Crocker, who is going for a fourth straight APRC title this year, now sits on top of the points table with 47 points, just one shy of the maximum available.
Japan’s Katsu Taguchi is in second place with 35 points, and Crocker’s MotorImage team mate, New Zealander Emma Gilmour, is third with 21 points.
Crocker took just two points from Leg Two in Japan, after Katsu Taguchi beat him across the day ‘s seven stages. But the Impreza WRX STI driver easily took the ten points for winning the round, finishing the rally one minute 9.9 seconds clear of the Japanese driver. He’d already scored the three on offer on Saturday for being fastest on Leg One.
Hiroshi Yanagasawa was third this weekend, with Gilmour back in fourth place, three minutes 56.1 seconds off the pace.
Crocker was delighted to increase his lead over Taguchi by talking class and outright honours on the weekend.
“We had a fantastic weekend,†Crocker said. “We are now in a strong position in the Championship. There are still three rounds to go but we have nearly a one event buffer, which is where we wanted to be at the stage of the season."
Results – APRC Rally Hokkaido
1 *C Crocker/B Atkinson, Subaru Impreza WRX STI
2 *K Taguchi/M Stacey, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, +1 min 09.9 secs
3 *H Yanagasawa/Y Nakahara, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9, +2:43.8
4 *E Gilmour/R Smyth, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, +3:56.1
5 N Katsuta/ S Adachi, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, +6:33.0
APRC points – after round 4 of 7
1 Crocker, Subaru, 47
2 Taguchi, Mitsubishi, 35
3 Gilmour, Subaru, 21
* APRC registered drivers
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