Renault Sport Rally Team driver Tom Wilde has won the opening Power Stage at this weekend’s International Rally of Queensland – Round 4 of the Australian Rally Championship.
Winning the Pedders Power Stage saw Wilde pick up five additional championship points ahead of Friday’s first taste of forest stage action in the Mary Valley region.
Brendan Reeves in his Mazda 2 finished second, picking up three championship points while the second Renault Clio R3 of Scott Pedder finished third and receive one bonus championship point.
Honda’s Mark Pedder was fourth with the flamboyant Jack Monkhouse rounding out the top-5 for Friday night’s Showdown at the Showgrounds in Nambour on the Sunshine Coast.
Current championship leader Eli Evans stunned the packed crowd at the Nambour Showgrounds when he misjudged a corner and slammed into a barrier almost rolling his Honda Jazz.
Finland’s Esapekka Lappi was fastest in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship section of the event leading MRF Skoda teammate Gaurav Gill from India by 0.2-secs and Australian-resident Japanese driver Atsushi Masamura (Mitsubishi Lancer) is third 11.3-sec further back.
ARC crews hit the proper stages of the International Rally of Queensland from 8am Friday morning as they tackle the six kilometre Gibber 1 test.
VIDEO: Friday Night Power Stage
