Paddon takes rally advantage in Wairarapa

Defending Vantage New Zealand Rally Champion Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard have a 15.6 second lead after the first six stages in the two-day Trust House Racetech Rally Wairarapa.

Covering 123 kilometres of gravel in the Tararua district north of the Masterton rally hub, Geraldine based Paddon in the Team Green Mitsubishi holds the overnight lead from locals Richard and Sara Mason driving the BNT Subaru.

Third, Hamilton’s Emma Gilmour and co-driver Glenn Macneall in the Vantage Subaru, have a 13 second benefit over the group two Mitsubishi of Palmerston North’s Geof Argyle with co-driver Tarryn Cox.

Despite puncturing near the end of the fourth test, Paddon says his day was pressured despite taking four stage wins.

“We have been pushing on pretty hard today; any time you can get an advantage you’ve got to take it so the lead in the rally and in our championship means a lot when we’re against such strong local support for Richard,” said the 22-year old of local team Richard and Sara Mason.

Paddon has extended his overall title point advantage from 27 to 32.

The fourth of five rounds in the 2009 Vantage New Zealand Rally Championship competition, mid-winter weather in the Wairarapa region proved mild at best. Forecast rain only resulted in high cloud with areas of wind chill in open parts. Pre-event rain improved driving conditions with many long-standing stage records being broken during the course of the day.

Rally New Zealand Rising Star scholarship winner Ben Hunt and co-driver Jeff Cress hold the lead in the two-wheel drive category. Nelson based Hunt in a Ford Fiesta has nearly 18 seconds on Whangarei Fiesta pairing of Ben Jaggar and Ben Hawkins.

Nearly 30 seconds adrift in third position, Nelson’s Daniel Harris and co-driver Paul Fallon have made a return to competition following a near car-destroying crash at the previous round at Whangarei in early June.

However that was after fellow leading Fiesta pairing of Auckland’s Patrick Malley and co-driver Malcolm Read clipped a bridge in the fourth test – dropping down the order.

Defending Kiwi-2 champion Aaron Cook and co-driver Stratton Campbell of Titahi Bay took their new Honda Civic in to temporary retirement after the third stage when they developed brake problems. They were later followed in to retirement by fellow class and elder statesman Reg Cook (co-driver Mark Ballantyne) when they too hit the same bridge encountered by Malley, resulting in a minor fire to the bright orange Nissan Micra.

That same stage halted the Transnet Mitsubishi of Timaru’s Glenn Inkster and co-driver Glenn Goldring. Running in fifth position to challenge category leader Argyle away from title contention, Inkster stopped with mechanical troubles in the Lancer 6.5.

First retirement for the rally and tipped by Richard Mason as a likely pace-setter, Christchurch’s Chris West and Chris Cobham in the Simms Mitsubishi only made it 11 kilometres in to the first stage. Having clipped an earth bank, it damaged an oil line feeding the two-litre engine of the Lancer EVO 9.

Leading classic category team Mike and Helen Cameron nearly had their title plans sink when their Taranaki based Mitsubishi Lancer left the road in the second test. Retrieved, the pair continued to complete the day behind former champion Euan Fuge and co-driver Donna Elder in the Mazda RX 3.

Sunday’s remaining 117 kilometres of competition has the 21 remaining championship teams start and finish from Masterton. Having completed a further eight gravel stages they return to the Copthorne Solway Park Hotel for a champagne finish at 3:30pm.

Ends 

Results: Day one - Trust House Racetech Rally Wairarapa 2009 (top ten overall - provisional)

Pos No Driver Car Time
1 1 Hayden Paddon/John Kennard Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9 1:20:17.5
2 2 Richard Mason/Sara Mason Subaru Impreza WRX +15.6
3 4 Emma Gilmour/Glenn Macneall Subaru Impreza WRX +1:39.3
4 5 Geof Argyle/Tarryn Cox Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7 +1:52.3
5 12 Kingsley Thompson/Malcolm Peden Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 10 +3:21.0
6 10 Sloan Cox/David Calder Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 10 +3:38.2
7 8 Kieran Hall/Peter Hart 1 Subaru Impreza WRX +3:46.1
8 31 Neil Marshall/Richard Carr D Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6.5 +3:48.6
9 32 Glenn Smith/Campbell Ward D Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8 +3:53.8
10 11 Matt Jansen/Jason Farmer 1 Subaru Impreza WRX +4:09.8

Additional information:

Live results will be available from the website http://www.chrissport.co.nz/resultsDetail.php?id_event=81

Television coverage of the event will be featured on One Sport Powerbuilt Tools motorsport show. Day one (one-hour segment) features on 26 July, with the second day airing 2 August. The footage will also feature on TVNZ Sports extra Freeview from 2 August.

For further information: www.nzrallychamps.co.nz

Event Timetable

Sunday 19th July

MASTERTON DISTRICT COUNCIL - Special Stage 8 – Daggs Road 14.89 kms.

First car starts at 8.35am. Only viewing at the end of the stage,

BRADERS CAR COURT - Special Stage 9 – Bartons Line 23.05 kms.

First car starts at 9.10am. Great stage to watch. Best entry is at Ihuraua, on Route 52.

ORDISH & STEVENS - Special Stage 10 - Central Mangaone Rd 15.65 kms.

First car starts at 9.50am. Option of two points to choose from: Either enter through Tawataia Rd or Mangaone Valley Rd, Both are off Alfredton Rd.

Service Park in Eketahuna

First car due at 10.45am

KEVIN GEORGE MOTORS - Special Stage 11 – Quarry/ Cliff Rds 7.82 kms

First car starts at 11.25am. Only option is head to the middle of the stage on the intersection of Quarry Rd and Cliff Rd.

PAHIATUA NEW WORLD - Special stage 12 – Kopikopiko Rd 14.09kms

First car starts at 12.00pm. No spectators’ areas on this stage.

ORDISH & STEVENS - Special Stage 13 - Central Mangaone Rd 15.65 kms.

First car starts at 12.40pm. Option of 2 points to choose from. Either Enter through Tawataia Rd or Mangaone Valley Rd, Both are off Alfredton Rd.

Service Park in Eketahuna

First car due at 1.15pm

HIREWORLD MASTERTON - Special Stage 14 – Mangaoranga Rd 15.20 kms.

First car starts at 1.55pm. Difficult to get access because of road closure. Can come in from Ihuraua once Stage 8 has been cleared.

RACETECH - Special Stage 15 – North Rd 13.65 kms.

First car starts at 2.25pm. Best spot would be accessed from South Rd, off Opaki Kaiparoro Rd.

Finish at the Copthorne Solway Park carpark

First car due at 3.05pm

Website links:

For further information: www.nzrallychamps.co.nz or www.vantagejoinery.com
Event website: www.rallywairarapa.co.nz
Event results: http://www.chrissport.co.nz/resultsDetail.php?id_event=81