Stokes (Skoda Fabia Rally2) collected his second career NZRC round win, holding off three-time national champion Ben Hunt (Fabia Rally2) by just 1.4sec in a gripping battle between the pair.
A spin by Hunt in stage three — the first of four forestry stages — proved the difference as he dropped almost 19sec to his Canterbury rival.
Hunt then fought back with an impressive afternoon charge but came up just short in his bid to win a fourth event on the 2025 calendar.
He will take a nine-point lead into the final round of the championship at Whangarei next month.
Jack Stokes came home third in his Ford Fiesta AP4, with Jack Hawkeswood (GR Yaris) and Josh Marston (Holden Barina AP4) fifth.
Dunedin driver Emma Gilmour’s return to the New Zealand Rally Championship ended in disappointment with a mechanical failure on stage two of the 10-stage rally.
"Unfortunately, the exhaust manifold cracked on the second stage," Gilmour said.
"This created a small fire under the bonnet, which melted some of the wiring, solenoids and the sensors.
"Effectively our rally was over before it began."
Gilmour and Australian co-driver Ben Searcy will now focus on preparations for Rally Tasmania next month.
Gilmour will drive a Skoda Fabia R5 owned and run by Perth-based Maximum Motorsport.
Bryn Jones (Ford Fiesta Rally4) won the NZRC 2WD class on Saturday for the fifth straight time this year to take a commanding lead over Dunedin driver Tim Mackersy.
Dave Strong bounced back from a couple of rough outings to secure maximum points in the open 2WD class.
Deane Buist’s masterclass in the historic 2WD class continued as he produced another sublime performance to be sixth overall and first in class in a Ford Escort.
The Rally Challenge was a war of attrition, as championship leader Caleb Macdonald crashed heavily earlier in the day in his Mitsubishi EVO 6.
He will likely need another car to win the title at Whangārei.
Julien Lenglet crashed out on the penultimate stage, while newcomer Will Menzies went off the road midway through the afternoon.
Ben Huband (Subaru Impreza) survived the drama of the Rally Challenge 4WD class to come out on top, while Josh Keighley (Subaru H6) claimed a terrific second place and local driver Gavin Feast nursed his Subaru WRX home for third.
Keighley beat Kevin Laird (Subaru H6) home in the group A battle. — Allied Media
