They had a 12.3s lead over Scott Pedder and Glenn Macneall (Skoda Fabia R5) at the beginning of Heat 2, and the Toyota GR Yaris Rally 2 duo pulled away to win The Middle of Everywhere Gippsland Rally by 2:32.3.

“It’s a very important one for the championship, obviously being the half-way point and second half of the season starting here,” Bates said as he was also fastest on the double points Galvaniize Insurance Power Stage.

Second place went to their Toyota GAZOO Racing Australia teammates Lewis Bates and Anthony McLoughlin who finished 1:27.4 ahead of Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey (Skoda Fabia R5). The latter won the first stage of Heat 2, SS9, Pedder took out SS14 and Bates/Taylor won the other six.

While Pedder finished third after the Power Stage, damage to the Skoda Fabia R5 forced him to stop on the roadside for repairs. Pedder needed to return to the Service Park under his own power to claim maximum points.

The team would be demoted down the order, as the car was towed into the final time control. Pedder’s misfortune saw Maguire promoted to the podium.

Earlier, Alex Rullo and Steve Glenney (Hyundai I20) would be stranded after a creek crossing left them unable to continue. Teammates Peter Rullo and James Marquet were also DNF’d after impact forced them out.

Molly Taylor, with Andy Sarandis, ended her final round of the season with the MainFix Production ARC Cup win in their Subaru Impreza WRX STi. They were also fourth outright, despite late mechanical dramas.

Brothers Jamie and Brad Luff (GR Yaris AP4) were fifth in front of second in Production Cup, Brodie Reading and Mark Young (Subaru), the Japanese team of Nao Otake and Hideki Takeyabu (GR Yaris) and Pedder/Macneall.

In Junior ARC Cup, it was a Subaru one-two with Mitch Garrad and Taylah Murphy able to edge out Molly Spalding and Adam Branford. Nick Seymour and Matt Whitten (ford Fiesta) continued their momentum from Saturday to take out the 2WD ARC Cup victory.

The 2WD Classic ARC Cup went to Ivan Thompson and Lachlan Nordsvan in their Ford Capri while the Subaru WRX Challenge went to Tim and Leonie Clark.

Round 5 of the ARC is the Adelaide Hills Rally in South Australia on September 13-15.