CHAMPAGNE MOMENT: Richard and Sara Mason in celebratory mode after their victory in the Rally of Wairarapa last year. PHOTO/FILE
CHAMPAGNE MOMENT: Richard and Sara Mason in celebratory mode after their victory in the Rally of Wairarapa last year. PHOTO/FILE
Masterton's Richard and Sara Mason are well placed for a strong showing at the Rally of Otago this weekend.
After last month's victory in the opening round of the 2014 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship at Whangarei, the Masons have already established a comfortable lead on thepoints table and are aiming to consolidate that position down south.
A help to them achieving that objective is being car No1, so at tonight's ceremonial start in the Octagon the Masterton duo will get first pick of where they want to start on the road when the high-speed action begins tomorrow.
And, according to Mason, that could be the deciding factor of the rally as the correct road position is seen by him as vital for posting winning stage times, a judgment helped by the checking of the various roads yesterday and early today and the constant monitoring of weather forecasts.
"Last year we were here in April after a dry summer, so the roads were hard-packed, dry and dusty. We are a month later this time and the locals tell us they are still waiting for summer to arrive, so that could well mean that the roads will be colder, softer and wetter.
"We don't mind leading from the front and setting the pace. We have a car that is far more developed and better to drive than it was 12 months ago and Sara and I are comfortable with our form at Whangarei.
"We are good to go and all we need now is to make the right choice (of road position) tonight," Richard Mason said.
Interestingly the timing of this year's Otago rally means the "higher" roads north of Dunedin could be affected by snow should there be a cold snap and so they have been eliminated from the rally route and drivers will therefore venture much further south on to several roads that are new to this event.
Mason said this situation made the pre-race checking of the roads even more important as the mixing of new stages with "old favourites" like Kuri Bush and Waipori Gorge would make it quite a challenge.
"Although our natural instinct is to go to every rally looking to win, this year our priority for Otago has to be a repeat of Whangarei, which is to be as fast as we need to be without taking any undue risks, so come Sunday afternoon we take away another top points haul."
Mason said the prime aim was to consolidate the lead they have in the NZRC and therefore maintain the momentum necessary for them to pick up a record-breaking fifth national championship title win come the end of the season.
The points list has Richard Mason on 42 points, followed by Matt Summerfield 26, Lance Williams 20, Graham Featherstone 16 and Chris West 12. There will be four events remaining after this weekend, the Rally of Canterbury on June 1, Rally of Wairarapa on June 28, Rally of Whirianga on August 23 and the Daybreaker Rally of Manawatu on September 27.
