DARREN WINDUS - Profile
At just 16 years of age Darren Windus got his first taste of motor sport competing in autocross events around Melbourne. Over a seven year period Windus would charge up the ranks to win four titles behind the wheel of a rapid Datsun 1600.
After a seven year stint in Autocross Windus decided to make the shift to rallying. The discipline might have changed, but in the first instance the car didn't as he took his trusted Datsun 1600 in Victorian state rally competition. It was during this time Windus established an auto parts business that today has grown into Japanese Wholesale Spares.
By the mid 1990s Windus was campaigning a fast but often fragile Subaru Liberty RS in Victorian and selected Australian Championship rounds. Setting fast stage times was often cancelled-out with a range of technical problems. As the 1990s drew to a close his growing parts business started to take priority and a shift from Melbourne to Perth further placed priorities on business and not rallying.
From the early 2000s Windus took part in selected Australian Rally Championship rounds before a fulltime assault on the Subaru RS Challenge in 2004. An outstanding season should have brought the title. However, a heavy accident after the finish line at the final round in Melbourne ended those hopes. Under the competition's rules he had to complete the entire leg, including the final service. He finished the RS Challenge in third place after winning the category in South Australia and Queensland.
In 2005 Windus built a Group A version of the Impreza and again showed plenty of speed. However, like it had been in the mid 1990s reliability was to be the biggest thorn in his side. Finally at the Rally of Melbourne he enjoyed a reliable run and finished first privateer.
In 2006 Windus placed a huge amount of effort and money into his rallying. This not only paid-off with fifth place outright in the championship, but it got the attention of the Pirtek Rally Team as it looked to expand to two Super 200 Ford Fiestas. Now after nearly 20 years of competition Windus got show his true potential with a fully professional rally outfit.