The 2026 Australian Rally Championship got underway in Gympie, Queensland, with the Pedders Rally Team launching a strong two-car campaign backed by Famous Insurance.
Round one, the Accent Benchtops Rally Queensland (April 17–19), opened the six-event national series with more than 170 competitive kilometres spread across 15 stages. Leading the team was 2014 national champion Scott Pedder, partnered by co-driver Glenn Macneall in a Škoda Fabia Rally2. Alongside him, 18-year-old Jackson Long made his debut at the top level of ARC competition, teaming up with Damian Long after a standout rookie season that included a Junior Cup title.
The addition of Famous Insurance as naming-rights partner underlined the team’s growing commercial momentum, with “protected by Famous” branding featured prominently on both cars throughout the event.
On stage, the pairing delivered a compelling mix of experience and emerging talent. Pedder set the benchmark with his consistency and pace, while Long brought fresh energy as he adapted to the demands of outright competition. Both drivers highlighted the unique challenge of the Gympie event’s tarmac street stage, tackled on gravel-spec setups and tyres.
The rally also featured a broader manufacturer battle, with the team’s Škoda entries going head-to-head against Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 machinery fielded by Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia.
For Long, the weekend marked an important step up. Despite limited experience in Rally2 machinery, he showed growing confidence following extensive pre-event testing and delivered a composed performance across the stages.
Results across the two-day event reflected a strong start for the team. On the opening day, Pedder ran second on the road and finished the heat in second place, 17.5 seconds behind rally winner Harry Bates. Long impressed with a clean and consistent run to secure fourth place.
Day two followed a similar pattern, with Pedder again holding second on the road and ultimately finishing second overall, 19.1 seconds behind Bates. Long’s results across both days—fourth and eighth—placed him sixth overall for the round.
Pedder’s pair of second-place finishes, combined with Long’s solid points haul, positioned the team well at the start of the season. With a short turnaround before the next round at the Forest Rally in Western Australia on May 23–24, Pedder will be aiming to continue building consistency, while Long focuses on further development and improving his stage times.
Images: Wishart Media
