Batten bounces back for SA Challenge.

Paul Batten and co-driver, John Anderson, recently crashed out of the Subaru Rally Challenge in spectacular style. The tricky Araucaria stage in Queensland saw the team remodel their RS Impreza at over 160km per hour. Unfazed, Paul has purchased a new Challenge car and will return to the series at next month’s Toyota Rally in South Australia .

“It was a pretty big effort to go again after we destroyed the Impreza in Queensland ,” said Paul. “The car we have purchased was the one Graham Vaughan ran in the Subaru RS Challenge last year. It seems like a very good car as he didn’t have any major crashes, so it’s in good condition.”

“It was a pretty nasty crash up there in Queensland and I wasn’t sure myself if I’d ever get back into a rally car, but now I do have the chance to do the RS Challenge again and I’m very grateful,” explained Paul. “We’ve had to make some pretty big sacrifices and my family has gotten behind me quite a lot. Without that I wouldn’t have been able to buy the car.”

“Frank Barker, from Search for a Rally Star, has also seen some promise in our team and he thought that he would get involved as well, which will be a big help. A few other things came our way also which helped. I am pretty grateful to be given a life-line and to be able to compete in South Australia ,” said Paul.

“What we plan to do for South Australia is take it very conservatively. I can’t afford to crash again,” said Paul. “It’s a tough sport. My main goal for South Australia is just to drive smoothly.”

When asked why he was so determined to take part in the series Paul explained, “My plan wasn’t to do the Subaru Rally Challenge this year but after talking to Greg Foletta and various other people, I realised that there was a big opportunity there with the prize money that Subaru have put behind the series and also a chance to drive with the Subaru Satellite Team on offer.”

Paul had been leading the Subaru Rally Challenge early on at Rally Queensland and did finish 14 th outright in heat one of the event. With a fierce battle raging between young guns Will Orders, Eli Evans and Gavan Mosher, the Toyota Rally of South Australia should see more of the action for which the one-make series has become renowned.

The Subaru Rally Challenge will continue next month in South Australia and from there the teams will head to the final rounds in New South Wales and Victoria where the second series winner will be determined.

The full interview with Paul Batten can be heard at the Clarion Download Centre on the Rally Radio page at www.rally.subaru.com.au.