Hunt, in his Subaru WRX STI, started the event three points behind David Holder, of Tauranga, who was third overall in the event won by Masterton's Richard Mason. Mason had already wrapped up his fifth title in his Subaru WRX STI after the fourth round of the six-round championship.
On Saturday, he extended his record count of NZRC round victories to 28 and co-driving wife Sara has now reached 25, making her the most successful national championship co-driver.
Their Daybreaker Rally victory was hard earned as, following a dominant morning that resulted in them securing a commanding 65sec lead with just two stages and 33km to run, a broken left-rear shock absorber meant they had to drive to survive.
''The car was driving us rather than us driving it, Richard said.
''It was a real handful, but we managed to keep it all together.''
With a 4am start, the first two stages of 11 were held in the dark and Hunt was always ahead of Holder, who had the services of Hayden Paddon's World Rally Championship co-driver, John Kennard.
In their battle for the championship runner-up position, Hunt won three of the final four stages, while Holder was fastest on the other test.
Hunt's crew had to change the left front brake caliper on his STI before the final three stages after it began leaking brake fluid but he still managed to beat his rival by 70sec, while closing the gap to Mason to 43sec at the finish.
Holder was third overall in the six-round series and won the junior championship for drivers under 25. Lance Williams (18), of Te Aroha, in another Subaru, finished fifth on the points table and picked up the rookie title for drivers attempting the championship for the first time.
Subaru claimed the manufacturer's title - with a 38-point margin over Mitsubishi - for the ninth time.
