Final round of Marlboro Rally

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33959, 27 September 1975, Page 20

Final round of Marlboro Rally

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON

The fourth and final round of the inaugural $20,000 Marlboro car rally series to be run this week-end, sees Rod Millen of Auckland begin with a 12-point lead and the favourite to take over-all honours.

Millen, second in the Heatway Rally this year, has 46 points from the first three rounds in his Mazda. In second place is Trevor Crowe (Christchurch), in a l2oocc Datsun with 34 points. Crowe is the only driver who can overtake Millen. But for this to happen Millen would have to fail to finish and Crowe would have to be among the first three. The Heatway winner, Mike Marshall, considered by many as New Zealand’s top rally driver, is well back in fifth place with 20 points. He was forced to retire from the first and third stages with mechanical problems but won the second stage at Christchurch. But Marshall will be driving without his usual codriver, Arthur McWatt, who is the organiser of the final stage. As well, Marshall’s Mk II Escort is in Australia where he will drive it in the Southern Cross Rally. He will drive a lower-powered Escort. The final stage begins at Hamilton at 1 p.m. on Saturday and will finish about

12.45 p.m. on Sunday. It takes in 14 separate stages over the 870 Km, including a special division over the Kaimai Ranges. The Rally has also been split into classes. Crowe, (01300 cc), and Millen, (1601 cc and over), have commanding leads in their classes, as has Steve Emson driving a Datsun 1600 in the 1301-1600 cc class. Cars beginning the stage total 138.