Ridge Wins Bega Valley Rally – Quinn Takes Top NSWRC & ECCRS Points
The 2025 Bega Valley Rally has wrapped after an action-packed weekend, with Dean Ridge and Mac Kierans powering to outright victory in their Ford Fiesta G4. Ridge showed calm control and smart strategy across the rally’s 249 competitive kilometres to lead the field home, despite not being eligible for NSW points after a mid-rally co-driver change.
“It’s been great, it’s been really challenging,” Ridge said. “The roads are fast, there’s a lot of catch-me-outs. You had to be on your game the whole time. We had three or four offs but were fortunate enough to get away with it. Lost some time, made time back up… and it’s been terrific, really good.”
That opened the door for Nathan Quinn and David Green in their Mazda RX2 to score maximum NSWRC points and also take the win in the East Coast Classic Rally Series (ECCRS). In a car that’s more than five decades old, Quinn drove with trademark flair and speed, especially on the night stages where he shone through the darkness.
Tony Sullens and Kaylie Newell finished fifth outright in the MRF Tyres Citroën, a result strong enough to see Sullens move into the lead of the Shamrock Haulage NSW Rally Championship heading into the next round.
Top 5 Outright Finishers (incl. NSWRC placings):
1 Dean Ridge / Mac Kierans – Ford Fiesta G4 (Outright winners – ineligible for NSWRC points)
2 Nathan Quinn / David Green – Mazda RX2 (2WD/C3)
3 Claude Murray / Lizzy Ferme – Datsun 1600 (2WD/C3)
4 Miles Sandy / Kim Bessell – Subaru WRX (4WD/PC)
5 Tony Sullens / Kaylie Newell – Citroën DS3 (2WD/C3)
But it wasn’t just about the final results, the Bega Valley Rally was packed with standout performances and drama:
Riley Walters looked on track for a huge result, leading the rally on Saturday night before an off in Stage 13 ended his charge.
Justin Griffin had an electrifying start, with a big push up the leaderboard before his event came undone after hitting a stump in the night stages.
Kevin Millard, visiting from Victoria, impressed in the daylight stages with outright pace that had him sitting near the front before falling back later in the event. His consistent form proved he’s one to watch at any round.
Held over the June long weekend, the Bega Valley Rally is the final two-day rally on the NSW calendar. A favourite with competitors and fans alike, the rally features iconic roads like Upper Cobargo, Buckajo, and Ben Boyd Forest, and saw strong entries across multiple series, including the NSW Clubman Rally Series, East Coast Classic Rally Series, and Victorian Rally Championship.
Top 5 – NSW Clubman Rally Series:
1 Ron McKinnon / Steve McKinnon
2 Blake Stevens / Stephen Kent
3 Mark Lacey / Tyler Schippan
4 Johnny Brophy / Tiernan Lambert
5 John Sparkes / Toby Goldberg
With support from Bega Valley Shire Council, Forestry Corporation NSW, NSW Police, and the Sapphire Coast Sporting Car Club, the event was a huge success, and none of it would be possible without the dedicated volunteers and passionate rally community.