The historic town of Nannup will come to life on April 28 – 29 when the main street once again hosts the service park for the Make Smoking History Forest Rally.
One of the most established events on the CAMS Australian Rally Championship (ARC) calendar the Forest Rally is renowned for the service park in Nannup – a favourite among the national and local crews – as well as the unique ball-bearing pine plantation forest roads that surround the town and provide some of the best rally stages for competitors in the country.
“It’s by far the best Service Park in the whole championship, we close down the main street and to be surrounded by such unique and historic buildings and fabulous café’s makes the whole experience very memorable,” ARC competitor Adrian Coppin said.
“The community are so welcoming and win or lose we always finish the rally with a beer for the whole crew at the pub with the locals,” he continued.
While the rally kicks off in the coastal city of Busselton, most of the three-day event is based in and around Nannup with seven spectator points placed at key stages throughout the forest where the public can get up close to the action, for FREE.
“Unlike many major events, the Make Smoking History Forest Rally is free for all spectators to attend and we pride ourselves on the access we provide the public to not only the action out in the forest but also the crews and drivers in the service park in Nannup,” Make Smoking History Forest Rally Clerk of Course John Gibbons said.
Used throughout the year for activities such as mountain biking, horse riding and bush walking the WA state forest roads will roar to life for two days with the sounds of the cars echoing and crackling through the forest as 59 crews tackle the event, which is the second round of both the ARC and CAMS Onslow Contracting WA Rally Championship.
“The Forest Rally roads are some of my favourites roads in the whole country,” defending Forest Rally Champion Molly Taylor said.
“As all the drivers will tell you the surface adds an extra challenge but at the same time they are so well built and maintained you can really get into a great rhythm which makes it a very enjoyable event,” she continued.
As well as the Service Park bringing hundreds of organisers, officials and team members into Nannup on Saturday and Sunday, many of the crews stay in the small town and Heather Walford from the Nannup Visitor Service said the Nannup community notices the economic boost each year.
“The community loves to be part of such a great event and relish the opportunity to promote and establish tourism to this fabulous part of Western Australia,” Shire President Tony Dean continued.
The Make Smoking History Forest Rally will roar to life in Busselton on Friday 27 April before the action heads to Nannup on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April.