The Masons – The statistics…
Last weekend Richard & Sara Mason wrote their names into the history books of NZ rallying with a record fifth national rally title. The Masons are without a doubt a class act in NZ rallying and over the course of those five titles have set an amazing string of stats through ultra-consistent performances.
With the assistance of the NZRC results coordinator Chris Grant from www.chrissport.co.nz, we’ve taken a look back at some of the highlights from the Mason’s career. While they have won a record fifth title, underlying that is the impressive way in which it has been achieved.
Be it test cricket, rugby or any other code, there are not many sports people in NZ with a list of achievements as that which follows………
The Masons – The Stats:
National titles – Richard has won the National title 5 times – 2005,2006,2011,2012,2014
– Sara has won the NZRC Co-driver title 4 times – 2006,2011,2012,2014 (2005 title lost by 1 point as unavailable for one round due to university exams)
– Richard was also NZRC Junior Champion in 2002 and 2003.
Victory in debut season – during his NZRC Debut season in 2002, Richard won Hawkesbay Rally with Hamish Fenemor in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 5, and finished runner-up in the overall championship.
Victory in debut as a pairing – Joined forces with Sara in 2005 – At her first rally as a Co-driver they won Rally Gisborne, setting fastest time on 4 of the 5 stages.
Consistency – In 13 years in the NZRC since 2002, Richard has won 5 times, 2nd 4 times, 3rd 3 times, 4th once (2004 driving a Group N production car in the last year of Group A)
– In 10 years in NZRC since 2005, Sara has won 4 titles , 2nd 4 times, 3rd twice
Round victories (driver) – Richard has won 27 NZRC rounds – previous holder Neil Allport with 22 victories.
– 27 Round Wins are – Wairarapa 8 times, Hawkes Bay 5, Otago 5, Rotorua 2, Nelson 2, Rally NZ 2, PBMR 1, Whangarei 1, Canterbury 1.
Round victories (co-driver) – Sara has won 24 NZRC rounds – equal with Bob Haldane for the record.
Round victories at a single event –8 wins at Rally Wairarapa is the most NZRC victories at a single event, the next best total is held by 3 drivers: Geoff Arygle at Rally NZ, Bruce Herbert at Rotorua and Hayden Paddon at Whangarei.
Consecutive rounds wins – They hold the NZRC record for most consecutive round wins – 6 – from Wairarapa 2005 to Rotorua 2006.
-Previous best was 4 in a row held by Neil Allport/Bob Haldane in 1989/90; also equalled by Joe McAndrew/Bob Haldane in 1996 and Hayden Paddon/John Kennard in 2009. With 4 wins from 4 rounds so far in the 2014 championship, the Masons have currently achieved that so far this year also.
Strike rate – Since Richard & Sara joined forces in 2005 their podium strike rate has been 75% with 38 podiums from 51 starts.
Winning margin – The Masons hold the biggest NZRC Round Winning Margin – 8 minutes 21.7 seconds in the 2006 International Rally of Rotorua, and also the next two biggest winning margins in the last 10 years: 4mins 11.5 at 2014 Rally Otago and 4 mins 11.1 at the 2012 WRC Rally New Zealand.
– Their win at Rally Wairarapa 2014 is now the biggest winning margin at a One Day Round in the last 10 years: 2 min 44.6, which increases their own record of 2 mins 7.7 set at the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally last year.
Stage win clean sweep – They are the only crew to win every stage of an NZRC round in the last 10 years– and they have done that three times – 2006 Rotorua 12 out of 12, 2008 Otago 13 out of 13, and their most recent victory – 2014 Wairarapa 9 out of 9.
First Kiwi Home – They have twice been First Kiwi Home in WRC Rally NZ – 2006, 2007
International Podiums – Along with their NZRC success, they have also had good results on the International stage with Production WRC podium finishers including – 2006 Rally NZ, 2007 Rally NZ, 2009 Rally Australia (from 4 starts in the PWRC the Masons have recorded 3 podiums, the only exception being 2010 RNZ when DNF’d)
Stage Records – Hold the Stage record for Kuri Bush at 7.34.1; Holds NZer record for Whaanga Coast (2007) 21:48.
Anything missing?? – From 14 years in the NZRC, the Mason’s have won at all round locations, except five. Southland (which ran until 04), the one off 04 Waikato Tarmac Rally, Gisborne 2012, Daybreaker 2013, and the new Coromandel event are the only outstanding. Oddly enough the last two on that list are the two final events in the 2014 season………
2005 – Richard heading to his first National title – Photo Euan Cameron
2011 – The Masons secured their first of three titles in the left hand drive BNT Subaru they currently campaign. Photo: Euan Cameron
The BNT Mason Motorsport team behind the scenes, have also been a crucial part of the success.
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