RallySport Magazine September 2016

Peter Roberts added
a Border Ranges
victory to his win in
Batemans Bay.
The immaculate VW Polo S2000 of
Marius Swart and Alan Stean only made
it to SS5 before drive problems brought
their weekend to a premature end.
Roberts and Bishop did not have it
all their own way, with the lead classics
breathing down their necks on stage
times.
Peter Kahler (son of the late George)
had recently made the conversion
to 4WD with a Lancer Evo 6, and he
and co-driver, Claire Buccini, were
improving with every kilometre,
clocking times inside the top five almost
from the outset.
This was the battle that the
organisers hoped for with incredibly
close overall times being swapped
by the Japanese turbo 4WDs and the
brilliant-sounding classics.
There were simply seconds
separating the quickest cars.
SS8 ‘Toonumbar 2’ over 19 kilometres
was cancelled due to safety reasons,
with reports of local anti-rally
protesters throwing burning clumps of
rags onto the road, and some further
reports of officials being threatened.
This unnecessary behaviour caused
much concern for all parties and
reminded everyone of the antics of
the anti-WRC brigade seven years ago
in the district. On the occasion of the
WRC, protesters blockaded and delayed
cars and damaged property.
Thankfully, the third run over
the brilliant 8.30km Hillyards stage
provided the exciting climax to the
event that everyone wanted.
28 finishers were recognised at rally
end, with the win going to a flawless
performance by Roberts/Crowley, from
Bishop/Woolley. A consistent and quick
run by Kahler/Buccini saw the new
team take third spot on the podium.
Derek Ayson and Cate Kelly held off
the classic and 2WD competition to take
a brilliant fourth outright, in front of
Steve Tonna/Peter Graham (Evo 5), and
holding off the Celica of Badenoch/Kelly
in sixth and the insane Keogh Quattro
in seventh.
Such was the tightness of the
competition, the top five cars were
Rob Bishop secured
the 2016 MRF Tyres
Queensland Rally
Championship with
one round to go.
only separated by 90 seconds on the
timesheet, and position six to 10 were
also spaced over a mere 75 seconds.
With Derek Ayson heading back to
New Zealand after Border Ranges to
contest the Hanmer Rally the next
weekend, his parting words were
positive and encouraging.
“Thanks for another well organised
rally, and I would love to get a few more
Kiwis back sometime as this is truly an
amazing event,” Ayson said.
While the Border Ranges Rally may
not have the exposure of the Otago, it’s
an event that has much to offer and a
local rally community that is inspired to
take it to the next level.
SEPTEMBER 2016 - RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE | 63