Toyota Genuine Parts’ Harry Bates and Tankformers’ Eli Evans and are locked in a tight battle at round five of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship in the Adelaide Hills.
Only seconds separated the pair on this morning’s four stages at the BOTT Adelaide Hills Rally, Bates and co-driver John McCarthy with the upper hand at the midday service, leading Evans by just 2.3 seconds.
Bates had the Yaris AP4 flying, fastest on three stages, while Evans and co-driver Ben Searcy grabbed the stage win on the first stage of the day in the Skoda Fabia R5.
Contel Communications Steve Glenney and Andy Sarandis are pushing their Subaru Impreza WRX STi hard to stay in touch with the leaders, trailing Bates by 19.4 seconds after SS6. Subaru do Motorsport’s Molly Taylor and Malcolm Read sit fourth outright while Lewis Bates and Dale Moscatt round out the top five in the Corolla S2000.
In ARC2, Glenney leads the way from South Australia’s Declan Dwyer with Zayne Admiraal in third – in the South Australian Rally Championship, Dwyer holds the advantage over Championship leader Peter Schey.
The BOTT Adelaide Hills Rally continues this afternoon with two passes of the 37-kilometre Monarto Mega stage.