WRC Rally Australia - Friday Special Stages

After Thursday night's Castrol Edge Super Special Stages (SS1 & SS2)on the Coffs Harbour Jetty area, the Friday route, to the west of Coffs Harbour, comprises 'shipmans' (SS3 & SS6), 'Brooklana' (SS4 & SS7) and 'Ulong' (SS5 & SS8).Each stage will be run twice, the longest of the three being Shipmans at 29.03 km. Ulong is a 12.45 km special stage, Brooklana is 12.78 km.

Shipmans has the only allocated spectator points of the day's three stages, with two spectator areas set up approximately one third and two thirds of the way through the stage.

These stages are a mixture of hard-base shire and forestry gravel roads with fast and flowing and tight and twisty sections running through a combination of open areas and forests. With trees lining the roads in many places, drivers will have to have to trade ultimate pace with caution to avoid damage. Road-clearing will also play a major role with drivers running at the front of the field forging a clean, faster line for those behind.

The roads of the Coffs Coast region have been used for rallies since the 1960s and have hosted a round of Australia's national rally championship for a number of years. However, some stages have been untried for more than two decades and all will be new territory for the overseas drivers.

Friday's action will finish with the Castrol Edge Super Special Stage (SS9 & SS10), whichcovers 3.77 kms on mostly tarmac at Coffs Harbour's Jetty area adjacent to the harbour. The permanent BP Ultimate Service Park will be located at Coffs Harbour Regional Airport.

Tickets priced from $15 to a range of day and night time Spectator Points are available via Ticketek.com.au, by phone on 132 849, or at Ticktek retail outlets including WOW Sight and Sound in Coffs Harbour.

For more details, go to rallyaustralia.com.au