Auckland-based Ben Hunt and co-driver Tony Rawstorn won their first national rally championship title yesterday, after a conservative drive in one of the most closely fought rounds of the New Zealand Rally Championship.
Victory in the final round, the Rally Wairarapa, went to Rangiora brother and sister Matt and Nicole Summerfield, Hunt came to the event needing only a 16th place.
He never showed the form that has seen him secure maximum points in four of this season's events, but was always in a position good enough to win his first national championship.
''It's not even a dream. I could never have imagined this after it all started when I won the Rally New Zealand rising stars scholarship seven years ago.
I just really have to thank everyone that trusted me across that time that has made this happen,'' a jubilant Hunt said.
Summerfield, who picked first on the road at the pre-event start-order draw, took the lead on stage two after a major charge through the infamous Ridge Rd, where he wrested the lead from stage one winners David Holder and Jason Farmer.
Summerfield held the edge in the morning before heavy gravel hampered him and Holder closed the gap, which had been as much as 3sec, to 0.7sec going into the final stage of the afternoon.
An epic battle loomed between two of the sport's rising stars through the final stage and in the end, a spin from Holder decided the fight in Summerfield's favour.
''It's just unbelievable to win after a hard year we've had at times. It's a testament to all the team and the sponsors that made this happen,'' Summerfield said.
Behind the leading duo, Dunedin's Emma Gilmour showed her best pace of the season to record a solid third place in her Suzuki Swift Maxi.
In the class battles, Kaiapoi's Marcus van Klink took a clearcut victory after both Andy Martin and Tony Gosling struck troubles.
The result also secured van Klink a third NZRC historic title.
The four-wheel-drive Gull Rally Challenge was dominated by Darren Galbraith, who led home series champion Richard Bateman and series runner-up Tyler Radovan.
In the two-wheel drive category, Anthony Jones prevailed, ahead of the similar Ford Escort of Regan Ross, while third place was enough to secure the title for Justin Glavish and Michele Brunt in their Toyota Starlet.
