Posted: 13/09/2016
A massive overnight repair effort has kept the Toyota Genuine Parts team in the hunt for the 2016 Australian Rally Championship (ARC).
The pair (of Harry Bates and co-driver John McCarthy) are sitting in third place on the points table after a challenging weekend at Rally SA (September 9-11).
A strong start through the first three special stages saw the team sitting in second outright for Saturday's midday service stop.
Then, a crash into trees on one of the fastest sections of Special Stage 4 badly damaged the all-wheel-drive Corolla S2000, with driver and co-driver thankfully walking away uninjured.
"It was quite a scary crash. We were doing 150km/h when we left the road, and I have to say it was all my own work. The car was badly damaged, but it is testament to the strength of the Corolla that we were both completely OK," Harry said.
"Our amazing team spent the night fixing the car, and pulled off what we thought was the impossible, having it running and driving straight for Sunday morning. A really huge team effort," he said.
Rally SA - based at Mount Pleasant in The Mount Lofty Ranges, 55km north-east of Adelaide - is widely regarded as the fastest event on the ARC calendar.
Known for its dusty, loose surfaces, the rally runs over 509km through the Mount Crawford Forest and parts of the Barossa Valley, including 20 'Special Stages' accounting for approximately 220km of that total.
Easing into Sunday's first special stage the team got a good feel for the car, and thanks to the quality of the service crew's repair work was able to push hard from the second stage onwards.
The Toyota Genuine Parts team was happy with the pace it was able to maintain for the remainder of the rally, setting quick stage times and finishing third outright for day two.
The final result sets up a tight fight at the top of the ARC leader board, with just six points separating the current leader from Bates and McCarthy in third.
With 100 points available at the championship's fifth and final round at Rally Australia in Coffs Harbour, NSW (November 17-20), the team is focused on a winning push to the finish line.
About TOYOTA GENUINE PARTS:
All Toyota Genuine Parts are made to the same exacting standards as Toyota vehicles, and are designed specifically for each model.
This means each part will fit perfectly and meet the high quality standards of your Toyota, with all Toyota Genuine Parts carrying a 12-month Toyota Warranty*.
Disclaimer:
* All Toyota Genuine Parts carry a 12-month Toyota Warranty. Conditions apply. The Toyota Genuine Parts Warranty does not limit and may not necessarily exceed your rights under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.