Maguire set for new Victorian alpine rally challenge

One of the fastest tarmac rally drivers in the country, Tasmanian Eddie Maguire, has signed up for this year’s inaugural Hotham Auto Corsa Alpine Tarmac Rally from 14-15 November; and the young gun says he’s driving to win.

The 28-year old from Elliot in Tasmania’s North West, has shaken off what could have been a podium finish at the recent Targa Tasmania rally to tackle, in his 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX, the new 11-stage closed road tarmac alpine rally set for Victoria’s North East.

Maguire who says “he’s not entering to finish in second place” and drives by the mantra of “when in doubt, flat out” will have his navigator, Mike Potter – also from Tasmania – calling the countless corners that make up the alpine rally’s 250 competitive kilometres.

“The atmosphere of this new event with new people will create a fantastic arena to compete in and another exciting opportunity to socialise with like-minded people that love to rally,” says Maguire who first started competing in motorsport at the age of 14.

Maguire’s pace is unquestioned with an outright win at last year’s Targa High Country rally.

At this year’s Targa Tasmania, Maguire was running second behind the Lamborghini Gallardo of fellow Tasmanian Jason White when his Evo blew a head gasket on day four of six on the Riana stage, dropping him to fourth place – which he held until the finish.

About the Car

Maguire’s Evo has a colourful history. Jason White engineered the car to contest Targa Tasmania in 2014 after his Lamborghini caught alight at the bygone Targa Wrest Point rally just prior.

The inaugural Poatina Mt. Race, promoted by Auto Corsa Group Co-Director Stuart Benson, was used as a testing ground for White’s new steed in which Maguire was navigating. Unfortunately the event ended abruptly for the pair, with the car landing upside down in a ditch.

An extensive re-build saw the Japanese weapon back on song for Targa Tasmania a couple of months later. White, with his uncle John White by his side, was leading the event before crashing out on the Riana stage.

After a second re-build, the car finally found itself in the hands of Maguire who is no doubt very relieved Hotham Auto Corsa won’t have a stage called Riana.

About the Event

Hotham Auto Corsa is Australia’s first all-new major closed road tarmac rally in five years.
The rally will be based at Mount Hotham and take in Falls Creek, the Alpine National Park and nearby towns including Harrietville, Omeo and Mount Beauty.

The event is expected to attract a competition field of up to 200 cars across its Tour, Challenge and Competition categories and will be held in conjunction with the Alpine Cup International Hillclimb; the world’s longest hillclimb event which takes in a 29km section of the famed Great Alpine Road.

Promoted by Auto Corsa Group, Hotham Auto Corsa and the Alpine Cup International Hillclimb have been designed specifically for Mount Hotham with the principal motivation of driving green season visitation and economic benefits to the region.

For more information contact:
Stuart Benson
+61 (0) 412 868 797
stuart@autocorsa.com.au

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