On this episode of RallySport Magazine's DustTrails Podcast, we head to Tasmania to speak to Les Walkden, one of the real unsung heroes in Australian rallying. Les is a guy who's more known behind the scenes than behind the steering wheel, but that certainly doesn't lessen the impact that he's had on the sport.  A member of the Australian Rally Hall of Fame, Les, who's now 77, began his rallying in the 1970s, winning two Tasmanian Rally Championships before moving into a team manager role in 1993. He's nurtured and guided drivers like Ed Odynski, Michael Guest, Juha Kangas, Simon Evans, and Brendan Reeves, while in recent years, ran the Subaru factory rally team where Molly Taylor took victory in the 2016 Australian Rally Championship.  Today, he still has his finger on the pulse, running Bodie Reading in the ARC, with a keen eye on the future. Peter Whitten caught up with Les in Launceston to go over some of the highlights of a remarkable career that has so far spanned over 35 years.   DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> ⁠https://rallysportmag.com/

With a nickname like ‘Dinta’, you’d expect that David Officer started his rallying career in the Colin McRae mode, but that’s not the case. From early days rallying Mini Coopers and even a 1960 DeSoto, the Victorian quickly made a name for himself by winning the 1983 Victorian Rally Championship. He followed that up a year later by winning the national championship as a privateer, driving a Mitsubishi Galant against ex-works Fiat Abarths and Ford Escorts. A two-time Alpine Rally and Australian Safari winner, ‘Dinta’ sat down with RallySport Magazine’s Peter Whitten for our latest DustTrails podcast. Dinta talks of that successful 1984 season, and of losing the 1983 ARC by just a single point, while also going into detail about a drive for Holden in the 1995 Round Australia Trial that was scuppered at the last minute. Still getting behind the wheel occasionally in his Galant, and now a key member of the RallySafe team, he speaks candidly about a brilliant career – backed all the way by his just as enthusiastic wife, Kate. Enjoy Dinta Officer’s story, told by the man himself.  DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

It’s 1994 and some of the best Australian rally talent are converging on Canberra for the inaugural final of the Australian Rallysport News Junior Challenge. The Challenge was a talent search program aimed at pitting the best young drivers from each state against one another, and over almost a decade, unearthed many top-notch drivers. Cody Crocker and Greg Foletta won that inaugural year, but how did the program start and who were some of the other big name competitors? We ask Peter Whitten about the program and also discuss what was planned for the ill-fated Pedders Super Challenge in 2002. Across almost 50 minutes, this episode covers many stories of the time. We also ask – would the ARN Junior Challenge work today? DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

To finish off a stellar chat with Simon Evans, we rejoin at a critical point in his career. Toyota had just left the sport, and there is a new challenge incoming in the form of a return to production-based rally cars. The following two seasons in 2009 and 2010 would help cement his legacy as one of the best drivers in Australian history, and there was more to come… not least a 2016 season with its fair share of memories, accidents and controversy. Evans tells it like it is and wears his heart on his sleeve, as he has always done. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Part two of our podcast with Simon Evans kicks into gear right away as he rejoins Peter Whitten to talk about fighting at the top of the Australian Rally Championship. Learn about the ‘pizza car’ in his debut outright season of 2001 and uncover the heartbreak and emotion of the Rally of Melbourne in 2002. You’ll then share in the glory when he broke an amazing drought for privateers in 2003 before being signed as a factory driver for Toyota. What were the Group N Prototype Corollas like to drive, and how did the development pan out with the world-first S2000 Corolla? Hear all these stories and more! DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

The DustTrails Podcast returns as we speak to popular four-time Australian Rally Champion Simon Evans. In part one of three, we go right back to the start where Evans began his career in a Holden Commodore. RallySport Magazine’s Peter Whitten asks about the one-make Corolla Cup series and its subsequent rewards, followed by the impressive Volkswagens he drove in Australia and overseas in 1999 and 2000. Evans speaks openly about the Volkswagen program, its dubious funding, and its abrupt end. It’s an episode not to be missed. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Photographer Neil Blackbourn is well-known for his stunning images from the stages, and in this episode, he shares his first-hand stories from his years in the sport. ‘Blacky’ is one of the most well-travelled snappers and has transitioned from the film age to digital and is still involved in the sport nowadays. RallySport Magazine’s Peter Whitten chats with Neil about his experiences worldwide and there are stories aplenty. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

When we left Part 1 of our chat with Stewart Reid, he was just about to get his hands on a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 – one of the first in Australia. He talks to Luke Whitten about the devastating and near catastrophic crash he had in the car in Tasmania in 1999 and talks of moving forward after that accident. From debuting a Subaru before the factory team could, to driving a number of new-spec Toyotas, Reid had a great run in Australia during the 2000s. More recently, though, he’s been competing in classic rallying and running in the New Zealand Rally Championship with Hayden Paddon’s team. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Fancy tossing a coin between emigrating to Australia and working for Toyota Team Europe? That’s what Scotsman-turned-Queenslander Stewart Reid did, and Australia’s rallying community has benefited significantly. Reid joins RallySport Magazine's DustTrails Podcast to talk about his early career in Starions, Celicas, Lancers and Imprezas and details just some of his impressive performances behind the wheel. From chasing factory assistance at Australian Rally Championship rounds to the relationships he’s built over many decades, part one of the discussion is well worth a listen. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Colin Clark’s lover for rallying is clear for all to see, and he shares his opinions on where the sport is heading in this episode of DustTrails. We delve into the forthcoming changes in the World Rally Championship as the series moves away from hybrid power and where the next set of regulations might fall in an important time for not only rallying but motorsport generally. The Scotsman shares some strong views on Rally Australia and why it’s not currently on the WRC calendar (a place he thinks it should be). He also discusses his experiences with Targa Tasmania and the challenges facing that event. Dusttrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

