TWO OUT OF THREE AINT BAD FOR MASON
By Chris Grant
12th June, 2007
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Photographer: Corina McDougall |
The first was being awarded the RALLY FOUNDERS TROPHY - which he also won in 2003 - at the annual MotorSport New Zealand Awards dinner at the Duxton Hotel in Wellington on Saturday May 26.
Then over Queens Birthday weekend Richard and Co-Driver and Fiancee Sara Randall steered their bright yellow BNT Subaru back to the top of the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship [NZRC] standings with an emphatic victory at Round 3 - the Trust House Racetech Rally Wairarapa.
The defending champions were in such dominant form that they won the last 11 - of the 14 - high speed special stages, winning by over 2 minutes, and turned a 23 point deficit into a 2 point lead in the NZRC with three rounds to go.
"Sunday's [8] stages around Eketahuna will go down as the best skids we have had for a very long time, and it was awesome to get back into the championship lead straight away."
The second awards function that Richard and Sara attended was the Radio Sport Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards last Wednesday June 6 - again at the Duxton Hotel.
This time Richard was nominated for the TUI SPORTSMAN OF THE YEAR and found himself up against Craig Bradshaw (Basketball), Gareth Hyett (Athletics) and the eventual winner Stephen Fleming (Cricket), while the premier Radio Sport Sportsperson of the Year went to champion lady golfer Lynette Brooky.
"These are both highly sortafter awards, one within our sport itself, while the other covers all sports. It certainly was a great privilege to be nominated and an ideal opportunity to firstly, share our NZRC success with our [Richard Mason Motorsport] Team, and then spend time with our region's top sports people and administrators."
The NZRC now takes a two month break before reconvening in Hastings for the Tomoana Warehousing Rally of Hawkes Bay over the weekend of August 3rd and 4th, but it is anything but a quiet time for the Masterton Flyers as they are back off to China for the next round of the China Rally Championship this weekend - June 16-17 - the all-tarmac Rally of Beijing.
"Without doubt this one is going to be our toughest assignment yet in China, as not only do we have limited tarmac experience ourselves at this level, but some of our opposition are absolute experts in this type of rallying and will have purpose-built the cars and tyres.
"However, as always, that wont stop us getting out there and giving it our best shot. Afterall if we want to realise our goal of competing in the whole Production World Rally Championship [P-WRC] in the future, we are going to have to become competitive on all surfaces - which means not only gravel, but tarmac and snow as well."
As part of that process Richard and Sara will be back in their BNT Subaru as soon as they return from China at the Hamilton Car Club promoted, Genuine Vehicle Imports (GVI) Rally of Waitomo - another all-tarmac rally being run out of Te Kuiti on Saturday June 23. They will use 'EVOETA' as one of the organiser’s safety cars, running just a few minutes ahead of the competitors, warning spectators and marshals, that the event is near.
Rally chairman Steve Burley said “it’s a bit of a coup to get Richard and Sara, and even though they’re not competing, spectators will still be able to see NZ’s No1 pairing in action, and in their current car. Actually they are doing this as a bit of a favour for me as we’ve been friends for a long time now”.
Both Richard and Sara will be available with the BNT Subaru at a signing session at the finish of the event in Te Kuiti between 5 and 5.30pm.
Television coverage of the Trust House Racetech Rally Wairarapa will be aired on Powerbuilt Motorsport TV One (8th July)
Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship points after 3 (of 6) rounds-
Group N 4WD - Drivers Goldstar (top-four)
1. Richard Mason - 146
2. Hayden Paddon - 144
3. Sam Murray - 126
4. Dean Sumner - 104
Group N 4WD - Co-Drivers Goldstar (top-four)
1. Sara Randall - 146
2. John Kennard - 146
3. Rob Ryan - 128
4. Paul Fallon - 104
Note: Sara leads after applying the NZRC Tie-Break Rule of having won more Rounds - 2 to 1.
For further information about the Trust House Racetech Rally Wairarapa - www.rallywairarapa.co.nz
For Rally Results & Information - www.chrissport.co.nz
For further information about the 2007 Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship - www.motorsport.org.nz/Rally/nzrc/index.htm
For further information about the MotorSport New Zealand Premier Awards - http://www.motorsport.org.nz/News/news9May07MSNZ.htm
For further information about the Radio Sport Wellington Sportsperson of the Year Awards 2007 -
http://admin.eventdirector.net/resources/SPWEL/SITES/244/default.asp?PageID=6921
For further information about the Genuine Vehicle Imports (GVI) Rally of Waitomo - www.hamiltoncarclub.org.nz
Next.... Photo Album
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