Photos: Roy Meuronen Photography
James O’Malley and co-driver Jono Forrest delivered an impressive performance at the Shamrock Haulage Rally of Bathurst, claiming two-wheel-drive honours while finishing sixth outright in the NSW Rally Championship field and ninth outright in the overall event.
Competing in their Toyota 86 against a strong field that included some of Australia’s top rally crews and a fleet of high-powered four-wheel-drive machinery, O’Malley and Forrest produced a consistent drive across the fast and demanding forest stages around Sunny Corner.
By the end of the rally, their steady pace and reliability paid off, with the pair finishing well beyond their expectations.
The Bathurst event also marked the competitive debut of a new sequential gearbox in the Toyota 86. While the system had undergone testing prior to the event, this was the first time the team had the opportunity to put the setup through a full rally under competitive conditions.
Despite the strong result, the day didn’t start perfectly for the team. Early in the rally O’Malley found himself struggling with tyre wear.
“We hung on to the tyres a bit better for the second half of the day,” O’Malley explained after the rally. “We basically had no rears straight out of the gate.”
As the event progressed, however, the team managed their tyres more effectively and gradually settled into a rhythm on the Bathurst stages.
Considering the depth of the field, O’Malley admitted the final result exceeded expectations.
“I’m pretty happy that we got this far. I wouldn’t have thought we’d get a top ten in this car with that field.” he said.
The rally also produced one unexpected talking point late in the day when a noticeable dent appeared in the side of the Toyota.
When asked about it in the post-stage interview, O’Malley joked that he had no idea where it came from, even leaning his head out of the car to inspect the damage.
“The first improvement we’ll make for the next round is fixing that dent,” he laughed.
It was later discovered that the damage was the result of a brief encounter with a kangaroo, which had glanced off the side of the car during one of the forest stages.
Fortunately the contact caused only cosmetic damage and did nothing to slow the crew’s progress.
Aside from the minor wildlife encounter, O’Malley and Forrest enjoyed a largely trouble-free run through the Bathurst forests, steadily building confidence with the car and its new drivetrain setup.
The result marks a strong showing for the team in a rally known for its fast roads and competitive entry list, with the Toyota 86 once again proving competitive in the two-wheel-drive category.
With the two-wheel-drive victory, sixth outright in the NSW Rally Championship field, and ninth outright overall, O’Malley and Forrest leave Bathurst with a strong result and valuable experience as the Shamrock Haulage NSW Rally Championship season continues.
