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Shannon and Ian Rentsch have converted an overnight lead into a record sixth triumph in the Tatts Finke Desert Race.
The Victorian father/son duo (#33 Jimco Aussie Special Nissan 3500cc) were fastest in each of the Prologue, the leg down to Finke, and the return to Alice Springs, setting a time of 1:48:39.5s in the latter.
“We had a good run down, really clean. This year it was a massive advantage starting on pole,” said Rentsch.
“To prologue first, and then down first and back first, is pretty special and it’s up there as one of the best runs we’ve done.”
Toby Price and Jason Duncan sat within three minutes in second position at the overnight stop but the former’s hopes of pulling off the Iron Man double were dashed when the #487 2017 Geiser built 6L V8 Chev 360cc stopped between Mount Squires and Bundooma with a power steering pump failure.
Greg Gartner/Jamie Jennings/Mark Hannaford (#410 Geiser Bros Ford Raptor TT Ford 6000cc), third overnight, were also a DNF due to mechanical problems.
Those dramas opened the door for David Fellows/Gregory Rhodes/Mark Bergamin (#492 Geiser Bros Trophy Truck Nissan 3500cc) to jump two positions and finish runners-up, nearly 17 minutes behind the Rentschs.
Jack Rhodes/David Pullino (#91 Jimco Aussie Special Nissan), who rolled during the Prologue, improved four positions to finish third having set the second-fastest time of the day.
With Finke also forming Round 2 of the BFGoodrich CAMS Australian Off Road Championship, Shannon Rentsch’s win puts him on top of the table.
The third and final round is the Rainbow Desert Enduro on August 10-12.
A separate Bikes report will follow this afternoon
Cars: Final results, 2018 Tatts Finke Desert Race (Top 10)
| Pos | Class | Num | Driver/Co-driver/Navigator | Vehicle | Leg 1 | Leg 2 | Total |
| 1 | Pro | 33 | Shannon Rentsch/Ian Rentsch | Jimco Aussie Special Nissan 3500cc | 1:47:57.7 | 1:48:39.5 | 3:36:37.3 |
| 2 | X2WD | 492 | David Fellows/Gregory Rhodes/Mark Bergamin | Geiser Bros Trophy Truck Nissan 3500cc | 1:58:25.7 | 1:54:59.2 | 3:53:25.0 |
| 3 | Pro | 91 | Jack Rhodes/David Pullino | Jimco Aussie Special Nissan 3500cc | 2:01:08.3 | 1:54:36.9 | 3:55:45.2 |
| 4 | Pro | 16 | Talbot Cox/Andrew North | Racer Engineering Carbon Series Toyota 5600cc | 2:02:25.2 | 1:56:37.8 | 3:59:03.1 |
| 5 | Pro | 32 | Michael Marson/Chris Colbourne | Racer Engineering Carbon Series Ford Windsor 6000cc | 2:04:38.5 | 1:59:04.7 | 4:03:43.2 |
| 6 | Pro | 15 | Josh Howells/Bryan Erskine | Jimco Aussie Special Nissan 3480cc | 2:09:12.0 | 2:05:00.9 | 4:14:12.9 |
| 7 | Prolite | 110 | Shawn Swaffield/Robert Swaffield | Alumicraft Australian VQ35 3500cc | 2:10:33.2 | 2:03:44.5 | 4:14:17.8 |
| 8 | Pro | 21 | Mark Burrows/Colin Hodge | Jimco MBR Holden 3500cc | 2:10:40.0 | 2:09:54.3 | 4:20:34.3 |
| 9 | X2WD | 482 | Michael Magher/Daniel Hose | TSCO 5.99cc | 2:15:13.9 | 2:05:48.8 | 4:21:02.8 |
| 10 | Pro | 23 | Peter Costello/Ben Brooks | Jimco 2000 Toyota 3500cc | 2:11:11.3 | 2:12:19.6 | 4:23:30.9 |
