Paddon Leads NZRC In Rally Of Attrition

Sure-Footed Paddon Leads NZRC In Rally Of Attrition

The saying “to finish first, first you must finish” rang true for the Vantage Aluminium New Zealand Rally Championship competitors on Day 2 of Rally New Zealand.

Mark Tapper continued to lead the NZRC field through the morning but a high-speed crash on Special Stage 15 ended his rally and gifted waiting Hayden Paddon the honour of first Kiwi.

“We’ve still got the task of getting through tomorrow,” 23-year-old Paddon said, before reciting the opening saying.

Quietly consolidating an early championship lead was Rotorua’s Dean Sumner, who finished Day 2 with second place points.

A section of muddy tarmac caused havoc on the first stage of the day (SS10), Glenn Inkster and Sloan Cox both hit the bank and suffered damage. Inkster with a bent steering arm and Cox with a puncture. Whangarei’s Ben Jagger also had two punctures on the same stage.

Patrick Malley was up to second in the NZRC field until he caught a corner slightly off-line on SS14 and slid his Mitsubishi onto its lid.

The loss of Tapper, Geof Argyle (broken gearbox), Alex Kelsey (mechanical) and Nigel Adams (mechanical), meant no Open 4WD competitors scored points for Day 2.

Fiesta drivers Stephen Barker and Ben Hunt duelled closely through the morning, Barker coming out on top when Hunt pushed too hard and retired on Stage 16 in the afternoon.

Joining the Rally New Zealand field for the one-day Possum Bourne Memorial Rally, Kiwi 2 and Historic Challenge competitors contested for Round 2 championship points.

Micra driver Reg Cook collected full points in Kiwi 2 from an ailing Matt Summerfield.

Historic Challenge’s Regan Ross continued his early season dominance with top points, he holds a healthy class lead going into Round 3, Rally Whanagrei, in two months time.

Day 3 of Rally New Zealand is set in Raglan and features the iconic Whaanga Coast stage. The ceremonial finish will take place at Auckland’s Viaduct tomorrow afternoon.

*The NZRC points are accumulated over five competition rounds, which comprise 11 independent days. Points scored on each day are combined with bonus points - awarded for the overall class placing at each round - to make up the leader board.

ENDS

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