Former Pirtek / Ford driver in the Australian Rally Championship, Darren Windus, has won the final round of the 2014 Victorian Rally Championship.
Darren Windus won Rally Bonnie Doon in a Subaru WRX. (Photo: Luke Whitten)Driving a Subaru WRX STI with Jamie Sergeant in the co-driver’s seat, Windus took victory in the Bendigo Tyre Centre Rally Bonnie Doon by 35 seconds from 2011 ARC winners, Justin Dowel and Matt Lee in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X.
In a star-studded field, Mark Pedder was third in a borrowed Volkswagen Polo S2000, while Simon Evans made a welcome return to rallying in his brother’s Honda Civic Type R, finishing in fourth place.
The top five was rounded out by Tristan Penhall in a Subaru Impreza.
Windus was the man to beat from the outset on the 10 stage, pacenoted event, proving that he has lost none of his touch.
Second place was enough to secure the 2014 Victorian Rally Championship for Dowel, while his regular co-driver this season, Scott Spedding, had enough points to claim the title as well, despite being Clerk of Course for Rally Bonnie Doon.
The event started in dry conditions, but heavy rain and thunderstorms hit various parts of the course during the afternoon stages, making the roads even more challenging.
Final results:
1. Windus / Sergeant, Subaru WRX STI, 1h08m36s
2. Dowel / Lee, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X, 1h09m11s
3. Pedder / McCarthy, VW Polo S2000, 1h09m30s
4. Evans / Searcy, Honda Civic Type R, 1h09m34s
5. Penhall / Middleton, Subaru WRX STI, 1h11m38s
Full results are available HERE.
View photos from Rally Bonnie Doon HERE.
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