Great Lakes and Manning Valley residents will have ample opportunity to witness the NEC Australian Rally Championship's stars in action during the rally, which starts with the presentation of the drivers in Forster on Friday, September 14.

The Bulahdelah round of the rally will be one of two super special stages, the other being at Taree, where cars will race the clock rather than their fellow drivers.

It will be held at the town showground from 2pm on Sunday, September 16.

"The roads we're using are super-smooth and are in sensational condition," clerk of course, Mike Bell said.

Sunday's leg of the rally involves eight competitive stages (totalling 120 kilometres) around Bulahdelah and the Wang Wauk State Forest.

Racing begins on Sunday with a stage at Manning Hill Road near Coolongolook with races from 7am to 12.30pm before the cars head to Bulahdelah Showground.

Organisers are also working on providing spectator points for a special five kilometre tarmac stage on the Old Pacific Highway just south of Wootton where competitors will tackle the infamous O'Sullivans Gap.

The rally will end in Forster with cars expected to cross the finish line at Main Beach around 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

Around 70 crews, including factory outfits from Toyota and Ford, are expected to contest the rally, with reigning Australian champions, Toyota's husband and wife team of Simon and Sue Evans, amongst the favourites.

Team mate and triple Australian Rally Champion Neal Bates and Ford's Michael Guest are others to watch.