RallySport Magazine September 2016

GEORGE DERRICK PYRENEES RUSH
WINDUS ORDERS RUSH WIN
Story: CRAIG O’BRIEN
Arron Windus, with co driver Joe
Brick (Subaru), clinched their
second win, by a mere two
seconds at the Leech’s Mitsubishi Pyrenees
Rush on August 28, ahead of Will
Orders and Toni Feaver (Mitsubishi).
Warren Lee and David Lethlean in
another Mitsubishi completed the
podium.
Following the cancellation of the
weather affected Bega Valley Rally in
June, the Victorian Rally Championship
resumed in the small township of
Avoca in the heart of the Pyrenees.
A field of 44 crews had entered the
rally, although Justin Dowel and
championship leader, Darren Windus,
were late withdrawals.
This presented young Arron, who was
returning from competing for Vauxhall
in the British Junior Rally Championship,
with the opportunity to step into the
car his father has campaigned so
successfully over the last 18 months.
Other notable entries included the
Mackenzie brothers, Steven and Brent,
in their G2 specification Ford Fiesta, and
four-time Australian Rally Champion,
Simon Evans, calling the notes for Luke
Sytema in an Escort.
Consistent rain throughout August
ensured dust would be at a minimum,
but the challenging roads caught out
one crew early in SS1, neutralising the
stage and forcing the field to regroup at
the beginning of SS2.
When action got back underway for
SS2, Windus/Brick set the pace, but
snapping at their heels were Andrew
Murdoch/Jason Whitaker (Subaru)
and Orders/Feaver, with six seconds
covering the trio after the two opening
stages.
Further back in the field, Brad Till/
Mitch Garrad had a soft roll but
continued on, despite looking a little
worse for wear, while Wayne Stewart/
Ray Farrell had a turbo fail on their
WRX.
Windus was determined to go well
on the 29km test of SS4, which bit him
hard when the championship last used
the stage at the 2015 Begonia Rally,
and he succeeded, winning the stage
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70 | RALLYSPORT MAGAZINE - SEPTEMBER 2016
Arron Windus again showed
his natural ability and speed.
(Photo: John Doutch)
and claiming the heat one win by 15
seconds from Orders.
The star of the stage, though, was
the local crew of Andrew Daniell/Emily
Leech, who banked on local knowledge
rather than pacenotes to record the
fourth fastest stage time in their Datsun
Stanza.
Will Orders lost the
event by just two
seconds. (Photo:
John Doutch)
For more details call
Dominic on 0499 981 188