With one day to go, Grant Denyer has established a handy 11.38 second lead in the Mt Buller Sprint after a testing day in the Victorian high country.

Denyer was fourth fastest in the opening run yesterday, but blitzed the field today to take the lead and establish himself as the man to beat on the final day on Monday.

Appalling weather conditions reduced the action to just one run up the mountain, instead of the planned four for the day.

But the wet and slippery conditions suited the Les Walkden Rallying-prepared Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Denyer and co-driver Dale Moscatt where the only ones in the field to break 10 minutes for the 16.1 kilometre sprint, setting a time of nine minutes 57.40 seconds.

New South Wales driver Neville Shears is in second place in with West Australian Steven Jones third a further 1.38 seconds back. Both are driving Mitsubishi Lancer Evos.

Denyer’s team mate, 19-year-old Victorian Brendan Reeves, sits in sixth place outright, 20.08 seconds off the lead in his Impreza WRX STI.

“Today was really good,” Denyer said. “Yesterday we had some suspension dramas but we did some tweaking and today the car was great.”

The event is only Denyer’s third tarmac rally in the Subaru.

“I’m loving having the four-wheel drive in these conditions and I’m starting to know how to peddle them now.”

“They were really tough conditions. There was a lot of rain, even snow, and the fog was thick at the top. So it was really challenging but seriously good fun.”

The Mt Buller Sprint concludes tomorrow, when organisers are hoping that improved weather will allow competitors to tackle the sprint four times across the day.

The event has been marred by the death to Paul Flintoft. The Les Walkden Rallying team express their sincere condolences to his family and friends. The thoughts of the team are also with David Reynolds, the driver of the vehicle, who was injured in the accident.

Results – End Day Two – Mt Buller Sprint

1 7 DENYER / MOSCATT, 2006 Subaru Impreza WRX, 20:04.04
2 18 SHEARS / SHEARS, 2001 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 20:15.42
3 29 JONES / SOUTAR-DAWSON, 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 20:17.19
4 3 VANDERSEE / ALLEN, 2004 Skelta G-Force, 20:22.02
5 38 QUINN / LONG, 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 20:23.82
6 47 REEVES / SMYTH, 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX, 20:24.12
7 15 LONGHURST / TAYLOR, 2007 Subaru Impreza WRX, 20:24.67
8 58 HESKIN / DENIESE, 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 20:28.13
9 88 BEAUMONT / COLE, 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 20:30.75
10 42 LEHMANN / BOOKER, 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo, 20:40.98

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