Just two weeks after winning Rally Nelson, South Auckland driver Ben Hunt has taken his Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo to another win, this time the Pukekohe Car Club Winger Subaru Maramarua Rally.
Raana Horan, also in a Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo, had held a handy 17-second lead over Hunt at the service break, with Phil Campbell another 34-seconds back in his Ford Fiesta AP4.
Hunt had closed the gap to nine-seconds heading into the final stage, but Horan went off the road early in the stage, and was forced to retire with a damaged radiator.
Hunt took the win, but it was Campbell who finished second and took out the Winmax Brake Pads North Island Rally Series top spot as Hunt is not registered.
Campbell now leads the NIRS points over Clint Cunningham in his RCK Contractors Skoda.
Third overall and first two-wheel drive went to Charlie Evans, Mazda RX7. Evans admitted that his knowledge and experience of the roads in this forest had been a big advantage as the rally was run without pace notes. His performance won him the Winmax Brakes Drive of the day Trophy and a set of Hoosier Rally Tyres.
The rally was held exactly 50 years after Mike Marshall won the very first Maramarua event in a Ford Escort. Unfortunately for Mike’s son Nick, a damaged sump in his Peugeot saw him retire, unable to repeat his father’s win.
Jay Pittams, Subaru WRX, finished third in the NIRS standings.
The North Island Rally Series competitors will head to Bay of Plenty on 15 October 2023 for the next round which will include competitors from the Brian Green Property Group NZRC, Regional and Clubmans competitors.
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