The battle for class honours in Saturday’s Catlins Coast Rally is just as fierce as the tussle for overall honours and there is no class where that is more evident than in Class B.
The class covers 2-wheel-drive cars of 1301-1600cc engine capacity and one of the frontrunners in the battle will be Mosgiel driver, Jake Thomas, who has compiled some outstanding results in the ultra-competitive class over recent times in his Toyota Corolla DX.
As is common in motorsport Jake is from a motorsport family although it was he who talked his father Ian into buying a rally car a few years ago, co-driving for his Dad before moving on to drive his own car. Several years on with co-driver Brayden Palmer alongside, he has built up an impressive record. “Two of the highlights would be my win in Class B at the Classic Rally Of Otago and seventh overall at the Lawrence Rally last year.”
Thomas’ goal for Catlins is to have a crack at the class win and to make the end with the car in one piece. “Catlins is definitely one of my favourite rallies. I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” says Thomas. “We just have to do the final nut and bolt checks and we will be good to go.”
It would have been a family affair but his father Ian has had to pull out of the rally. “He has not had much luck with Catlins. Younger brother Ben would have been in the co-driver seat but they will both be there spectating now.”
The event is Round 4 of the Clearwater Painting Mainland Rally Championship and also part of the Eastern Southland Car Club’s Rally Championship.
The 2016 rally is scheduled to depart from Owaka Motors in Campbell Street, Owaka at 10am on 6 August. The rally will be based in Owaka this year with servicing of the rally cars taking place in the township between stages. Six Special Stages await competitors this year. The rally finishes in Owaka at approximately 3.30pm.
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