The first running of the popular Ashley Forest Rally Sprint was held in 1979, which saw Steve Millen in a factory backed 2.3 Vauxhall Chevette win. This meeting was staged over a downhill section before changing the year after to the 1.7 kilometre (55% uphill) course that has challenged competitors and thrilled spectators in the intervening years. The first winner on the current circuit was
the late John Woolf driving a Mazda RX3 with a winning time of 1.10.81. From that time the magic minute has been the challenge for all prospective winners. This finally came in 1988 when Steve Millen's brother Rod driving a four wheel drive Mazda RX7 won in a time of 59.14. The late Kim Austin then became a regular in breaking the magic minute and his 1999 winning run of 56.57 in a 4WD Mitsubishi Starion V8 remained the course record the course record until 2016 when Sloan Cox broke it three times over the weekend. Sloan’s new course record of 55.23 stood for a year when in 2017 he set a new record of 54.96. Also falling in 2017 was Kim Austin’s 1988 Two Wheel Drive record of 1:02.45 by the narrowest of margins to Chris Hey in his Toyota MR2. Over the years winners have included national rally champions Neil Allport, Tony Teesdale, WRC competitor Hayden Paddon and the late Possum Bourne together with other big names in the sport. Previous winners:
1979 Steve Millen, Chevette HSR n/a
1980 John Woolf, Mazda RX3, 1.10.81
1981 Paul Adams, Ford Escort RS, 1.08.77
1982 Reg Cook, Nissan Sunny, 1.08.09
1983 Neill Allport, Ford Escort RS, 1.09.49
1984 Reg Cook, Nissan Sunny, 1.06.18
1985 Trevor Crowe, Starlet V8, 1.04.69
1986 not held
1987 Tony Teesdale, MG Metro, 1.05. 04
1988 Rod Millen, Mazda RX 7 4WD, 59.14
1989 Possum Bourne, Subaru RX, 1.05.28
1990 Rod Millen, Mazda RX7 4WD, 1.01.30
1991 Possum Bourne, Subaru Legacy, 1.01.15
1992 not held
1993 Kim Austin, Nissan GTI 4WD, 58.27
1994 , 1995, 1996, 1997 not held
1998 Kim Austin, Starion V8 4WD, 58.96
1999 Kim Austin, Starion V8 4WD, 56.57
2000 Possum Bourne, Impreza, 56.99
2001 not held
2002 Marty Roestenberg, Lancer Evo 3, 1.00.86
2003 Evan O’Leary, Lancer Evo 1, 59.16
2004 Steve Murphy, Cordia V8, 1.01. 23
2005 Marty Roestenberg, Impreza, 58.99
2006 not held
2007 Glenn Frew Lancer Evo, 1.03.92
2008 Steve Murphy, Cordia V8, 59.89
2009 Steve Murphy, Cordia V8, 59.18
2010 Glenn Inkster, Mitsubishi Evo, 57.40
2011 Hayden Paddon, Cordia V8, 57.16
2012 John Silcock, Mitsubishi Evo, 59.70
2013 Chris West, Mitsubishi Lancer, 1.04.54
2014 Matt Summerfield, Cordia V8, 1:01.09
2015 Matt Summerfield, Subaru Impreza STi, 1:03.41
2016 Matt Summerfield, Mitsubishi Mirage, 56.72
2017 Sloan Cox, Hillclimb Special Evo 8, 55.13
2018 Alister McRae, Subaru 98 WRC, 55.35
2019 Hayden Paddon, Hyundai i20 AP4++, 52.77
2020 not held
2021 not held
2022 Hayden Paddon, Hyundai Kona EV, 55.54
Course Records:
Overall Course Record
2019 Hayden Paddon, Hyundai i20 AP4++, 52.77
Two Wheel Drive
2019 Chris Hey Toyota MR2 1:00.90
Four Wheel Drive
2019 Hayden Paddon, Hyundai i20 AP4++, 52.77
