Held out of Marysville, Victoria, the event was contested over 220 competitive stages on the winding roads and steep climb between Lake Mountain and Cumberland in sunny and dry conditions, far different from last year’s May event in the snow.
The Wrights won half of the dozen stages contested and finished ahead of 2023 champions Paul Dowie and John Allen (Porsche GT3 RS) and Anthony Moss and Julie Hunter (Mitsubishi Evo) in the outright contest.
Wright was fastest on the opening 9km stage before Nathan Reeves and Bec Sheldrick took the second, longer 18.4km leg. Unfortunately, they would be a retirement later with a broken diff in their Subaru Impreza WRX STi.
Downie took third 8km stage before Wright won the next two and then Jeremy Dennison and Casey Rumble topped the last of Day 1 in their BMW M140i. That enabled them to finish third for the day behind Wright and Moss. Dowie sat fourth ahead of Liam and Larry Howarth (Nissan), Paul and Claire Buccini (BMW) and Geoff Olholm and John Doble (Toyota).
Day 2 comprised another six stages where Wright took the first three and Dowie the last three which elevated him to second overall. Dennison had a spin on stage 12 but held onto fourth ahead of Olholm, Xavier Franklin/Jaidyn Gluskie (Porsche GT4), Buccini, Crichton Lewis/Anthony Carr (WRX), Mick Downey/Jarrod Akker (Holden Commodore) and Greg Bass/Adam Kudra (Toyota GR Yaris).
The event had 72 starters in nine categories. Wright won Super Rally over Dennison, Dowie won Modern 2WD 2008 onwards, from Olholm, while Early Modern winner Buccini were challenged early by Balcombe and Ian Wheeler until their Mazda RX7 blew its diff.
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Lewis was able to take out Modern AWD 2008 onwards, as the initial challengers, Matt Close/Cameron Reeves (Audi TT RS Sport) and Mark Griffith/Neill Wooley (Mercedes Benz A45 AMG) went out and left Scott Coppleman/Matt Van Rooye (WRX) to finish second.
Early Modern AWD went to Howarth, Downey won Classic Super Rally Pre 1985, Classic 1972-1985 was won by father and son Michael and Lachlan Nordsvan (Mazda RX7). Rob Oshlack and Neysa Ellison (Porsche 911 GT3) took out Rally Challenge, and Ian Watson and Marc Lyall (VW Polo) would lead Rally Sport throughout.
The next event is at Lakes Entrance, over 240km and 18 stages of the Snowy River Sprint on May 4-5.
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