Forest rally entry reads like ‘Who’s Who’

Press, 14 May 1987, Page 28

Forest rally entry reads like ‘Who’s Who’

By Thn «

JOHN HAWKINS

The entry for the Dunlop Rallysprint, to be held in the Ashley Forest on Saturday and Sunday, reads like a “Who’s Who” of New Zealand rallying. With a full entry of 64 drivers plus reserves, the Rallies and Trials Enthusiasts* Club appears to have firmly re-established its sprint as the premier event of its type in New Zealand. With only 32 places open for Sunday’s final run-offs, competition is sure to be keen over the I.7km shingle course during Saturday’s elimination runs. The former New Zealand rally champion, Tony Teesdale, of Auckland, will drive his 24-valve fuel-injected V 6 four-wheel-drive MG Metro, and must rank as outright favourite. Other four-wheel-drive cars include the Audi Quat-' tro of last week-end’s Mainfreight ZM/FM rally winner, Malcolm Stewart, and the Group A cars of Possum Bourne, Brian Stokes and Ray Wilson. Of these three the inter-nationally-ranked Bourne should be well in contention although his car, a Subaru turbo, will lack the power of Tdesdale’s and Stewart’s. Stewart’s arch rival from

the Mainfreight rally, Neil Allport, should be among the fastest of the two-wheel-drive competitors in his Mazda RX7, while another RX7, a lightweight version, will be driven by the spring specialist, Kim Austin. Barry Robinson, of Wyndham, will return from semiretirement in an attempt to capture the title that has previously narrowly eluded him in his faithful 2.6-litre Chevette. The Owen brothers, of Blenheim; will share their Opel Manta. Several hybrid vehicles have been entered and should not be discounted. Two VB, Vauxhalls, a Chevette, for Graham Anderson, of Wellington, and the Viva, of Christchurch’s Dave Samson, could .well gain a top placing. Possibly the dark horse in the field, the Aucklander, Tony Marsh, will drive ■ the Datsun Sunny which previous won the event in the hands of Reg Cook. This time it will be powered by a Mazda rotary engine. Saturday’s practice and elimination runs will get under way from the forest headquarters at 9.36 a.m. while the final 32 will be progressively reduced fitom midway on Sunday.