Midday Update – Evans leading Netier National Capital Rally

Eli Evans and Ben Searcy have taken an early lead in the Netier National Capital Rally in Canberra this morning.

Evans has a 19.7 second buffer to rival and local favourite Harry Bates after completing four stages to the south of Canberra this morning.

Driving the Race Torque Engineering Skoda R5 for the second event in a row, Evans posted the fastest time in three of this morning’s four stages, with Bates hitting back with the stage win on SS4 Homestead in the Toyota Genuine Parts Yaris AP4 just prior to the midday service.

Contel Communications’ Steve Glenney and Andy Sarandis sits in third, 32 seconds off the lead, followed by Yes! Optus’ Adrian Coppin and Glen Weston and the first of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship competitors, Cusco Racing’s Yuya Sumiyama and Takahiro Yasui.

Lewis Bates and Coral Taylor suffered mechanical issues after landing hard on SS2 Hibernian and have returned to the service park to assess the damage. Subaru do Motorsport’s Molly Taylor and Malcolm Read found it hard going on SS2 Hibernian, bending two rims which caused further issues in SS3 Wamboin River. This morning’s third stage took its toll on competitors, with Fabio Frisiero, Wayne Morton and Andrew Penny all stopped on stage.

Round three of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship continues this afternoon with a second pass of this morning’s stages, five competition stages in total.