Ford set to sweep Motogard

Press, 17 July 1979, Page 36

Ford set to sweep Motogard

From

JOHN FRIDD

in Taupo

Ford once again are going to sweep a New Zealand international rally. Late last night the only car capable of beating the potent Ford Escort RSIBOOS in the 1979 Motogard Rally fell by the wayside — Pentti Arrikkala’s Vauxhall Chevette DTV gave up the ghost as a camshaft failed stage 19, just outside Taupo. This left the two Ford works drivers, Hannu Mikkola and Ari Vatanen (both Finland) well in the lead in the 2160 km rally as the drivers set out for stage 20, west of Taupo.

Mikkola led by I.smin from Vatanen, and both seemed to be content to drive as a team, neither pressuring the other. Holding a slender third place was the veteran New Zealander, Blair Robson (Masport Escort), but he was almost 7 minutes behind Vatanen and was also being severely pressed by another New Zealander, Paul Adams, (Vinyltop Escort) and the first Datsun works driver, Timo Salanen (Finland). Stage 19 last night saw the whole pace of the rally change dramatically. Jim Donald (Masport Escort) was out with a blown motor, Mike Marshall (CRC Escort) lost half an hour after his car’s alternator fell off, Howard Collier (Escort), limped out of the frosty forest with a blown head gasket and withdrew from the event whole holding sixth place. The talented John Woolf (Vinyltop Mazda RX3> lost a rear wheel and withdrew. Timo Salonen almost lost time on this stage, a carburettor fault forcing him to

“drive on the key.” The quiet Finn also lost time in the Bay Park raceway stage yesterday afternoon when his Datsun “drowned” in a deep watersplash.

However, his Datsun teammate, Andy Dawson (England). thrilled the thousands of spectators with a display of power-sliding to win the stage as he continued his fight back up through the field.

But the two works Escorts were unbeatable in the long Raupo Forest special stages, rocketing through in an impressive display of professional rally driving.

Last night the South Islanders in the field continued their climb as the more fancied drivers dropped out. Dave Parkes (Nelson, Escort 1600) had clawed his way to seventh and John Sergell, of Christchurch, had driven his Escort RSIBOO up into tenth place. Leo Leonard (Timaru) is but of the event, however, after the oil-pump problem in his Escort became so bad that he could not continue. He joined Rob Gerard (Christchurch, Escort RS1600) on the retirement list. Gerard’s car blew a head gasket then broke a camshaft belt.

Results: H. Mikkola, A. Hertz (Escort RS1800), 133.78 minutes elapsed. 1: A. Vatanen, D, Richards (Escort RS1800). 135.45. 2; B. Robson. C. Porter (Escort RS1800), 142.26, 3; T. Salonen. S. Harjanne (Datsun 1603), 142.6*, 4; P. Adams. M. Franchi (Escort RS1800), 143.65. 5: A. Fergus R. Croft (Mazda RX3), 152.33, 6; D. Parkes, s. Green (Escort 1600), 152.92, 7; A. Dawson. K. Gormley (Datsun 1603), 153.34. 8; S. Mui* land, P. Parnell (Vauxhall Chevette), 153.91, 9; 3 Sergei. M. Fletcher (Escort RS1800), 154.92, 10.