Harden driver, Jon Parker, and co-driver, Tim Batten, have emerged as clear winners in the 2015 Riverina Traffic Services Mundarlo Road Rallysprint held last weekend near Wagga.
Parker/Batten were 20 seconds clear of NSW Rallysprint Series crew Jason Giddins/Justin Gunther in the final placings, with a tied result for third between Tim Wilkins/Katie Fletcher in a Nissan Silvia and Doug Grimes/Luke Grimes in a Toyota Celica.
Giddins/Gunther now lead the NSW Rallysprint Series following the Mundarlo event – a result of Andrew Maurer/Ken Maurer’s exit from the event at the end of the second reverse run, hitting a haybale barrier as they crossed the flying finish. Damage to the Evo’s passengers side was extensive, but Maurer vows to be back for the next series round.
Canberra crew Russell Winks/Steve Hodgkin led the ACT Regional Rally Series teams home, finishing in fourth outright overall, while local crew Nathan Breese/Geoff Breese took the honours in the ACT Novice and Clubman division.
Late entry withdrawals from Geordie Farish/Andrew Smith, Brian Cavanagh/Pheobe Turnbull and Scott Simmonds/Ellie Yates (all succumbing to mechanical gremlins), reduced the starting line-up to 23 starters, with a high attrition rate reducing the finishing order to 16 for the day.
Andrew Penny/Rhys Llewelyn pulled the Subaru out of the event after two runs with front diff issues, while Adrian Coppin/Amanda Mason parked the Corolla on the side of the road just metres into Run 3 (rear diff).
Aiden Falvey (driving Charlie Drake’s Toyota Celica) missed two runs in the middle of the day to record a DNF, and Irishman Ryan Kelly was sidelined after two runs when co-driver-cum driver Patrick Miskelly took the wheel of the double entered Escort and left the road at the northern end of the 5km course, rolling heavily in a paddock.
NSW Rallysprint C3 class contenders, Scott Sherry/Ricki Abbott, also took a dramatic exit from the event, flipping the Nissan Skyline on its lid in a culvert at the top of the hill.
After a nine year hiatus from the regional rally scene, Mundarlo Road is back and organisers are extremely pleased with the success of the event. Despite the spills, feedback from the drivers and crews is that they will be back next year as the Wagga club plans to once again make the rallysprint an annual event.
Photo: Wishart Drawings & Photography
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