The aim is to go above and beyond and deliver even more spectator excitement, and locals will be thrilled to know the Nambucca stage is pinned as being one of the most popular points of the Australian leg.

The newly added ARMOR ALL Shootout will award the driver with the fastest aggregate time over four runs of the Hyundai Super Special Stage with a custom-built Australian surfboard.

“The ARMOR ALL Shootout for the elite Priority One WRC drivers will be an incentive to drive their hardest on every lap of the Hyundai Super Special Stage track,” event manager David Catchpole said.

“The custom surfboard would be a coveted trophy among European-based drivers used to taking home more traditional spoils.

“Drivers know they can have a lot to lose on short and tricky Super Special Stages and so sometimes they will be cautious, but the ARMOR ALL Shootout will literally give them something to shoot for.

“And if the winner has time after the rally, we’ll throw in some board-riding lessons!”

Coates Hire has come on board as Rally Australia title sponsor for a second year.

“With its enormous major-events experience and resources, Coates Hire is an ideal partner and we look forward to working with them again in 2014,” he said.

Thousands of spectators are expected to turn out to see the WRC cars run two laps each on the Hyundai Super Special Stage on the Friday and Saturday nights. The 1.6km track will be located in the Hi-Tec Oils Service Park precinct, three kms south of the Coffs city centre.

It promises to be a highlight of another spectacular Rally Australia, which will kick off with the Coates Hire Rally Show and traditional ceremonial start in the Coffs Harbour central mall on Thursday afternoon.

The competition itinerary over Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be one of the most spectator and competitor friendly in the 13-round WRC calendar, with a compact total of 320kms over 20 Special Stages.

Tickets are now on sale now at NMRAtix from $35 for a daytime pass which will give access to some of the 13 dedicated special stage spectator points over the three days.

The most popular points are expected to be the East Coast Bullbars Rally Village on Saturday on the Nambucca stage and VisitNSW.com Flooded Gums Rally Village on Sunday on Wedding Bells. 

Mr Catchpole revealed spectators will be able to travel free in shuttle-buses made possible by sponsorship from WRC tyre supplier Michelin to each of the Rally Villages.

“This is yet another benefit we’ve added to make spectating at the 2014 Coates Hire Rally Australia the most exciting experience yet,” he said.