JOHOR BARU, July 20 — The International Rally of Johor 2018 has officially started with a total of 33 cars, including foreign drivers, competing in various categories here today.
For this year, the annual International Rally of Johor, that also hosts the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) round, will see a back-to-basics approach for the organisers as the full three-day event will all be held at the Tai Tak Plantation in Kota Tinggi tomorrow.
Today saw the traditional flag-off and ceremonial finish held at the Angsana Johor Baru Mall, the yearly venue since 2001, with the addition of being the prestigious APRC round since 2005.
However, last year’s event broke with tradition as the flag-off and finish were held at the Johor Circuit in Pasir Gudang.
Guest-of-honour at the event included Johor Women Development and Tourism Committee chairman Liow Cai Tung.
She was accompanied by International Rally of Johor 2018 chairman Datin Paduka Raja Nor Mazli Tun Raja Mohar at Angsana Johor Baru Mall here.
Meanwhile, the event’s clerk-of-the-course Datuk Paduka Tengku Shaharin Abu Bakar Tengku Suleiman said Johor was an important venue for Malaysian rally events.
He said the state’s popularity with international rally competitors was due to its unique rally conditions which are known as the toughest in the APRC calendar.
“Johor’s weather and technically demanding rally tracks take a lot of effort, skill and energy to compete,” said Tengku Shaharin in his opening message.
Rally conditions over the weekend are expected to be dry and dusty, with rally cars kicking trails of dust as they zip through the plantation stages in Kota Tinggi.
The two-day event covers 235km of timed stages around the Tai Tak Plantation in Kota Tinggi. The competitors will cover a total of 563km over the course of the event.
Into its 14th year, the International Rally of Johor 2018, which is part of the MRC, will be the first stop in the four-round championship which also takes place in Perak, Terengganu and Perlis.
The Johor round is also part of the prestigious APRC, with Malaysia being host of the third round out of the six-round championship that will also see New Zealand, Australia, China, Japan and India play host.
