Newcastle rally driver, Michael Guest, will drive for Les Walkden Rallying (LWR) in the 2008 Australian Rally Championship.

LWR and Guest have received the backing of Pirtek to enter a Subaru Impreza WRX STI in all six rounds of the national series.

Pirtek was keen to maintain its presence in the ARC, and it is delighted that Guest will fly its colours again in 2008.

“Pirtek was committed to the Australian Championship until the end of 2008, and when the opportunity ended prematurely with Britek, we were delighted that this chance came along,” said Pirtek General Manager, Steve Dutton.

“We have had a very strong relationship with Michael as a driver and we’re delighted to be associated with such a successful operation like Les Walkden Rallying.

“We are all looking forward to working together and helping Michael win the 2008 Australian title.”

Guest is no stranger to the Les Walkden Rallying operation. The Launceston-based team took him to the Group N national title in 1997, also in a Subaru.

Since then, the LWR team has won many titles, in 2006 adding the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship honour to its impressive list of championship titles and event victories.

Team owner, Les Walkden, is looking forward to being back in the ARC after a two year absence.

“Michael Guest is a class act and I’m pretty sure that we can give the series a real shake-up this year,” Walkden said.

“We know the car is good. We’ve learnt a lot since Michael was with us over a decade ago and so has he. Together we’ve got a lot of experience on our side and we reckon we know what it takes to win the outright title.”

Guest finished fourth in last year’s Australian Rally Championship, but more significantly, set a number of fastest stage times. He is one of only a few Australian drivers to have contested the World Rally Championship, and it is this experience that will help make him and Les Walkden Rallying a real contender in the 2008 ARC.

He will again have co-driver David Green along side him calling the pacenotes.

After last year’s full-time return to the ARC, Guest is out to complete some unfinished business.

“We weren’t in a position to win in 2007, but that will be very different in 2008,” Guest said.

“We started setting a lot of fastest stage times as the season progressed last year, so that gives me confidence about my own pace, and we’ll have the car and the backing to be able to win heats and events this year.

“The fact that Pirtek has decided to transfer its support to us means a lot to me. You need to have the backing of some loyal supporters to be successful in motorsport. I consider myself exceptionally lucky to have two of those in Pirtek and Les Walkden right behind me this year.

“They want us to be successful as much as we want the success.”

The 2008 Australian Rally Championship gets underway in Western Australia with the Quit Forest Rally from April 5 and 6.