The Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally is run by the Southern Districts Car Club of SA and is now in it’s 5^th year. The event began as two stages of the asp Kuitpo Forest Rally in October of 2006. The John Yeates Lookout on Victor Harbor Road was the vantage point, and a surprisingly large number of spectators gathered to watch the cars take two runs up Old Willunga Hill. The competitors had a blast, even if a few of them were unfamiliar with rallying on tarmac. One driver was heard to say “on the first run, I forgot that I was allowed to cross the white line”.

In 2007, the asp Adelaide Hills Tarmac Sprint was a 1 day event, featuring 5 stages, each run twice. It was to take place on a Sunday, the Saturday being the asp Kuitpo Forest Rally. Competitors had the option of running one or both events. Competitors who ran both were eligible to win the asp Grand Rally Champions Trophy for the best combined results. The trophy was never awarded. A total fire ban was declared on the Saturday, which automatically closed the Kuitpo Forest. With high temperatures and strong winds, a hot rally car exhaust coming into contact with dry grass could have been disastrous. Inevitably, the Kuitpo Forest Rally was cancelled.

By comparison, Sunday was cold and damp. Penny’s Hill Winery hosted Rally HQ and Service Park for the asp Adelaide Hills Tarmac Sprint, and the rally ran as planned, although one of the drivers had forgotten to set his alarm clock for daylight savings the night before, and only barely made the start.

Penny’s Hill Winery hosted the asp Adelaide Hills Tarmac Sprint Service Park and Rally HQ in 2008, and the stages remained largely unchanged from 2007, but the stakes were higher. The event would decide the South Australian Tarmac Rally Champions. The number of entries grew to over 50, and included some exotic cars – most notably a Ferrari 433 and a Lamborghini Gallardo. One of the drivers enjoyed the event so much, he offered sponsorship for 2009. 

With more interest from competitors, spectators and local councils, and the added sponsorship, the 2009 asp / Cut Price Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally was held over two days in May. Rally HQ and Service Park were again based at Penny’s Hill, but an invitation from Victor Harbor Council had the competitors stopping at the Victor Harbor Foreshore as they passed South on the Saturday, allowing the public another chance to get a close look at the drivers, co-drivers and their machines. Among the usual modern, classic and four wheel drive competitor classes, a new class for Alternative Fuel vehicles was introduced in 2009, and was won by a Fiat Punto running on BioDiesel. 

The 2010 asp / Cut Price Adelaide Hills Tarmac Rally is the South Australian Tarmac Rally Championship, as well as being a round of the South Australian Rally Championship, the Australian Tarmac Rally Championship and the Australian Classic Rally Championship. For the first time, the event will include a Super Special Stage, to be run on the Friday afternoon.

The Southern Districts Car Club is a non profit organisation and all profits go back into supporting Motorsport in the Southern Area.  The club also runs, Motorkhanas, Khanacross, the State Autocross Championship and the Kuitpo Forest Rally.  The club has a focus on Junior Drivers and runs a very successful Junior Driver Development program for young teens.  Starting with the basics of car safety and handling and progressing through to advanced driving, this very successful program develops the talent of young drivers and two junior drivers who have progressed through the program (James Rodda and Patrick Hall) were recently chosen along with 4 other juniors from interstate to attend an intensive AIS program.