United Kingdom team Vince Bristow and co-driver Dean Mitchell seized a slim lead in the Silver Fern Rally last night as the cars arrived in Timaru.
It was the eight-day event's mid-point, after starting in Picton on Saturday with 57 cars, including 18 international drivers.
Cantabrian Jeff Judd and co-driver Mark Smith led the Historic Trophy class comfortably when the rally left Christchurch yesterday morning, but heading the field meant he had to sweep the thick gravel off the road.
On the second stage, he spun, bending the steering and then copped a puncture and had to drive 3.4km with a flat tyre.
His lead was eroded to just 10sec with two stages remaining. On the penultimate stage, Bristow took the fastest time and the lead by 4.6sec.
Judd had one final stage to retake the lead, but after third-placed Brent Rawstron and Ian McKee, of Christchurch, rolled their Ford Escort, the final stage was cancelled, leaving Bristow with a narrow margin over Judd.
Two of New Zealand rallying's big names from years past, Paraparaumu's Shane Murland and Brian Stokes, of Waikuku, showed plenty of speed yesterday.
In the Challenge section, for more modern two-wheel drive cars, four-time New Zealand Rally Champion Bruce Herbert won all the morning stages in his Mitsubishi, but it is Dave Strong/Rob Scott, of Auckland, in their Honda Civic R, who maintain a healthy lead ahead over Nelson's Garry Adcock/Mark Dalton (BMW M3 CSL) and Dunedin pair Brodie Anderson/Rob McConachie (Ford Escort).
Today, the cars have a lunchtime service park at Kurow at 12.55pm. They resume with stages at Danseys Pass and Silverpeaks before arriving in Dunedin at Mitre 10 Mega at 5.10pm.
Tomorrow they depart Dunedin and do three special stages at Hindon, Goldfields Trail and Tuapeka, before a service park at the Clutha Valley School at 12.20pm. Afternoon stages follow at Pomahaka, Mokoreta and Donview, before arriving at Invercargill's Ascot Park Hotel at 4.50pm.
On Friday, the cars leave at 8am, completing three stages before a service park in Richmond St, Gore, at 11.50am. Stages follow at Pyramid, Leithan Hill and Rocky Hill before the day's end service park on Wanaka's water front.
The event's final day on Saturday starts from Wanaka's Lone Star at 8.30am with stages at Tarras, Thompson Gorge and St Bathans Downs. After an Omakau service park at 11.45am, there are two stages left - Crawford Hills and five laps of Cromwell's Highlands Motorsport Park starting at 2pm.
The cars that have lasted the 1150km of special stages then tour back to Queenstown to the finish in Beach St, from 3.15pm.
Route details are on the event website, www.silverfernrally.co.nz
