Evans takes domestic success
The final corner of this year’s Rally Australia was too tempting for Eli Evans. He couldn’t resist the space offered by that open junction at the 90-left. Running his Skoda Fabia R5 wide, he yanked on the handbrake and opened the taps to send the thing into an Australian Rally Championship-winning celebratory donut.
Four drivers came to Coffs Harbour in with a shot at winning this year’s ARC title. For the second season in succession, Molly Taylor lost out. Last year the engine in her Subaru ran sick costing her a shot.
This time around it was a near-100mph head-on collision with a straw bale that ruined the Japanese motor out front.
Harry Bates, son of four-time Australian Rally champion Neal, came close to following in his father’s footsteps aboard his Toyota Yaris AP4.
Unfortunately for him there would be no dream result after his car hit engine trouble in the Welshs Creek Reverse test on Saturday afternoon.
Evans’ own hopes of taking the title with a win went south when he punctured earlier on Saturday, but he knew he just needed to keep the car going to the end and the title would be his. That’s exactly what he did.
Evans said: “It’s been a really strange and bizarre year in the Australian Championship. It’s been really hard fought. We came here with a nice lead and I did all I could to give it away! But now I’m really happy.”
Fellow Skoda driver Steve Glenney maximum scored on the final ARC round, which was some consolation to missing out on the title.
“I’ve got to say, it’s a dream come true to be in the middle of the WRC here and winning the Australian round,” said Glenney. “It’s been a crazy weekend, we’ve all had some dramas, but we’re here and to be in the top 10 of the WRC overall is really something special for me.”
Alberto Heller won the WRC2 category in his Ford Fiesta R5. The Chilean was short on competition, especially when his brother Pedro Heller dropped his sister car onto its side on Saturday afternoon.
Alberto said: “This is fantastic result for me. It’s only my second ever WRC2 round and the first time I competed at this level I had a really big crash in Argentina, so I am happy. It’s been quite difficult to drive with a big lead, but I am here for the experience – that’s what I wanted.”
Heller flew directly back to Chile, where he and his brother went from the airport to the recce for the penultimate round of the South American series – where both of them stand a chance to win the title.
Triple APRC champion Gaurav Gill had been firmly in control of the RC2 class (all R5 drivers including those not registered for WRC2) and the Indian would have been on for a finish well inside the top 10 had he not slid off the road when he had little to gain or prove in his Mrf-backed Ford Fiesta R5.