Motorsport: Rotorua driver fourth at revamped race

Sloan Cox competes at the Repco Race to the Sky near Wanaka at the weekend, finishing 30 seconds back from the winner. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua rally driver Sloan Cox has finished fourth at the Repco Race to the Sky near Wanaka.

The popular motorsport event returned to the Cardrona Valley for the first time since 2007 at the weekend, with all kinds of modified cars and vehicles taking on the mountain course.

Cox completed his timed run up the 14.5km course on Sunday in 8min 49.6sec, about 30 seconds back from the winner Alister McRae (Scotland). Cox also finished as the second fastest Kiwi, behind Ian Ffitch who was racing a super quad bike.

"I loved the event," Cox said. "We learned a lot about the event and about the car.

"It was challenging at times. I would have liked to have been a bit faster but it was going to be a learning year for us."

Cox was racing a re-built Mitsubishi Evo 8 during the event, which Cox Motorsport bought especially for the Race to the Sky.

He said they had a few mechanical problems but his team did really well to fix up the car in time for the main runs.

Cox said considering it was their first year at the event and they were racing a new car he was happy to finish fourth overall.

The rally driver said he would definitely be returning next year to have another crack and try to win the overall title.

Eight-time winner of the Race to the Sky, Japan's Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, had a bad crash during the event and had to pull out of the race.

He lost control on the notorious fourth corner of the course and plummeted down the hill. Fortunately he was not injured but his Toyota Super 86 was a mess.

Cox said the cliffs and high ridges were a bit daunting while racing up the mountain.

"There were some close moments getting a bit wide but you don't think about it," Cox said.

Perth-based McRae won the event in his Subaru WRC 98 in a time of 8min 17.6sec, while second place went to Australian Brett Hayward (8:24.6) who drove a RTTS Special. Ffitch (8:35.3) finished third.