At the halfway point of the 2015 Tanoa Paihia Hotel Rally of the North on Saturday, the field of 43 had already been cut down to 32.
By the end of the day, only 24 were eventually able to cross the official finish line at the Williams Street carpark in Paihia.
Spokesman Blair Bartels admitted this was an unnaturally high attrition rate, indication of a "tough rally" and suggesting the Far North roads had taken their toll, although he noted the majority of the DNFs were through mechanical breakdowns.
"A few of the guys fell off the road, but no one was hurt," said Bartels, adding only two of the top 10 seeds finished. "No real [serious] accidents, just a lot of them. No one will walk away with a destroyed car but a few guys have gone home with their tail between their legs," he laughed.
Many were sad to learn the sole Far North entrant, Barry Gibbs, was one of those to record a DNF. Last week the 30-year-old marine technician from Opua told the Age his main goal was to just complete his ROTN debut in his revamped Ford Escort entered in Class C (1800cc and over, two wheel drive). However, the plan came unstuck in relatively spectacular fashion during stage 3 when Gibbs failed to take a corner and ended up in his pride and joy some distance down a bank.
