Masons lead international rally

Current leaders in the Vantage New Zealand Rally Championship; Masterton’s Richard and Sara Mason have the lead after the first of two days in the 2009 NAC Insurance International Rally of Whangarei.

The third round in the national series, the pair has a 25 second outright event lead over defending champion Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard of Geraldine after eight gravel stages today. Mason, in the BNT Subaru, won four of today’s eight stages with the Mitsubishi of Paddon taking two wins, including the opening stage.

Starting eighth on the road – behind the international entries in the third round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship series, Mason benefited from a cleaner road surface.

“We had some suspension issues in the morning but the car was a lot better this afternoon,” said Mason waiting to enter the final service for the day. “It’ll be interesting to see tomorrow on the looser gravel how it is first thing. I think we did a good job on tyres really and we were very happy with the choices we made. The line was nice and swept this afternoon – it was good. Mostly consistent conditions, some of the rainy bits weren’t so nice; there was a bit of wet clay and the likes out there and that can always be a bit funny.”

Entered in to the international series, Paddon started third car on the road – upstaging the initial disadvantage by winning the opening stage.

Third New Zealand team and also entered in to the international category of this weekends event, Emma Gilmour and co-driver Rhianon Smyth are in the new shape Subaru Impreza – enjoying the benefits of developed technology over the flowing roads. Placed sixth overall for the rally, the all-female team are followed by Christchurch’s Chris West and co-driver Chris Cobham in the Simms Mitsubishi.

Starting with picture-perfect conditions from the Whangarei quayside town basin at 8:30 this morning, the 25 New Zealand championship crews became 24 after the opening 14 kilometre test. Nelson’s Dominick Unterberger and co-driver Warwick Martin went off the road after 11 kilometres, retiring their Ford Fiesta for the day.

Emerging as the leading two-wheel-drive competitor, defending series champion Patrick Malley and co-driving mother Linzi, hold a narrow 25 second advantage in their Ford Fiesta. Second, Whangarei based and current series leader, Ben Jagger and co-driver Ben Hawkins are two of three remaining Fiesta’s. Two-wheel-drive and Fiesta title challenger Daniel Harris and co-driver Darryn Green of Nelson rolled in the sixth stage while leading the field.

Classic competitor Rob Wylie and co-driver Paul Turner of Auckland (Nissan 240RS), hit a bridge in the third stage – leaving Taranaki’s Mike and Helen Cameron the event leaders in their Mitsubishi Lancer.

Sunday’s remaining eight stages again start and finish from the Whangarei quayside town basin, with the teams returning for a 3pm champagne finish.