The legendary voice of world rallying, Colin Clark, joins Peter Whitten on our DustTrails Podcast as we dive deep into the Scotsman’s experiences on the world stage. In Part 1 of our chat, Colin takes us on a journey back to his beginnings in rallying with the Subaru World Rally Team, sharing memories of his time working for the famous team. He tells of his transition to a stage end reporter for 'Rally Radio’, shares why he loved that role and details some of the important historical moments he was there to witness. Clark also explains more about his ‘Kitchen Table’ video series and vows to bring them back in the near future. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

John Kennard is a well-respected member of any service park he enters, and on this episode of the podcast, he discusses his longtime partnership with New Zealand’s best, Hayden Paddon. From humble beginnings in 2005, while still settling back into New Zealand life, Kennard was impressed by the teenage Paddon who had the highest of ambitions. He explains to Peter Whitten the ups and downs of the early career and the career-altering offer that got them into a World Rally Car for the first time when all seemed lost at the end of the 2013 season. Kennard also talks about their rise to the top of the WRC with Hyundai, from learning the ropes at the top level to the feeling of winning in Argentina in 2016, to the lows that followed immediately after and what continued through 2017. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

New Zealander John Kennard is best known for his co-driving days with Hayden Paddon, but as we learn in this podcast, his career was long and decorated before that. Kennard takes time out of his busy schedule to chat on our DustTrails Podcast and in the first episode of two, he explains his early career and the steps that took him to the top of the sport. After getting his start with Brent Rawstron in New Zealand, he competed in the 1000 Lakes Rally in the 1980s and also got a World Rally Championship podium at Rally New Zealand alongside Malcolm Stewart. Kennard chats about his time with the Subaru World Rally Team which started at the famous 1995 Rally Catalunya in which he was tasked with hailing down the flying Colin McRae. The career then took him to Kenya for months at a time and also to the USA for an all-conquering program with Mitsubishi. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

With over 100 WRC starts to his name and more than 300 rallies under his belt, Glenn Macneall is Australia’s most decorated co-driver. Having begun his career by winning the inaugural Daihatsu Challenge alongside Leigh Hynes, the West Australian quickly made his mark and climbed the co-driving ranks. He sat beside his boyhood idol, Greg Carr, in a works Hyundai, then teamed up with international stars Greg Graham, ‘Monster’ Tajima, Toshi Arai and Chris Atkinson. Most recently, Macneall has guided Scott Pedder in the Australian Rally Championship, and while his major focus is business rather than co-driving, he still has plenty to give. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

So often besides our heroes are irreplaceable partners, and to Possum Bourne, it was his wife Peggy. She would be at events, following and supporting Possum around the globe to the point where she was a regular in the service park, her ever-smiling face instantly recognisable. In this episode of our DustTrails Podcast, Peter Whitten speaks to Peggy about her life with the seven-time Australian Rally Champion. They talk about the circumstances in which she met Possum and how she became so impressed at the man he was, and the father that he became. Admittedly, this is not an interview about Possum’s rallying in a blow-by-blow form, but a reflection on who he was and how he affected all those around him. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

The name Roger Oakley might not be one of fame and fortune in the world of rallying, but he’s a huge part of the success that is the Otago Rally. In this wide-ranging interview with RallySport Magazine’s Peter Whitten, Oakey explains all things about the New Zealand favourite and how he became involved in the event. He dives into how the rally secures their international stars and some of the nerve-racking phone calls that he has made to World Champions of all eras. Oakley is generous with his time and gives some fascinating insights, so take a listen to some of the reasons why the Otago Rally has become so successful and famous around the world. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

From a rally family, John Allen did not venture into the sport until his 30s but took to it like a duck to water and carved out a successful career. Initially in tarmac rallying, Allen won several events and came close to getting a Targa Tasmania win, before moving to gravel where events in New Zealand, Argentina and China were both challenging and rewarding. Co-driving for the likes of Kevin Weeks, Ryan Smart and Richie Dalton, Allen’s career has been a long one. Speaking to Luke Whitten, Allen runs through his career and the many great stories that go with it. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Back in early-1989, Jeff Whitten had an idea. Australia had just secured a round of the World Rally Championship, but there was no publication dedicated to rallying in Australia. Sick of trying to find rally news in the circuit racing-rich weekly and monthly motorsport magazines, he set out to start his own publication. Together with his son, Peter, things quickly snowballed and by late August 1989, the first issue of Australian Rallysport News had hit the newsstands. Inaugural columnists included rally legends Greg Carr and Geoff Portman, and before long, the publication – referred to as ‘ARN’ by fans – had taken hold. In this special edition of our DustTrails Podcast, Jeff Whitten brings us some recollections on those early years and what it took to get a monthly newspaper from an idea to a reality. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Multiple Australian Rally Champion Cody Crocker speaks to Peter Whitten on the 18th iteration of our DustTrails Podcast and opens up about many things from his Subaru career in the Australian Rally Championship. From building his first factory car in two weeks to explaining his key flaw identified by Subaru boss, Nick Senior, Crocker is candid about where his career began. Crocker’s amazing highs are also featured, with the championships in Australia and the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship a key part of the discussion. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/

Listen to the first part of Peter Whitten’s interview with Cody Crocker as he tells how he got involved in the sport, how he managed to win the Australian Rallysport News Junior Challenge, and the rise that followed. His chance meeting at the side of the Hume Highway with co-driver Greg Foletta, his short-lived run in a Mazda 323, and the Rally Australia trip that saw their Subaru Legacy fall off the trailer. Crocker reminisces with Peter Whitten about all those memories and tells many a story along the way. Special Stage is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> https://rallysportmag.com/