Motorsport: Campbell flies to Clubmans success

Phil Campbell and Venita Fabbro (Mitsbishi Lancer Evo9) on their way to victory in the Tauranga Clubmans Rally yesterday. Photo / Greg Henderson Photography

A commanding win by Tauranga driver Phil Campbell in yesterday's Tauranga Clubmans Rally displayed all the hallmarks of a driver at the top of their game.

A fast start saw Campbell and co-driver Venita Fabbro open a 48sec lead over the field after two stages yesterday morning and they went on to set fastest time on each of the seven stages to win the rally by just over two minutes.

It was second outright rally victory for Campbell - he also won last year's Tauranga Rally - and provided more valuable mileage for the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo crew, who hold second place in the New Zealand Rally Championship.

Anthony Jones, driving a M2 Ford Escort, claimed the two-wheel-drive honours at yesterday's Tauranga Clubmans Rally. Photo / Greg Henderson Photography

Unlike national events which allow a pre-rally pass over the roads and pace notes, the low-key Motorsport BOP Clubmans event is tacked without reconnaissance. Campbell says adjusting his approach to drive "blind" didn't prove difficult.

"It wasn't too bad. I think it helps that I did quite a few blind rallies when I first started.

"But it was a tough day for Venita. She was feeling car sick the whole day."

Campbell says his driving has improved since his first rally win 12 months ago.

"I've got another year of experience in a four-wheel-drive car and we have got the car working really well now," he said. "This result gives me confidence going into Coromandel (the next round of the NZ Rally Championship) next month."

There was an important second place for Mt Maunganui's David Holder, teamed with Andy Martin.

Holder rolled his Mitsubishi Lancer at the season opening Whangarei Rally in April. He's battled to find the funding to repair the car and only finished the final touches at 1am on Sunday.

His rally started badly when he nudged a bank only three corners into stage one but he settled quickly and picked up the pace to post a string of second fastest times and climbed to second place.

A battle for third went to young Tauranga driver Mitch James (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo2), who had 2013 winner Ben Thomasen alongside in the co-driver's seat. James was driving in his fifth rally and battled with Tauranga's Wayne Pittams (Subaru Impreza), with a strong final stage time clinching third for James.

There were two notable early casualties among the 50-car field. Third-seeded Rotorua driver Chris Tregilgas rolled his Subaru in the opening stage and Hamilton's Todd Bawden - on a return to gravel rallying after a break of almost nine years - also crashed out.

Bawden was second fastest on stage one and looked to be matching Campbell's pace in stage two but he ran wide and rolled on the final corner.

A team that rose quickly from their 19th seeding were Hamilton's Cottington brothers (Subaru Impreza). Alan Cottington was driving his first rally for eight years - and his first rally in a four-wheel-drive car - and claimed an excellent fifth place.

The closest battle was for two-wheel-drive honours with Ford Escort driver Anthony Jones (Thames Valley) finishing sixth and pipping Rotorua's Ian Wood (Toyota Corolla Turbo) by just 2.6sec.