Rangiora driver holds off strong early challenge.

Matt Summerfield on his way to victory in the Mitsubishi Mirage AP4all images:Geoff Ridder — Matt Summerfield on his way to victory in the Mitsubishi Mirage AP4
all images:Geoff Ridder

NEW Zealand rallying restarted today with Rangiora’s Matt Summerfield claiming victory in the 20th annual Catlins Coast Rally.

The six-stage event in coastal South Otago featured 81 crews and very quickly became a duel between top-seed and four-time winner Andrew Graves (Gore) and second seeded Summerfield.

Graves won the opening stage in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo3 before Summerfield recorded a string of four fastest times to propel his Mitsubishi Mirage AP4 into a 52 seconds lead.

A more conservative run through the final stage allowed the final margin to settle at 38.8s in Summerfield’s favour.

The event was only the second gravel rally staged in New Zealand during 2020 due to recent Covid-19 restrictions. The season-opening Westland Rally had been completed in mid-March.

Hayden Paddon’s objective of running on pace notes ahead of the field as a test session for his Hyundai i20 AP4 proved short-lived and the former WRC star only completed two stages before retiring. His stage times weren’t published.

While Summerfield and Graves raced clear by more than three minutes a late reshuffle of the leader board saw Kaikoura’s Regan Ross (Ford Fiesta R5) climb to third place ahead of Balclutha’s Dean Bond (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo6.5) as Josh Marston (Christchurch) slipped from third to fifth in his Holden Barina AP4.

Another strong drive on the Catlins roads by Christchurch driver Deane Buist was rewarded with sixth overall and he led home the two-wheel-drive competitors in his Mk2 Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Reigning New Zealand rally champion Ben Hunt (Auckland) had a low-key outing in a Subaru Impreza H6 lease car and finished 11th.

The next rally on the New Zealand calendar is the Maramarua Clubmans event on Sunday, September 6.