Rodda and Admiraal share SARC wins

James Rodda/Dave Langfield and Zayne Admiraal/Matthew Heywood have shared heat wins in Lightforce Rally SA on September 10-11, the final round of the MRF Tyres S.A. Rally Championship.

James Rodda took out Heat 1 in his Lancer. Mitsubishi Evo IX driver Rodda was dominant in Saturday’s heat, winning all five stages, whilst behind him a battle was going on between the WRXs of Aaron Bowering/Nathan Lowe, Zayne Admiraal/Matthew Heywood and Neil and Andrea Gehan as well as Carwyn Harries/Matt Henderson (Gemini) and Matt Selley/Hamish McKendrick (Escort).

The latter lost some time on the second stage with a spin and stall, some quick times and misfortune from others getting him back to second by the end of the day.

Striking trouble were Bowering, out with a blown engine after three stages, Admiraal slow through Telephone Road with wet electrics, and Gehan, whose Subi swallowed water, slowing them on the final stage.

Heat 1:
1.    James Rodda/Dave Langfield    (Mitsubishi Evo IX)    40:34.2    
2.    Matt Selley/Hamish McKendrick    (Ford Escort Mk II)    44:08.1
3.    Andrew Gleeson/Mike Dale    (Datsun Stanza)    44.20.0
4.    Carwyn Harries/Matt Henderson    (Holden Gemini)    44:22.9
5.    Mark Povey/Brendan Dearman    (Datsun Stanza)    44:37.0
6.    Gavin Fowler/Lisi Phillips    (Datsun 1600)    45:43.1

Zayne Admiraal on his way to a Heat 2 victory.Sunday began badly for Rodda, driving most of the opening stage on a flat tyre, dropping around 45 seconds on the leading Admiraal.
    
Whilst in second, Selley spun at the bottom of Trial Hill, landing in a ditch where he remained stranded.
    
A string of fastest times saw Rodda soon up to second and chasing Admiraal, taking 26 seconds out of his lead on the penultimate Telephone Road 2.
    
Harries was out on that stage with a broken tailshaft and Rodda’s hopes of reigning in Admiraal’s seven second lead went out the window with a misfire on the final stage, Crawford 3, dropping over a minute to the leader’s time.

Heat 2:
1.    Zayne Admiraal/Matthew Heywood    Subaru WRX STi)    58:17.4
2.    James Rodda/Dave Langfield    (Mitsubishi Evo IX)    59:25.8    
3.    Andrew Gleeson/Mike Dale    (Datsun Stanza)    60:44.2
4.    Mark Povey/Brendan Dearman    (Datsun Stanza)    60:47.1
5.    Gavin Fowler/Lisi Phillips    (Datsun 1600)    63:08.8
6.    Aaron Lowe/Matt Monto    (Holden Commodore)    63:52.5

Andrew Gleeson’s two third places sees him win his first South Australian Rally Championship, with 120 points to James Rodda’s 95, Mark Povey’s 90.5, Zayne Admiraal’s 77, Gavin Fowler’s 75 and Neil Gehan’s 73.
    
Navigating for Gavin Fowler, Lisi Phillips wins the co-driver’s championship with 99 points from Dave Langfield (92.5), Matthew Heywood (89), Matt Monto (84), Andrea Gehan (82) and Matt Henderson (73.5).

- Story and Photos by John Lemm

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