Crocker, driving the MotorImage Impreza WRX STI, started the day one minute 23 seconds behind Japanese Subaru driver, Hiroshi Yanagasawa, after experiencing gearbox troubles late on the opening day.
With one stage remaining, the Victorian had closed the gap to 23.2 seconds, but a victory seemed highly improbable.
However a barnstorming Crocker, supported by co-driver Ben Atkinson, took 24.4 seconds off his Japanese rival across the 13 kilometre stage to take his third straight Rally China title by just 1.2 seconds.
The win also gave the pair enough points to add the Asia Cup to the Asia-Pacific Championship they had already wrapped up. Fellow Subaru driver, West Australian Dean Herridge, won the Pacific Cup. Importantly for Crocker, the title also secured Subaru the APRC Manufacturers’ title.
“With the APRC driver’s title already done and dusted after Malaysia, getting the Manufacturers’ title for Subaru was a real focus for the whole team this weekend,” Crocker said.
“This is one of the biggest wins of my career, no doubt about that. I haven’t had to drive like that for a long time.
“It would have been easy to accept we were too far behind after yesterday’s dramas, but we decided to take every opportunity to catch Hiroshi (Yanagasawa).
“It was one of those days that everything went right. But we were still 24 seconds behind with just the one stage to go, so Ben and I decided to give it a real shake.
“Three wins from the last three starts in China is great. Ben has four straight, so we obviously like coming here.
“I’ll be back next year to defend the title again. The team at MotorImage have been really supportive, so to have another chance to do the business in 2009 is fantastic.”
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