Teams Championship – mid-season update
Four teams have registered to date for the Rally Challenge Teams Cup within the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, with teams combining their finishing position and power stage result in their respective class (4WD or 2WD) to come up with a total team score for each round.
Entries were received from the two-wheel drive duo of Pat Norris & Jared Parker (Thunderbirds are go) and four-wheel drive teams of Carter Strang and Caleb MacDonald (EVO South), Andrew Graves & Paul Cross (Team Southern GpA Classic 4WD), plus the North Island duo of championship rookies Jay Pittams & Gavin Feast (BOP Subibois).
The season got underway with the Otago Rally and the smooth, wide open highways around Lawrence on the opening day. With just the two entries in the 2wd class, Thunderbirds are go would claim a solid haul of 56 points to kick off their campaign. The EVO South team mates had a day long battle, securing them second and third in the rally challenge, split by only 5.7 seconds at days end. They would be rewarded with 47 points, edging out Team Southern GpA Classic 4WD who tallied up 43. Both learning on their first rally in the South Island, BOP Subibois came home with a dual finish and 32 points on the board.
Next up in the Southern Swing was the South Canterbury Rally and more fast, furious action. With a couple of locals joining the Challenge 2WD class, Thunderbirds are go would have to set a bit more of a pace. They would again take the highest points haul with a second and a third gaining them 48 points, just ahead of a consistent EVO South who secured 47 points for the second event on the trot. Third for the event were BOP Subibois, stepping up their pace to secure 35 points. Team Southern GpA Classic 4WD were on to top the table for the event, before a gearbox failure saw Graves DNF, while Cross would secure 21 points for the team.
The return of championship to Southland after a 20 year hiatus for the Southern Lights Rally saw several new dimensions. While the threat of sleet, snow and ice never eventuated, two stages in the dark added another dimension to the event which would put the EVO South and Team Southern GpA Classic 4WD teams onto home soil.
While the wide open stages weren’t exactly suited to the small 2WD Toyotas of Thunderbirds are go, the pair would again show consistency is the key with another 56 point haul for first and second in class. Things were pretty tight behind them with Team Southern GpA Classic 4WD securing 47 points, just ahead of the 45 scored by EVO South. Unfortunately for BOP Subibois, a CV issue on the way to stage two for Pittams and suspension failure for Feast saw the pair fail to put any points on the board.
The net result is Thunderbirds are go lead the Rally Challenge Teams Cup with 160 points, heading off EVO South on 139, Team Southern GpA Classic 4WD on 111 and BOP Subibois on 67.
There is still plenty to fight for in the back half of the season and with Challenge competitors not needing to contest all rounds, the leaderboard could be in for a shake up before the Championship wraps up in Whangarei on November 10.
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