Behind the reigning champs Bates and Taylor in their Toyota GR Yaris and the New Zealanders (Hyundai i20N) in third place were Alex Rullo and Steve Glenney (i20N Rally 2), 2:30.7 adrift.

Heat 1 of the third round of the EROAD Australian Rally Championship had a high attrition rate with several of the 23 entered coming to grief across the eight stages.

Paddon won the first stage by 0.6s over Bates with Scott Padder and Glenn Macneall (Skoda Fabia RS Rally 2) third ahead of Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin (GR Yaris) and Rullo.

The latter’s father Peter Rullo and navigator Ben Searcy (i20N) were casualties on the opening stage with a rollover, followed shortly after by a crash for the Stuart Reid and Bella Haggerty Mitsubishi Mirage.

Harry Bates took the lead over Paddon after the second stage while Lewis Bates moved to third due to Pedder suffering a significant rollover that ruled he and Macneall out.

Then on Stage 3, Lewis Bates rolled but made it through and then opted to make a precautionary miss of Stage 4 due to a water leak. Expected to overcome morning damage were Bodie Reading and Brad Jones (Subaru Impreza WRX STi) after a bad landing.

Harry Bates eked out a 9.4s lead by the end of Stage 4 and the Gympie service break and before Paddon pulled the margin back in the afternoon, capped by a win on the day’s final stage.

Fourth at the completion of Heat 1 were Production Car class winners Clayton Hoy and Erin Kelly (Mitsubishi Evo 6). They finished ahead of ARC debutants Ireland’s Patrick O’Brien and Shane Farrell (Ford Fiesta R5).

Then came Subaru WRX Challenge leaders Toby Price and Holly Kilbride, ARC Junior Cup front runners Jackson and Damien Long (Subaru Impreza RS), Jaidyn and Lucy Gluskie (Impreza RS), Glenn Brinkman and Scott Beckwith (WRX), and Lewis Bates in 10th despite his dramas.

There will be six stages of Heat 2 on Sunday over 87 competitive kilometres to complete the first half of the championship.