Marston secures muddy victory
Christchurch rally driver Josh Marston set the pace in the muddy North Canterbury forests on Sunday to claim an impressive maiden NZ Rally Championship round victory.
In an eventful Lone Star rally of Canterbury, Marston shot to a 25.4secs lead in the opening stage and then tumbled down the leader board when a second stage spin resulted in a puncture and bent steering arm.
With his Holden Barina AP4 repaired at the Rangiora service park, Marston began a fightback drive from 11th position that saw him fastest on six of the remaining eight stages and also post two second-fastest times.
As Marston climbed up the order, the fight at the front was fought by relative newcomers to rallying – but highly experienced drivers in other motorsport disciplines.
Offroad racing champion Raana Horan (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) and Bathurst winner Greg Murphy (Holden Barina AP4) took turns in the rally lead.
With eight stages completed and two after-dark stages remaining, Horan led by 12.2secs from Australian champion Nathan Quinn (Ford Fiesta Proto) with Marston 36.6secs further back. Murphy was running in fourth.
Marston’s charge continued and he almost halved Horan’s advantage and edged ahead of Quinn in the penultimate stage. Then he raced through the final stage with another fastest time to win the rally by 9.9secs from Quinn.
Horan completed the podium 3.9secs further back in a close finish while Murphy was fourth.
‘‘We are absolutely stoked with the result,’’ Marston said.
‘‘It was a challenging rally and we made it hard on ourselves at times but the car was great all day.
‘‘I just wanted to hang on to a podium in that final stage so I couldn't believe it when my co-driver told me we had got the job done.’’
Murphy delivered on the promise he’d shown before retiring from the season-opening Otago Rally and produced a strong drive.
His performance included third fastest times on four stages and two fourth quickest times.
‘‘I had half a dozen moments at least, sliding off the road and having to recover, hit a couple of banks, and at one point I couldn’t pull it up coming down a hill and ended up in a hedge,’’ Murphy said.
‘‘But there were also some enjoyable, consistent stages, particularly out the back in the Okuku Forest where you knew what you had Josh Marston/Andrew Graves (Holden Barina AP4) .. .. Nathan Quinn/David Calder (Ford Fiesta Proto) .. .. Raana Horan/Michael Connor (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) .. Greg Murphy/Mark Leonard (Holden Barina AP4) .. .. Geof Argyle/Joelle Eyre (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8) .. .. Job Quantock/Alan Steel (Skoda Fabia AP4) .. .. .. Matt and Nicole Summerfield (Mitsubishi Mirage AP4) .. Clinton Cunningham/Raymond Bennett (Ford Fiesta Proto) Michael Tall/Matt Richards (Mitsubishi Mirage) .. .. Carter Strang/Stewart Robbie (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6) Hayden Paddon (Wanaka) Hyundai i20 AP4 Ben Hunt (Auckland) Subaru WRX STI .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Summerfield .. .. .. .. .. .. Quinn .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Horan .. .. .. .. .. .. .. John Silcock (Rangiora) Mazda RX-7 .. in the way of grip.
“The second time through, our times were very competitive so that was very rewarding.’’
In total, Marston won seven of the 10 stages and his victory is the first for a Holden since the NZ Rally Championship began in 1975.
It was also the first for any GM .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 1h 56m 18s .. +9.9s .. +13.8s .. +55s . . +2m 58s +3m 40.3s +3m 52.9s +6m 38.1s +7m 03.7s +7m 50.7s .. .. .. .. .. .. 88 points .. 70 .. 68 .. 61 .. 53 .. 44 .. 44 product since Lloyd Owen won the 1987 Canterbury Rally driving an Opel Manta 400.
Former national champion Geof Argyle (Feilding) was fifth in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo8 while Job Quantock (Canterbury) in his Skoda Fabia AP4 was sixth.
A slow final stage saw Rangiora’s Matt Summerfield — the 2017 Canterbury rally winner — slip from fifth to seventh in his Mitsubishi Mirage AP4.
Problems cost two championship contenders any chance at valuable points. Auckland’s Ben Hunt was the top seed and pre-rally favourite but his Subaru WRX STI stopped with electrical problems near the finish of the opening stage.
Emma Gilmour (Dunedin) retired her Suzuki Swift AP4 with a front differential failure after eight stages and the new Ford Fiesta of Tauranga’s Phil Campbell only made it to stage four before he retired from seventh position.
Kaikoura’s Regan Ross had been in ninth place and was leading the 2WD competition in his Ford Escort RS1800 before going off the road early in the final stage.
With Ross retiring, the best twowheel-drive finisher was Rangiora’s John Silcock, who was 11th in his Mazda RX-7.
The next round of the championship is a new rally on South Canterbury roads based at Timaru on Saturday June 23.
It will see the return of Hyundai star Hayden Paddon who retained his championship leaddespite missing the Canterbury Rally while preparing for his next WRC outing in Sardinia this weekend.