ADELAIDE RALLY 2022
The Adelaide Rally is back for another year. 2022 promises to bring a field of hundreds of cars, combining a mixture of Trophy categories, Tour groups and Dealer demonstrations. Hillside Auto News will be covering some of the main events and stages within the Adelaide Rally, and bringing you readers with us along the way.
Day 1 - Stafford Hillclimb Spectator Stage
Day one of the Adelaide Rally 2022 started on a beautiful, 27 degree day. The cars made their way up from the Parc Ferme at the Adelaide Showground through Eagle On The Hill, Cherryville and Norton Summit, before tackling the gnarly spectator stage of Stafford Hillclimb. The 2.5km sprint is a treacherous series of twisting turns, corkscrews and fast straights - a combination that equals excitement, danger and adrenaline. What more could you want? The Hillside Auto team were situated on one of the sweeping bends along the route, and were blessed with sunny weather and picturesque views. The tour cars began winding their way up the road, with a spectacular cacophony of engines reverberating through the valley. Dealer groups such as Audi Solitaire, Zagame Automotive, BMW Adelaide and more drove in packs, creating picture-perfect moments. After the tour made its way along the route, the competition cars came out to play. Although a limited field this year, the thoroughbred racecars flew up the hill, with the likes of Subaru WRX, Mitsubishi EVO and Mazda RX7 race cars creating an orchestra of finely tuned automobiles.
Day 2 - Uraidla Lunch Stop
Day two of the Adelaide Rally delivered a harsh contrast in weather to the previous day. Wet and drizzly conditions made the route more difficult, ensuring the drivers drove accordingly. The morning saw the entrants facing stages along Chain of Ponds, Corkscrew and Norton Summit, before regrouping for lunch at the Uraidla Showground and Oval. While wet, the hundreds of cars made their way onto a beautiful lawned area to park, allowing the general public to get up close to some of the country's finest cars. The Uraidla Lunch Stop also gave photographers a chance to capture the unique features of some of these cars in all their glory, and mingle with the owners and drivers who were partaking in the Adelaide Rally. After portions of the field re-filled, ate and regrouped, they made their way to the next stages, while the serious competition cars were still filing onto the oval. Afterwards, the Adelaide Rally took on Forest Range, Vista and more before flying through the spectator-filled valley of the Wairoa Spectator Stage, nestled between Aldgate and Stirling.
Day 3 - Victoria Park Finale
The final day of the 2022 Adelaide Rally saw entrants tackling stages in the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu Peninsula. The field started with a stage on Mt Lofty, before heading through Mylor, to Strathalbyn for lunch, and back to Aldgate and Sturt Valley. To end the incredible three-day adventure, the cars made their way down to Victoria Park race track in the Adelaide CBD for the final stage, along with on-track demonstrations from a historic Footwork F1 car and thoroughbred GT3 racing cars. Hillside Auto had the pleasure of gaining inside access to the Victoria Park pits, where drivers such as Craig Lowndes and Todd Hazelwood mingled and the demonstration cars prepared for the track. Although running off schedule, the Adelaide Rally Finale was a perfect night for those seeking a taster into both the VALO Adelaide 500 this weekend and the Adelaide Motorsport Festival of March 2023.
