Sport - Racing : Motor

Cody Crocker chases record win

Canberra: Much to the chagrin of the rallyists, the iconic ‘Mineshaft Stage’ of the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship was scrapped due to safety concerns and lack of spectator interest.

The stage, according to the organiser of the Rally of Canberra, Mike Bell, had to be abandoned due to safety concerns and also as the stage was prone to accidents.

Added to it, last year, just a handful of people were there to witness this special stage.

Cody Crocker, the defending champion, with co-driver Ben Atkinson, will take full advantage given his familiarity of the surroundings.

The Australian will try to win here with his Subaru Impreza WRX Sti for the fifth time. Should he do that, he would surpass the records of legends Possum Bourne of New Zealand and Ross Dunkerton of Western Australia, who have won this rally four times each.

The MRF team had entered three cars for the event but the 26-year-old Indian driver Gaurav Gill has pulled out on doctor’s advice following a motorcycle accident. Gill is recuperating and is expected to join the team for the Rally of New Zealand next month.

Japanese star Katsuhiko Taguchi has continued to set the pace in the 2008 APRC by posting the fastest time among APRC competitors during the shakedown run for the rally scheduled on Saturday and Sunday. Taguchi (co-driver Mark Stacey) was the quickest over the Bluetts Forest sprint with a time of 2 minutes 02 s in his Mitsubishi Evo IX.

Taguchi posted the quickest time on his fourth and final run over the stage.

MRF’s Team Manager Lane Heenan said that the team’s Canberra preparation was as good as it could possibly be. “We haven’t had a hiccup all week,” said Heenan.

Team MRF is tight-lipped on the choice of tyres for Saturday’s opening leg but indicated that the team may start with a different rubber.

The Australian pair of Scott Pedder and co-driver Glen Weston is the new entrant to Team MRF. Pedder was upbeat and positive of doing well on his home ground. “I was second in 2002 and 2003 in the National Rally of Canberra,” said the tall Australian.

“I was a privateer then but I have a better- prepared car now so I should have a better chance at the top position this time,” said Pedder.

“Only an Australian can win the Rally of Canberra as the stages, besides being twisty, have deep crests which only Australians can dare to negotiate at high speeds,” he said.

The longest stage of the rally will be the Tidbinbilla stage covering 28.83km and will run as stage 1 and 10.

A total of 45 cars have entered in this event with eight cars registered for the APRC leg.

The 21st edition of the Rally of Canberra is all set for an exciting start through 18 competitive stages covering 220.52km.

The rally was formally inaugurated with the customary “Ceremonial Start”, which was held on Friday at 4 p.m. local time.

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