Maiden win on home rally

Phil Campbell has taken his maiden rally win on his home event after a hard fought battle in the Tauranga Clubmans Rally in and around TECT Park over the weekend.

In an event that had no pace notes, and therefore less pressure on the co-driver, Campbell took the opportunity to have Lars Thiel-Lardon from The Roofing Store, the naming rights sponsor of the team's Mitsubishi, sit alongside him in the co-driver's seat.


Phil Campbell in Special Stage 5 at TECT Park. Photo by Wayne Cockburn/www.motorsportphotography.co.nz

Regular co-driver Venita Fabbro took co-driving duties alongside Mitch James for the one day event.

Seeded second, Campbell made the best possible start as he won the opening stage by a strong 10 seconds before commencing in a large battle with top seed Sloan Cox.

Cox and Campbell were not separated by more than two seconds on each of the next four stages, with Campbell recording a further three stage wins.

Stage six was the defining stage of the rally.

Campbell spun on the stage, only to get to the end to find that Cox had not only spun, but had also dropped 29 seconds to Campbell with only one stage remaining.

The final stage saw Campbell record the second fastest time. His previous five stage wins meant Campbell recorded his first rally win by a comfortable 42 seconds.

As an added bonus, Thiel-Lardon also won the award for highest placed novice.

'It really is a fantastic feeling to get a first win and especially to do it on my home rally. It was also great to have Lars from The Roofing Store alongside us for the win, he did a great job,” says Campbell.

'The car is really going well now with the new rear diff in it and we are really confident heading into Coromandel in August.”

Campbell and the whole Campbell Rally Sport team now turn their attention to the penultimate round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, the VINZ Goldrush Rally Coromandel, on August 23.

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