Gilmour all smiles after break-through result
It might not have been the rally win but Emma Gilmour might have been the biggest winner at Rally Bay of Plenty after a break-through podium finish.
Gilmour has endured an horrific run in the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship over the past few seasons thanks to a mixture of mechanical failures, misfortune and a nasty crash that resulted in a severe concussion last year.
The 2016 Rally Canterbury winner has been one of New Zealand’s leading drivers for the past two decades, but she has endured a rough patch since her maiden win.
The weekend’s second-place finish was her first podium since that win in 2016 and it was very rewarding for the Dunedin driver.
“It was an amazing day, really enjoyed the roads, the car was awesome,” Gilmour said. “I really felt I got the hang of the car after Ashley Forest and so I was looking forward to BOP.
“Ollie my mechanic from Paddon Rally Sport did an awesome job looking after the car.
“Malcolm [co-driver Malcolm Read] – we really gelled – we were still getting used to each other at Daybreaker.
“Very rewarding – even just the last year coming back from my crash and my concussion. Where I was a year ago – sitting on the couch pretty unwell – to be here and having so much fun driving this car is the best feeling in the world.”
Gilmour’s Bay of Plenty result bodes well for the future – showcasing she has what it takes to fight for rally wins, especially now that she is getting to grips with her Vantage New Zealand Citroen C3.
“I knew what the car could do, and it was just unlocking what I needed to do to get there,” she said. “It has been about building to that – this has been the most miles I have done in a season for a very long time – the more miles I do in the car, it can only get better.”
Gilmour can secure a top three finish in the championship with a strong result at the final round in Whangarei next month.
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