Clinton driver Derek Ayson won the prestigious Otago Classic
Rally for the second year in succession, seeing off a tough
challenge from Kaikoura-based rival Regan Ross.
Dean Sumner snatched an unheralded victory ahead of Emma
Gilmour after long-time leader Chris West faltered on the
final stage of this weekend's Otago Rally.
Dean Sumner and Paul Fallon won the Rally of Otago, first
round of the New Zealand motor rally championship, today
after early leaders Chris West and Chris Cobham were forced
to retire on the final stage.
This weekend's Otago Rally marks the start of several
months of action for the more than 25 drivers who are
contesting the event as part of their entry in the 2010 New
Zealand Rally Championship.
Richard Mason decided there was no need to reinvent the wheel
and bought an ex-Prodrive current model hatchback Impreza to
contest this year's national rally championship.
Otago cannot claim any contenders in the national rally
championship this weekend but the other two categories are
liberally peppered with the region's drivers.
Competitors in the the National Championship Rally this
weekend start first with the first car leaving the Southern
Cross Hotel, High St, Dunedin at 6.45am.
