SUNDAY'S Barton's Line rallysprint turned into a real nail-biter in an unexpected quarter. The popular annual Ihuraua event, run by the Wairarapa Car Club and attracting 35 entries, turned into a real slugfest between the top four two-wheel-drive cars, clerk of the course Lee Hutchby said. "They were all within three secondsof each other ? it was pretty exciting," he said later. It was so close that the top two could not be separated by the electronic timer, Wellington drivers Tony Dixon (Starlet) and Craig Martin (Toyota) both logging 4m 35s for a dead-heat. Masterton driver Roger Brader finished with 4m 37s and Gordon Diggle, from Wellington, in a Mirage, was third fastest in 4m 38s. Three seconds over 4? minutes is nothing, so small wonder the hearts were pumping. Richard Mason, in his Lancer Evo 5, got off to a flier in the 4WD section, doing a 4m 07s to break the course record by two seconds, but the car stopped, apparently with electrical problems, in the sixth run and was eliminated. The 4WD class was won by Wanganui driver Andrew Spier, in an Evo 3, with a 4m 16s final run, followed by Peter Trotter, of Kapiti (Lancer) in 4m 23s and another Wanganui man, Alister Bradley (Legacy) third in 4m 26s. Hutchby said it was a good day. The road had hardened up nicely and there had been few problems. "One went over the bank, but we hauled him out and he drove off. There were a couple of bent guards but nothing major." Two local drivers didn't get off the start line. Norm Anthony broke a diff in his Starlet and Kevin George snapped a rear axle in the immaculate Ford Escort he was debuting at the meeting.
