Coffs Coast Rally Team’s Nathan Quinn and Ben Searcy have made the perfect start to Lightforce Rally SA, fastest on all four stages this afternoon to grab an early 23 second lead from Subaru do Motorsport’s Molly Taylor and Bill Hayes.
Round four of the CAMS Australian Rally Championship continues this evening with four night stages around the Barossa and through the Mount Crawford forest.
Toyota Genuine Parts’ Harry Bates and John McCarthy, championship leaders heading into round four, were sidelined before the first stage, the new Toyota Yaris AP4 suffering an engine misfire. The pair started the event but immediately returned to the service park. Unable to resolve the issue, the team will be hoping to start heat two in the morning.
Contel Mobile Communications’ Craig Brooks and Steve Glenney are sitting in third position and leading the ARC2 class, followed by Koscziousko Automotive Rally Team’s Andrew and Kirra Penny in fourth. Maximum Motorsport’s John O’Dowd and Ken Sheil round out the top five.
Neal Bates Motorsport’s Lewis Bates and Dale Moscatt currently lead Ryde Auto Group’s Adam Kaplan and Aleshia Penny in the ARC 2WD class by just seven seconds.
CAMS ARC2 leader Tony Sullens made an early exit from the event, blowing the engine in his Subaru Impreza WRX STi on stage one; McM Rallysport’s Stephen Mee and Matthew Harriot broke a drive shaft on the first stage and will rejoin the event this evening.
Lightforce Rally SA continues tomorrow at 8:30am with six stages and over 90 kilometres of competition. Follow the event on ARC Twitter, get stage-by-stage rally results or view live timing.
ARC Results after 4 stages:
1. 4 QUINN/SEARCY 34:34.3
2. 1 TAYLOR/HAYES 34:58.1 +00:23.8
3. 7 BROOKS/GLENNEY 35:44.0 +01:09.7
4. 8 PENNY/PENNY 37:19.1 +02:44.8
5. 9 O’DOWD/SHEIL 38:06.5 +03:32.2
6. 510 CALDER/CALDICOTT 38:24.1 +03:49.8
7. 12 BATES/MOSCATT 39:20.7 +04:46.4
8. 10 KAPLAN/PENNEY 39:27.5 +04:53.2
9. 11 DUNN/NEAGLE 40:56.4 +06:22.1
