Australia (AUS)

1989: Started rallying with Datsun

2000: Drives Hyundai

When he started rallying in 1989, Rally Australia was making its debut on the FIA World Rally Championship calendar, pace noted rallies were few and far between and competing in the national championship meant travelling distances that European rally competitors could only have nightmares about

In 1992, he gave a hint of what was to come when he made a memorable debut on Rally Australia by winning his class in a Toyota Corolla. This small, but important, victory convinced Guest to make an even greater commitment to his dream of becoming a world-class driver and he decided to buy a four-wheel-drive, turbo-charged Mitsubishi Lancer Evo1 for an all-out attack on the Australian Rally Championship. His investment was rewarded when he won the opening round of the 1994 Australian Championship, Rally Melbourne, then went on to win five more rounds and finish a close second to eventual winner Neal Bates. Guest and his co-driver David Green funded their campaign by taking on contract carpet laying work - often working long days on the carpets, then putting in another day's work on the rally car. Guest says while the work was hard, contracting gave him the flexibility he needed to take time off for rallying. More recently he has worked as a stunt driver and member of the Bridgestone Precision Driving Team.

1995 was a watershed year for the young driver. A highlight of the year was leading for more than 10 days in the 18,000-km, 19-day Mobil 1 Round Australia Rally to eventually finish a close second to rival Ed Ordynski. Support from Mitsubishi Ralliart moved his campaign up a gear, but ultimately the pressure and expectations he put on himself took their toll. He suffered a series of crashes, more often than not while leading. The frustration of so often "snatching defeat from the jaws of victory" led Guest to a sports psychologist and an important decision regarding the type of car he would drive in 1996. He then made a strategic decision to abandon the glamour of the powerful four-wheel-drive Group A competition, for the less spectacular but equally challenging Group N cars. His decision proved prescient when he won the 1996 Australian Rally Championship in Group N. Sponsorship from Les Walkden in 1997 meant a change from Mitsubishi to a Subaru Impreza. Guest quickly adapted, winning Group N and finished fifth overall on his international debut at Rally New Zealand 1997 and winning the Group N Australian Rally Championship. His successful run continued with Group N victories at the 1998 Rally New Zealand and Rally Australia. The fact that he trounced reigning Group N world champion Gustavo Trelles on both occasions only strengthened Guest's resolve to become a fixture on the world rally championship.

In 1999, he competed in six events for the Winfield World Rally Team in the Group N (production car) category. A solid fifth in Group N at the Catalunya Rally in Spain and a well-earnt fourth in Group N at the grueling China Rally convinced the Winfield World Rally Team that with the right car and the right backing, Guest could go far.

In 2000 he contested six of the 14 rounds of the world championship. The first three (in Portugal, Spain and Greece) was in a two-litre, two-wheel drive (or Formula 2) Hyundai Coupe Kit Car. In the next three (China, San Remo and Australia) he piloted a powerful, turbo-charged, four-wheel-drive Hyundai Accent World Rally Car.