Inkster happy with progress at Wairarapa

02-06-2011

Glenn Inkster has come away from Rally Wairarapa, the third round of the New Zealand Rally Championship, happy with progress made during his seventh place finish.

Inkster came to the event looking for a clean run after a roll-over at the previous round, Rally New Zealand. His approach of slow and steady for day one could not have worked any better as he was the fastest car across the opening stage, setting a new record in the process.

A couple of stage times inside the top six meant Inkster entered the first service after stage three in fifth place, in touch with the rally leaders. He maintained the position across the next three stages with a string of top-five stage times.

The treacherous stage seven was one Inkster was not looking forward to with its treacherous 'goat-track' like middle section, but it became even more difficult when the TransNet Mitsubishi Evo 9 lost brakes and over a minute was lost, dropping Inkster to seventh, sixth of the Group N runners, a result he maintained through the final stage of the day.

Day two saw another strong start with Inkster and co-driver Glenn Goldring setting the third fastest time on stage one before settling into a battle in the lower top five on the following two special stages.

With changes made at service, a further string of top six times across the next four stages was not enough for them to keep in the top five, slipping to sixth, although only 3.9 seconds off returning into the top five. The two stage run to the finish of the rally saw more changes and the Auckland pairing jumped into fifth spot, fourth amongst the Group N runners.

The two legs combined saw the pair score a seventh placed finish and now sit sixth in the NZRC, although only six points behind fifth place.

Inkster now turns his attention to this weekend's Targa Rotorua. After winning the Targa Bambina earlier this year, Inkster has stuck with the winning Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6.5 and co-driver Spencer Winn.