In 2006 the ARC had a new series sponsor, NEC Computers. Unfortunately Subaru withdraw from the series and reigning champion Cody Crocker left the series to attack the Asia Pacific Championship with Ben Atkinson and the Les Walkden team, which they won for two years running. Mitsubishi Ralliart only ran one car for Scott Pedder. Thus, the only full factory team was Toyota which fielded two Corolla Sportivos for Bates/Taylor and the Evans couple. Nevertheless, there were some strong privateers that would be hoping for some podiums and perhaps a heat win. Not the least of these were 2005 runners-up Dean Herridge and Bill Hayes, hoping to go one better in their Subaru. The Bates organisation was by now providing Corollas to willing clients and so Stewart Reid (with Toni Feaver) and Martin Lintott (with Tony Jackson) were running Sportivos. Victorian Will Orders (with Anthony McLoughlin) and Western Australian Darren Windus (with Jonathon Mortimer) were both in Subarus.
The Toyotas were dominant from the outset with heat Evans taking most of the heat wins. It wasn’t until Heat 2 in Queensland that Pedder took a heat win, and followed up with three more heat wins in Tassie, SA and Melbourne. Herridge claimed heat wins in Tassie and SA, and with six other podiums would claim third in the title. Bates scored consistently, taking podiums on all but two heats, and finished runner up behind the Evans couple, who finished the series with a second and a win at their home round in Melbourne.
Toyota won the Manufacturers title for the first time. It also included Rally Australia.
Dean Herridge and Bill Hates won the Privateers Cup. Simon Jansen and Elysia Kruper won the BP Ultimate Challenge. Leigh and Ken Garrioch again won the F16 Cup. John Bern and Scott Beckwith won the RS Challenge while John Murray Senor and Jeff Stevens again won the Australia Cup.
To see other years of the ARC, go to the series page.
