The AASA-sanctioned event was centred at the Victorian coastal town of Lakes Entrance and was contested by 51 teams over 17 competitive stages and 240kms on the roads between Buchan and Orbost.
The Wrights in their Nissan Skyline R35 won 10 stages and won by 1:15.9 over Paul Dowie and John Allen in their Porsche GT3 RS. The reigning title holder Dowie won five stages which included the last three which saw them pull 19s out of the lead. But it wasn’t enough and as at the previous event, they had to settle for second again.
Xavier Franklin and Jaidyn Gluskie (Porsche GT4) finished third, a further 3:12.5 away and just 22.4s in front of Neil and Sue Cuthbert (Lotus Exige). Then came Mark Griffith and Neill Wooley in their new yellow Mercedes Benz AMG GTR ahead of Crichton Lewis and Anthony Carr (Subaru Impreza WRX STi).
The early pacesetters were Matt Close and Cameron Reeves who won the first two stages. But on Stage 4 their Audi TTRS Sport had the fuel pump fail and they were out. Dowie was second on the first stage but didn’t get to lead the event when beaten on the next two by Wright who led from there to the end.
Nathan Reeves and Bec Sheldrick (WRX) were inside the top 10 and third on Stage 5 before the clutch blew. A similar fate hit the Greg/Bass Toyota GR Yaris not long afterwards.
Justin Waterhouse and Adrian Bryant (Mitsubishi Evo X) were 10th when they were forced out with a blown engine. Jon and Gina Siddins (Datsun 240) were as high as third and held fourth when they went off road on Stage 14.
The Wrights took out Modern Super Rally with eighth placed Jeremy Dennison and Casey Rumble (BMW M14i) second. Downie won Modern 2WD from Franklin while Modern AWD went to Lewis over ninth outright Scott Coppleman/Matt van Rooyen (WRX).
In Early Modern 2WD, Paul Buccini and Bernie Webb (BMW 1M) won with sixth outright, as Early Modern AWD was taken out by Michael Mansey/Julie Winton-Monet (Evo X).
Other classes went to Mick Downey/Jarrod Akker (Classic Super Rally, Holden Commodore), Michael and Lachlan Nordsvan (Classic, Mazda RX7), Rob Oshlack/Neysa Ellison (Rally Challenge, Porsche 911 GT3) and Luana Garwood/Suzanne Atkins (Rally Sport, Evo 8).
The next ATR event is not until September 7-8 with the Great Tarmac Rally based out of Marysville, Victoria.
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