Brendan Reeves and Rhianon Gelsomino have capped off an impressive weekend in the nation’s capital, taking a comprehensive heat two victory in the National Capital Rally today.
Brendan Reeves and Rhianon Gelsomino claimed their second National Capital Rally win in three years.
In only his third rally in two years, Reeves battles gearbox issues in heat one, but had no such problems on Sunday as he brought his Subaru Impreza WRX STi home in one piece in somewhat of a war of attrition in Canberra.
Reeves won the opening stage of the day and never let up, as some of his main challengers fell by the wayside.
“To continue on from yesterday with no real issues was great,” Reeves said,
“Today was just about being consistent and staying in the middle of the road - we’re thrilled with the result.”
A solid drive netted Nathan Quinn second place in the National Capital Rally.Heat one winner, Simon Evans, hit trouble on the second stage of the day, planting his Subaru in a ditch, losing over ten minutes in the process.
Evans came back strong in the afternoon to win two of the remaining three stages, and come away from the day with some more vital championship points.
A consistent heat two effort from Nathan Quinn saw him bag second place, a result which he was undoubtedly relieved to accomplish, after numerous Canberra failures in the past.
“We’re rapt,” Quinn said. “We came here with a budget with the aim of having a good run, and we’ve done that.”
Harry Bates bounced back from a disappointing heat one to snare a podium. Third place brings him valuable points, and consolidates his second place position in the championship.
Molly Taylor clinched fourth place from Tom Wilde on the final stage of the rally after the pair had traded stage times all day. Taylor’s Subaru finished just 0.6 of a second ahead of the West Australian.
Mick Patton finished sixth, ahead of Mark Pedder, whose Peugeot Maxi car was battling troubles all day, firstly with a misfire, and then with a broken centre diff, and finally a turbo problem.
Michael Harding, Tom Clarke, and Simon Evans rounded out the top ten.
The battle for the championship will now move to the Sunshine Coast in three weeks time for the International Rally of Queensland.
HEAT TWO PLACINGS
1. Reeves/Gelsomino, Subaru Impreza WRX STI Spec C, 01:15:54.1
2. Quinn/Calder, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, +01:06.5
3. Bates/McCarthy, Toyota Corolla S2000, +01:44.2
4. Taylor/Hayes, Subaru WRX STi, +02:01.2
5. Wilde/Hill, Subaru Impreza WRX STI, 01:10:34.0, +02:01.8
6. Patton/Webb, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, +04:41.3
7. Pedder/Moscatt, Peugeot 208 Maxi, +05:37.0
8. Harding/Thornburn, Subaru Impreza WRX STi, +05:47.5
9. Clarke/Preston, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX, +09:34.7
10. Evans/Searcy, Subaru Impreza WRX, +15:43.1
Story & photos: Luke Whitten
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