DustTrails, by RallySport Magazine

In part two of our chat with Western Australian event director, Ross Tapper, he talks about tarmac. From bringing the popular side of the sport to the west coast, to the many events of today, he highlights just how it gets off the ground each year. However, it hasn’t been all positives. Close to the 20th anniversary of Peter Brock's tragic passing, Tapper provides a raw, behind-the-scenes account of the aftermath. He details exactly what it was like managing rally headquarters on that day in 2006, as the room – and the entire country – struggled to process the shocking news of the motorsport icon's death. Listen to the full interview on the DustTrails Podcast, available now.

Ross Tapper is one of Australia's most experienced event directors, having taken charge of Western Australia's Forest Rally an incredible 37 times. In the latest episode of our DustTrails podcast series, Tapper sits down to unpack a staggering 50-year career in the sport. From holding major operational roles during the golden era of Rally Australia to pioneering tarmac rallying on the west coast, his motorsport resume is unmatched. Despite a half-century of navigating the sport's highest highs and lowest lows, the veteran event director makes one thing clear: his love for the sport remains unabated, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

After bursting onto the scene as the winner of the inaugural Daihatsu Challenge, Western Australian Leigh Hynes quickly turned heads with standout performances at both Rally Australia and Rally New Zealand. Remarkably, while still only in his early twenties, Hynes earned a dream opportunity to test drive a factory Lancia ahead of Rally Australia, putting him on the cusp of far bigger things with the Italian brand. In this episode of DustTrails, Hynes reflects on that whirlwind period of his career, the massive opportunities that could have come to fruition, and the stories of the remainder of his international rallying journey.

Like many Flying Finns, Pasi Hagström was a rising rally talent in the 1990s. When a full-time factory seat didn't materialise, he didn't let it stop him. Instead, he pivoted to become one of the most renowned WRC test drivers with Subaru. Speaking in late 2025, Pasi reflects on his unforgettable appearances at the Otago Rally in the 2000s and his enduring love for the iconic Dunedin event. He also shares incredible stories from his career on the WRC stages, detailing his unique relationship with friend Marcus Grönholm and his time working alongside Australian star Chris Atkinson. DustTrails is produced for the Motorsport Podcast Network by RallySport Magazine >> ⁠https://rallysportmag.com/

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/