Motorsport: Arai a class apart in Rotorua

Japanese driver and world championship leader Toshi Arai won the International Rally of Rotorua yesterday.

Arai and his New Zealand co-driver Tony Sircombe, current leaders of the FIA World Production Car Championship (PWRC), stamped their class on the field to win.

The rally doubled as the third round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally championship and fourth round of the New Zealand Rally championship.

The Subaru driver, who led by 59s overnight, was fastest in two of yesterday's final four stages in boggy conditions in the forests near Rotorua, winning by one minute 45s from New Zealand's Richard Mason, who gained his first points in this year's Asia Pacific championship. With Arai well clear, interest centred on the battle for New Zealand championship placings. Mason claimed the honours but had to withstand a storming final day from first-day co-leader Mark Tapper, from Auckland.

Tapper won the two stages near Waiotapu, including a stage record in his Mitsubishi, climbing from 45s behind Mason overnight to just 1.9s.

The big loser was national champion Chris West, from Auckland, who lost nearly three minutes with a puncture in special stage nine. The Subaru driver recovered with a strong final stage but finished less than a second behind Taihape's Brett Martin in his first national podium finish.

West still leads the national championship with two rounds remaining, but is only three points ahead of Mason, with Tapper 21 points adrift of Mason.

Finland's Jussi Valimaki finished fourth overall ahead of Japan's Katsuhiko Taguchi and extends his lead in the Asia Pacific Championship.

It proved a continuation of the strong form from Arai who completed back-to-back victories after his triumph in the world production championship in Turkey.

"It was my first time here and I was very pleased with the rally," Arai said. "The roads with this rally, some are narrow, some wide, some very long. I think they are more enjoyable roads than for Rally New Zealand."

It proved a successful homecoming for his co-driver Tony Sircombe, from Otorohanga. "My last win outright in New Zealand was in 1982.

"I've won the Group N at Rally New Zealand and been second in the world championship in New Zealand - but this was the first win outright here for more than 20 years," Sircombe said.

"It was extremely enjoyable. It's been 10 years since I've been up the Motu and it was still a great stage."

Mason believed his strong form this week has set up a dogfight for the New Zealand championship with West.

"I've had a fantastic couple of events. Rotorua has never been good to me so this has been a great result. I'm only three points off the championship and it sets up a real fight in the last two rounds."

The series travels to Hawke's Bay for the next round from July 29-30 before the season's final rally in Nelson in September.

The Rally of Rotorua standings

Leading positions

1. T Arai (Jpn, Subaru) 2h 54m 31s

2. Richard Mason (NZ, Subaru at 1:45

3. Mark Tapper (NZ, Mitsubishi Evo 7) 1:47

4. J Valimaki (Fin, Mitsubishi Evo 8) 2:29

5. K Taguchi (Jpn, Mitsubishi Evo 8) 4:0

- NZPA