It's certainly a saying that is used very often when it comes to rallying and the last round of the 09 West Australian Rally Championship was another perfect example for those famous words.
Four crews had the opportunity to take out the title heading into the final round. Championship leader Lee McIlroy held a slender 3 points advantage and need to stay in touch with defending champions Hynes and Percival if he was to be successful.
Just over half way into the event McIlroy would exit the battle with a broken lower control arm leaving him stranded mid stage. Naturally very disappointed however also pleased with his best season to date.
“Yeah look of course I am very disappointed, the team has worked extremely hard all year. But the positive from all this is that its been our best year by far, a big learning curve and a fantastic championship. We are very much looking forward to next year.”
Lee McIlroy
With McIlroy out it would mean a cruise to the end for Hynes and Percival to make it two championships in a row. They had been running on a conservative pace all rally and it seemed, that strategy would pay off. It was not to be and in a cruel twist the number two Subaru would grind to a halt with clutch failure just two stages from the finish, their event and championship title over.
While all this was unfolding another of the championship contenders, John Macara would be pushing hard from the very first stage. John’s been around along time and knows full well that anything can happen in this game.
With a massive lead on the rally and the first two placed contenders out with no championship points the rally, and the 09 title would be his.
This is Macara’s 5th state championship equalling Robert Herridge as the two with the most titles.
“This rallying business is not easy and as we have seen today anything can happen. I must admit that I was not expecting this kind of result after a bad start to the year, but one thing that comes with experience is that you never give up. I have purchased this new EVO 9 and to be honest was working on 2010 being the year to have a go for another championship. Well it’s been a great bonus, I am very very pleased," Macara said.
The 09 Western Safari would be a tough event on all competitors, run in very dusty conditions. Derek Reddie in the VR4 taking second, Blair Pugh in the Escort a great drive for third and the brother sister pairing of the Wilde’s would take 4th for the event and enough points to grab the runner-up position in the State Championship.
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