fans to start their rally weekend.

“It’s not a traditional ceremonial start, but it gives spectators the chance to interact with the teams before seeing the cars in action.”

The new changes also continue on Saturday with the introduction of roads that have not been run in almost half a century.

“We wanted to give something new to the fans and the teams after five years – especially since we have the privilege of being the final round, which was a fitting time for a revamp,” Roseman added.

“Competitors will face around 124 kilometres of new roads on Saturday, while most of Sunday’s stages have been reversed to create a very different challenge.

“We’ve worked closely with Forestry to open up new areas and completely reconfigure the event, giving competitors something different and changing the characteristics of the roads.

“It will be a fast event. Both Saturday and Sunday will be quick, and being an endurance round – it’s going to be tricky.

“With new pace notes and an entirely different format, we think crews will embrace the new challenge – particularly with a number of titles on the line.”

Entries for The Middle of Everywhere Gippsland Rally 2026, which takes place on 20 – 22 November, are now open with interested crews able to enter via the WOLF SPORTS app.

The EROAD Australian Rally Championship resumes this weekend with the penultimate round of the 2026 season taking place in South Australia, with the Adelaide Hills Rally.