The 2009 Australian Rally Championship started positively in Tasmania with the tarmac round featuring three heats with Heats 1 and 3 taking half points. Neal Bates dominated in the TRD S2000 Corolla with Simon and Sue Evans second in a similar car. But then Toyota pulled out and left Neal Bates to run what was essentially a private team. He chose to run a single S2000 Corolla for himself and Coral Taylor while Simon and Sue became a private team, together with brother Eli and the support of father Peter. Simon chose to run a Lancer Evo9, the same car Scott Pedder had used the previous year in the APRC while Eli continued with the Subaru. With the onset of the Global Financial Crisis, the economy was struggling and there were few other serious contenders. The most promising of these were Glen and Matt Raymond in the ex Bates Corolla Sportivo and three time Victorian champions Justin Dowel and Matt Lee in an Evo9. As the year progressed, there were good prospects for Queenslanders Steven Shepheard and John McCarthy in an Evo10, and QRC winner Ryan and Rebecca Smart in an Evo6, as well as South Australian Brett Kipling and Darren Masters in an Evo9.
As the year played out, the Evans couple took full double heat wins in Canberra, Queensland and South Australia, only interrupted by an engine problem in the West. After the cancellation of the Coffs Coast round due to heavy rainfall, Rally South Australia became the final round with bonus points. This not only allowed Simon and Sue to seal the title but allowed the Raymonds to climb ahead of Bates and Taylor after the Corolla had engine problems on Heat 1 and failed to start Heat 2. Eli Evans took the final heat win to climb to fourth in the points tally.
There was no Manufacturers award.
A 2WD Championship was instituted and won by Barry Kirk in a Mitsubishi Mirage Cyborg. The Privateers Cup went to Ryan Smart.
To see other years of the ARC, go to the series page.
