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Round 2
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Round 4
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One thing that running a dual format event is capable of doing is having a tie, and that is what happened at Rally Queensland. The reigning champion, Kiwi's Possum Bourne and Craig Vincent and their Subaru Impreza WRC98 had to give best to the Toyota Corolla WRC of Neal Bates and Coral Taylor on day one, but turned the tables in heat 2. The F2 battle was a one car affair, with Simon and Sue Evans keeping on where they had left off in Rally of Canberra, the Golf staving off many challengers to even challenge Group N winner Cody Crocker and Greg Foletta's Impreza WRX on some stages. |
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Day one and some overnight rain had made the roads a little slippery, but hopefully the rain would hold off. But it didn't, and in fact Possum had made the choice that despite anything that may happen during the rally, they were going with a full mud tyre for the entire event. Leaving Caloundra (north of the Qld. capital, Brisbane, and heading north to Imbil, where the rally is run, would prove this to be correct. The WRC pair were matching times to seconds on the stages as usual, and set an identical time on some stages. Bates and Taylor had a nine second break after three stages, however Possum reeled them in, but by the final stage, a short tarmac hillclimb, Bates had done enough, and was delighted with his win. 'We have gone back to our electronic shift this time out as we believe it holds some advantage, and today it worked well. Now for tomorrow!' Remarked Neal afterwards. Cody Crocker and Greg Foletta had some pressure on them from their non finish at Coffs, but were full of confidence after their Canberra run. And they had plenty of competition, least of all of which would be Stewart Reid and Anthony McLoughlin, who would bow the motor of their brand new Evo 6 Lancer on the third stage. The first round winners were out for the weekend. But after changing suspension setups, as had their Subaru team leader Bourne, Crocker and Foletta ran out Group N winners and third outright, even surviving a spin mid morning. John Goasdoue would take second in Group N, but would take no further part in the rally as the Lancer Evo 3 blew it's motor late on day one. F2 and Simon and Sue Evans kept an extremely quick Brett Middleton and Andrew Benefeld at bay for the win, while Rick Bates and Jenny Brittan kept them both honest. Simon was happy with this win, as he felt he had been very consistent. Day 2, and the one stage to be shortened on day one was the only one to be shortened on day two, the 28km New Traverse would be just 9km's long. This was fortunate as the rain had continued overnight and into Sunday. The battle at the front, however, had not slowed as the two WRC drivers had a battle royal. The Corolla driver Bates had a handy break at one point, and with three stages to go was hopeful of a win. But Bourne and the Possum Bourne Motorsport technicians had been chasing mechanical grip from the rear all weekend, and Possum took 14 seconds from Bates/ Taylor over the final three stages to win the second day, and cause the rally to have joint winners. This maintained Possum's lead in the championship as he had won the one day Coffs Harbour event earlier in the year. Cody Crocker and Greg Foletta once again took the Group N win ahead of the Sydney privateer David Hills and Sophie Handley in an Evo 3 Lancer. They also took out top points for the Privateers Cup when the Long's had to retire their Evo 5 at the mid point service. This also cost them third outright. F2 once again went to Simon and Sue Evans after a tussle with Middleton and Benefeld was solved by the same watersplash that had bent the sump guard of the Honda Civic the year before. The Charade of Rick Bates and Jenny Brittan also had dramas when the gearbox gave up the ghost in heat 2.
The teams now make the trip across the country to my home town, and the Respect Yourself Forest Rally. Look forward to some shots and a report from the world's most remote capital, Perth Western Australia, in two weeks time.
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