MASON & RANDALL HEAD OFF FOR MORE INTERNATIONAL RALLY ACTION
By Chris Grant
22nd October, 2007
|
Photographer: Euan Cameron |
This time it is to totally new territory - the WRC round in Japan this weekend (October 26-28) - where they will drive a Subaru Impreza for the TERAO AUTODOOR Team.
"This is another great opportunity to broaden our experience of competing in foreign conditions and the Japanese team have told us that as the car is an older model WRX and virtually standard, they want us to drive for a finish and use this year to build a foundation for the future," said Richard.
The Masterton Flyers domestic season wrapped up at Nelson and typified a season full of Highs and a couple of crucial Lows - that ultimately saw the defending champions finish 3rd in the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship [NZRC] for 2007 -even though their bright yellow BNT Subaru (EVOETA) won more NZRC special stages it started than all it's opposition combined.
"Having taken on the project of building our first-ever brand new latest model car, we said after Otago [the opening round in April] that we were on a specific programme to both learn how to drive and develop it as the season progressed, and that Rally NZ was the target time to be 'up to speed'," said Richard.
Two NZRC round wins - on debut at Otago and then a dominant performance at their 'home rally' at Wairarapa were followed up by a second consecutive PWRC podium finish at the WRC Rally NZ at the end of August.
Two PWRC stage wins, and 12 more times in the Top Five showed just how 'up to speed' NZ Rallying's top team were during the three day, 18 stage WRC event as they went flat out against the world's best production car drivers.
"We had a fantastic time at Rally NZ, and probably the most important thing we took away is that we again showed we have the ability to really mix it with the Best of the Best in this section of the WRC. So if/when the opportunity arises to do the full [PWRC] series, we know we can expect to be competitive right from the outset," said the new owner of Tom's Auto Services (2007) Ltd.
"Regardless of the [time-consuming] puncture and gearbox problem, we are actually very pleased with our overall performance at Rally NZ," commented NZ's fastest female rally competitor. “It’s never over until it’s over and we’ve well and truly learned that with rallying. As Richard keeps saying 'You never give up because others could be having even more dramas than you are!'"
"It's always wicked to be the first Kiwis home and to put the John Woolf/Grant Whittaker Trophy back in our trophy cabinet for another twelve months," said the recently announced Massey University Sportswoman of the Year, "and to help Subaru achieve a clean sweep of the PWRC podium and score Dunlop [Tyres] a top three finish on debut in the PWRC are right up there too."
"There's no doubting we all learned an awful lot during this season as we pushed the boundaries to see just how quick we could make the new 'EVOETA' go, and Dwight's [Dwight Scott from ScottSpeed Performance Engines] technical expertise was invaluable," said Richard.
"So now we can head off to Japan under little or no pressure, where gaining more experience of foreign terrain and driving to our boss's strict instructions will be the top priorities."
"It should be an interesting way to finish off what can best be described as a very 'interesting' year."
For further information about the WRC Rally Japan
Next.... Photo Album
More Items
1st September, 2010: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT BACK ON FORM AT NZRC RALLY NELSON - More
22nd August, 2010: MASON SOLID SECOND AFTER DAY ONE OF NZRC RALLY NELSON - More
21st August, 2010: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT ALL SET FOR NZRC RALLY NELSON - More
1st July, 2010: MASONS DETERMINED TO BEAT NORTHLAND 'HOO-DOO' AT RALLY WHANGAREI - More
7th June, 2010: MASON 'Does it for Stace' BY WINNING DUNLOP TARGA ROTORUA - More
6th June, 2010: MASON DOMINATES FIRST DAY OF DUNLOP TARGA ROTORUA - More
5th May, 2010: MASON TO JOIN WORLD CHAMPIONS FOR WRC RALLY NEW ZEALAND PRESS CONFERENCE - More
16th April, 2010: NEW BNT SUBARU A WINNER ON DEBUT AT NZRC RALLY OTAGO - More
8th April, 2010: CHANGES APLENTY FOR BNT MASON MOTORSPORT AT NZRC RALLY OTAGO - More
10th November, 2009: BNT Mason Motorsport segment in New Weekly Motorsport Show - More
10th November, 2009: End of Season - More
14th September, 2009: Coverage of Rally Oz - More
9th September, 2009: MORE HISTORY MADE BY BNT MASON MOTORSPORT AT WRC RALLY AUSTRALIA - More
6th September, 2009: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT FIGHTING HARD AT WRC RALLY AUSTRALIA - More
5th September, 2009: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT LEAD AFTER DAY ONE OF WRC RALLY AUSTRALIA - More
©2010 BNT Mason Motorsport. Website by Bev Randall