State News: Dwyer and Adams seal Walky hatrick

Declan Dwyer and Craig Adams have won their third consecutive Copyworld Walky100 in a dramatic ending to the CAMS South Australian Rally Championship’s penultimate round.

The duo were pushed all the way to the end of the 14-stage rally with just four seconds separating the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6 pilots and eventual runners-up Zayne Admiraal and Matthew Heywood.

Barely anything separated the two teams with Dwyer drawing first blood to claim two of the first three stages and take a lead out to 20 seconds, before four consecutive stage wins from the Subaru WRX saw them equalise Dwyer’s outright time.

Photo: Ryan Schembri – http://www.rush.media

For the remainder of the rally it was neck and neck as the drivers posted equal fastest times on two stages, however it was Dwyer who managed to win more stages, all by two seconds or less, to post a final time of 46 minutes and 18 seconds.

With a time penalty handed to Admiraal moving his total time to 47 minutes and two seconds, the final margin of 44 seconds did not reflect the entertaining battle that ensued between both drivers.

Despite losing out on the outright victory, Admiraal and Heywood still managed to secure the P5 class, while Dwyer and Adams’s win also saw them take out the P6 class.

Photo: Ryan Schembri – http://www.rush.media

Behind the wheel of the Ford Escort Mk2 Warrior, Matthew Selley and Hamish McKendrick rounded out the podium after multiple stage top three placings throughout the day, while also claiming the CRC class.

Rounding out the top five were two Subaru WRX STis with Shane Alker and Karien Heimsohn posting the fourth fastest time while championship leader, Peter Schey and CAMS Australian Rally Championship navigator Kate Catford secured fifth.

Photo: Ryan Schembri – http://www.rush.media

Stuart Bowes and Mark Nelson won the Classic class in their Mercedes 450SLC 5.0L, while Damian Reed and Dale Neighbour took out the P4 class behind the wheel of the Nissan Silvia S13.

It was a disappointing outing for the 2017 CAMS South Australian Rally Champions Aaron Bowering and Heath Weedon, the pair forced to retire on Special Stage six after a promising start saw them win the opening stage.

Photo: Ryan Schembri – http://www.rush.medi

The Subaru WRX drivers were one of three drivers that did not make it to the end of the rally, with Blake and Trent Clare falling short in the same stage.

Schey’s top five finish sees him remain on the top of the championship standings, while Bowering’s retirement see Admiraal and Bowes move above him to sit second and third outright.

Photo: Ryan Schembri – http://www.rush.media

The next round of the CAMS South Australian Rally Championship takes place at the 2018 Bott Adelaide Hills Rally on 21 – 23 September which also forms part of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship.