A superb drive in changeable conditions saw Masterton driver Richard Mason win his home event, and cap off what had been a difficult year for him in style.
"It's great to be back on the podium, especially on our home event," said Mason at the end of the Trusthouse Racetech RallyWairarapa. At the start of the event he had been extremely determined to get the Rally Wairarapa trophy back in his cabinet, and to do so by a comfortable margin was highly satisfying for the BNT Motorsport team.
Despite running first on the road, and having to contend with the thick gravel that covered some stages, Mason still managed to record a string of top stage times, never being out of the top three on each of the day's seven stages.
His mastery of the roads was confirmed with a commanding 43-second lead over second-placed Dean Sumner.
For Sumner though, he was more concerned about his Vantage Aluminium NZ Rally Championship, and a controlled drive all day meant he was able to wrap up the Goldstar Championship title over second-placed Emma Gilmour.
At the start of day two, however, Sumner was immediately under attack from Geoff Argyle. By the end of the third stage of the day Argyle had taken second place and was looking to track down Mason but the disintegration of his turbo put an end to his rally.
Next in the queue was Emma Gilmour. However, Sumner was now responding to the challengers.
What had been a 25-second difference between Sumner and Gilmour at the start of the day was gradually narrowed to 17.6 seconds by the end of the day.
But that's as far as it went and Gilmour had to settle for third in the event.
