Sloan Cox has broken the stage record for New Zealand’s popular Ashley Forest Rallysprint after WRC star Hayden Paddon suffered mechanical problems.
Paddon was the favourite to win the iconic event in his 600 horsepower Hyundai i20 AP4++, but an engine failure cost him the chance of taking the record himself.
It was the 30th running of the event and Cox (Mitsubishi Lancer) showed his class with a measured drive all day to set a new course record before gong head-to-head in the final against Matt Summerfield (Subaru) for the second year running.
Cox’s new record time of 54.96 seconds will take some beating, but already organisers are hoping that Paddon returns again in 2018 for another shot.
Another record also fell, with Kim Austin’s 2WD record set in 1988 going to Chris Hey in the Toyota MR2.
Hey equalled Kim Austin's 1m02.45s, then went even faster to set a new 2WD record of 1:02.15.
It was the 10th time Hey has been the fastest 2WD at the event.
Full results are available HERE.
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