The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Crocker sets a new record

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Monday, May 12, 2008
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Sport - Racing : Motor

Crocker sets a new record

P. Satish Kumar

Misfortune continues to haunt Team MRF

CANBERRA: It was a chilly Sunday with a cold wind blowing across the Australian Capital Territory, but Cody Crocker (co-driver Ben Atkinson) of Motor Image Rally Team was too hot for the rest of the pack in the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) here.

It was an overwhelming performance by the Australian as he won with no serious competition from any of the other contenders.

This is Crocker’s fifth win at the Rally of Canberra and he now holds the record for most wins at this rally, surpassing legends Possum Bourne of New Zealand and Ross Dunkerton of Western Australia, who have come up trumps here four times each.

Misfortune continued to plague Team MRF. Scott Pedder came out of Special Stage 10 with a large hole, in his Mitsubishi Lancer’s rear differential. Due to this Pedder lost time on Special Stages 10 and 11.

Full of misery

But that was not the end of the misery. Pedder, who was second overnight and expected to make it difficult for Crocker, subsequently hit a rock which made a hole in the engine and there was oil spillage. He had to pull out of the race and did not finish the rally.

Already on Saturday, Team MRF’s other driver Katsuhiko Taguchi (co-driver Mark Stacey) did not finish the first leg of the rally.

He, however, took part in the second leg on Sunday and blazed through the stages. He had nothing to lose and pushed very hard. He, in fact, set the pace in six of the nine stages on Sunday.

Taguchi finished second, just about a second slower than Crocker in the second leg. Crocker, who knew that he had the victory wrapped up after Pedder pulled out, just wanted to pick up the bonus points for winning on day two and the rally outright.

Standing on the podium at the victory ceremony, the Australian was a delighted man and ‘Cody’ has been a code that no one has been able to crack so far.

He was very happy and said, “Possum would be laughing up there and saying ‘it took you quite a while.’”

“This confirms that this is one of the best championships in the world,” he added.

The action will now shift to the third round of the APRC which is scheduled to be held in New Zealand on June 7 and 8.

The results:

Provisional, second leg (top three): 1. Cody Crocker, Motor Image Rally Team, 1:11:18.4s; 2. Katsuhiko Taguchi, Team MRF, 1:11:19.4; 3. Dean Herridge, Cusco Racing, 1:12.51.1; DNF: Scott Pedder, Team MRF.

Overall results: Provisional (top three): 1. Crocker, 2. Herridge, 3. Yanagisawa (as Taguchi did not finish on Saturday).

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