No Bull! – Pedders back in the ARC
The Pedders Suspension Rally Team is back after a five-year layoff from the Australian Rally Championship with a two-car entry in the 2010 national series.
Brothers Mark and Scott Pedder will run Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX’s in Australia’s premier rally category.
In 2010 Pedders Suspension celebrates 60 years in business and the reformed Pedders Rally Team will sport the familiar black, yellow and red that has featured throughout the thirty years of Pedders rally involvement in international, national and local championships.
The Pedders Rally Team went into hibernation at the end of the 2004 season, when Scott joined the factory Team Mitsubishi Ralliart for the 2005 and 2006 ARC seasons. Following the withdrawal of Mitsubishi from the championship, Scott competed in the 2007 Rally New Zealand, where he was second fastest Group N driver on the second and third days. In 2008 Scott contested the Asia-Pacific Championship with the MRF Tyres Rally Team. Event wins in the 2005 Rally of South Australia and the 2006 Rally of Melbourne is evidence of his pace and back with Pedders team in 2010 has him looking forward to chasing more silverware.
“Ironically we won the very last round of the ARC in 2006, the Rally of Melbourne, so I suppose in one way I come into this year in good form!” said Scott Pedder. “Sitting back and helping out behind the scenes as a director of the ARC in 2009 was incredibly rewarding. My brother Mark put the idea of a return to competing in the ARC before Christmas. Not long after it was pretty much decided- we want back in! The championship is wide open this year and the ARC Directors have implemented some changes that have not only added to the sporting side but will assist in the overall promotion of the championship.”
Co-driving for Scott will be Jon Mortimer who was part of the Pirtek Ford Rally Team in 2008.
Pedders Suspension Managing Director Mark Pedder will dust off the race boots following a five year competitive lay off.
“We had many great times as a team and it is fantastic to get the band back together,” said Mark Pedder. “The Pedder Suspension business has experienced enormous growth and success over the past few years and it is testament to the team at Head Office and throughout the store group. We are also very aware of the commercial opportunities that particularly the 2010 championship will present – especially if we can achieve our goals as a team. Returning to the ARC will fulfil our goals as a business and satisfy our personal passion for this wonderful motorsport.”
Sitting alongside Mark will be a relatively new face to the championship, Catherine Smallbone, who has been a highly successful state level co-driver and brings a new level of enthusiasm to the team.
The 2010 Autralian Rally Championship gets underway with the all-tarmac 30th anniversary Rally Tasmania February from 26 to 28 February outside Burnie.
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