Richard Shimmon and Jim Gleeson are the 2019 NSW Rally Champions, following a Motorsport Australia Investigative Tribunal into the results of the final round - the Kosciuszko Automotive Monaro Stages Rally - held at Cooma in October 2019.
Fittingly, the team will receive their accolades at the Rally NSW presentation dinner this Saturday, just five days after the tribunal’s decision was handed down.
The popular pairing of “Shimmo and Jimmo” are ecstatic with the win, after a sterling performance. They completed all 12 heats of the six rallies making up the MTA NSW Rally Championship at or near the top of the field.
The pair were in a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 7 and ran the season on a shoestring budget, even starting one round on second-hand tyres.
“I’m so happy for Richard, because he drove brilliantly and fully deserves the win,” said Gleeson, who has sat with over 50 drivers in his 40-plus year career.
“I’m also pretty chuffed to come away with my second State Championship in three years.”
Tristan Kent, who crashed at Batemans Bay and used his repaired but wounded Mitsubishi in the remaining rounds, finished a credible second in the Championship.
Glen Raymond, who also crashed at the Bay, borrowed two other vehicles to contest the final rounds and finished third in the Drivers’ Championship, while his co-driver Kate Catford took out second Co-driver’s position.
In the Two Wheel Drive category, Tony Sullens and Kaylie Newell took the win in their front-wheel-drive Citroen DS3. Tony drove the wheels off the little car to finish just outside the top three, ahead of a gaggle of Mitsubishi Evo’s and Subaru WRXs.
Newell also deservedly receives the third-place trophy in the MTA NSW Rally Championship for her bravery.
We can now look forward to the 2020 MTA NSW Rally Championship, the first round being the Netier National Capital Rally in the ACT on the weekend of March 21 and 22.
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