Two-time Australian Rally Champions, Geoff Portman and Ross Runnalls, have overcome treacherous conditions to win the 2011 Alpine Rally, held out of Lakes Entrance in Gippsland on the weekend.
Despite several stages being cancelled because of heavy rain in region, the pair drove their Ford Escort RS1800 to a convincing victory of nearly three minutes, ahead of the Datsun 1600 of Paul Batten and Glen Raymond.
Former ARC front-runner, Wayne Hoy, was third in another Datsun 1600, with Jeff David (Porsche 911) and Ross Allan (Nissan Bluebird) rounding out the top five.
Portman and Runnalls won the event when it was last held, in 2009, driving a Holden Commodore, but took the reins of a newly built Ford Escort for this year's rally.
Final results:
1. Geoff Portman / Ross Runnalls, Ford Escort RS1800, 170m32s 2. Paul Batten / Glen Raymond, Datsun 1600, 173m18s 3. Wayne Hoy / Lisa Dunkerton, Datsun 1600, 176m11s 4. Jeff David / Grant Geelan, Porsche 911, 176m44s 5. Ross Allan / Scott Allan, Nissan Bluebird, 180m02s 6. Mike Conway / Jenny Cole, Ford Escort, 180m03s 7. Jack Monkhouse / Claire Ryan, Datsun 180B SSS, 180m15s 8. Carl Stewart / Anna Ritson, Datsun 1600, 182m53s 9. Ian Hill / Phil Bonser, Ford Escort RS1800, 183m09s 10. Phillip Donaohue / David Donahue, BMW M3 E30, 183m46s
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