The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Crocker, Taguchi call the shots

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jun 03, 2007
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Sport - Racing : Motor

Crocker, Taguchi call the shots

K. Paul Abraham

Canberra: Home favourite Cody Crocker and Team MRF's Katsuhiko Taguchi called the shots on the second day of the third round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) here on Saturday.

After the completion of eight Special Stages (SS) of the Rally of Canberra, Crocker of Motor Image Rally team had a 12.5 seconds advantage over his nearest rival Taguchi. 2005 APRC champion Jussi Valimaki of Team MRF is in third spot, while Indonesian Rifat Sungkar of Motor Image Rally Team was placed fourth.

On a cool morning it was Taguchi who set the early pace, winning the first two Special Stages to move within just 1.4 seconds of Crocker.

Comeback

The Japanese driver pipped Crocker by 0.8 of a second in the opening stage of the day and moved another 1.6 seconds closer on SS 3.

However, the Aussie, driving a Subaru Impreza WRX regained control by winning three out of the next four Special Stages.

Taguchi came back strongly to win the final Special Stage which was run in darkness to add to the excitement. Eight Special Stages are slated for Sunday, the final day of the competition.

Though Taguchi excelled it was a disappointing day for teammate Valimaki. The Finn could win only one Special Stage and now trails Crocker by 1 minute and 38.1 seconds.

The provisional results (after Special Stage VIII): 1. Cody Crocker (Ben Atkinson), Motor Image Rally Team (1:19:27.7); 2. Katsuhiko Taguchi (Mark Stacey), Team MRF (1:19:40.2); 3. Jussi Valimaki (Jarkko Kalliolepo), Team MRF (1:21:05.8); 4: Rifat Sungkar (Herkusuma Mohammad), Motor Image Rally Team (1:23:49.1); 5.V.R. Naren Kumar (D. Ramkumar), Team Rally India (1:25:04.6); 6. Brian Green (Fleur Pedersen), Brian Green Motorsport Ltd. (1:27:39.9).

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