Rally set to entertain footy-free Melbourne

 With the major and minor football codes all playing games away from Australia's sporting capital, internal combustion will provide all the action.

While the MotoGP takes place at Phillip Island this weekend (Sept 16-17), Rally of Melbourne kicks off on Friday, September 22 with the official start in Docklands from 6.30pm.

Over 50 rally cars and drivers will be on display from 4pm, before setting off on the final, Australian championship deciding rally through 16 special stages held over two, action packed days in the Yarra Valley.

Current championship leader and Victorian Simon Evans with wife Sue Evans his co-driver remain the title favourites but know anything less than a perfect performance could be the end of his lifelong dream.

"The NGK Rally of Melbourne is a difficult rally for both cars and drivers but it is also a great rally to have for the championship decider as it is a real test for the whole team and whoever performs the best over the whole weekend will not only walk away with the rally win but quite likely the championship," Simon Evans said after his recent test in his Toyota Corolla.

"It would be a dream come true to win my first championship in front of my home crowd but there's a lot to do before we can think too much about that!"

Evans highlighted that the lack of sport over the rally weekend provided a great opportunity for Melbournians to embrace the sport of rallying, one of the world's great sporting spectacles.

"I encourage the people of Melbourne to come out to the Yarra Valley and come and see what should be one of the great rallies in recent times in Australia."

For more information visit www.rallyofmelbourne.com.au