The Kiwis dominated the first day of the ARC endurance round, winning nine out of ten stages.
Performance Highlights
[IMAGE0CONTEXT:bmw_unknown] The Kiwis clinched victory in nine out of ten stages during the ARC endurance round on the opening day. Competing in their Hyundai i20N, the leaders of the EROAD Australian Rally Championship narrowly missed a clean sweep, with Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin taking the final night stage. This fourth round marked the introduction of night stages and was the first endurance event of the year, differing from the usual sprint rounds.
Endurance Round Format
In endurance rounds, the competition spans two days without splitting into heats, allowing for a continuation of the first day’s stages. The event winner is awarded 100 championship points, compared to 50 points for each day in sprint rounds. “We did most of our heavy lifting in the daytime; the car’s feeling really good on the first loop. Tonight was enjoyable but tricky, especially when you are protecting the lead,” said Paddon.
Standings and Competitors
Following the Kiwis, Harry Bates and Corall Tayor finished second, just 10.1 seconds ahead of their Toyota Gazoo Racing Australia teammates, Bates and McLoughlin. Alex Rullo and Steve Glenney, driving their Hyundai i20 N Rally 2, trailed the Toyota GR Yaris duo by two minutes but maintained a significant lead of over five minutes ahead of the fifth-place competitors.
A standout performance came from Bodie Reading and Brad Jones in their Production Cup Subaru Impreza WRX STi, who finished fifth overall. They outpaced Danny Traverso and Anthony Carr (Mitsubishi Evo 9), Stewart Reid and Bella Haggarty (Mitsubishi Mirage), Troy Dowel and Bernie Webb (Yaris GR), Tony Sullens and Kaylie Newell (Citroen DS3), and Kevin Millard and Patrick Hughes (Evo 9).
Clayton Hoy and Erin Kelly had a strong start with a fifth and fourth place finish in the first two stages, but their Production Cup Evo 6 unfortunately hit a tree stump.
Looking Ahead
The fourth round of the EROAD Australian Rally Championship continues on Sunday with an additional eight stages, promising more thrilling action.