Hawkeswood wins second successive Popotunoa Rallysprint 

Auckland driver Jack Hawkeswood, currently resident in Millers Flat in Central Otago, set a scorching time on the last run of the day to seal his second consecutive Eastern Southland Car Club Crossroads Clinton Popotunoa Rallysprint in South Otago on Saturday.

Hawkeswood, in his Toyota GR Yaris, and Dunedin driver Emma Gilmour had a massive battle throughout, with Gilmour in her Citroen C3 leading after the three runs through Leg 1, her best time a 5 minute 10.26 seconds placing her ahead of Hawkeswood prior to Leg 2 which was the same piece of road traversed in the opposite direction.

Hawkeswood grabbed the lead after the first run through Leg 2 before Gilmour regained it on the second run. Hawkeswood then produced a time of 4.47.59 on his final run. Gilmour also set her best time of Leg 2 on that final run with a 4.52.18 but when each driver’s best time from each leg were tallied, it was Hawkeswood with an elapsed time of 9.59.02 who took the victory, just ahead of Gilmour on 10.02.78. Hawkeswood’s last run of the day also set a new record for Leg 2 of the event.

Sixth seed James Worker of Mossburn in a Mitsubishi EVO 6 was third with his young son Sam in the co-driver seat while Carter Strang of Wallacetown (EVO 10) was fourth followed by Caleb MacDonald of Queenstown in his EVO 6 and Kingsley Jones of Pukekohe in his Skoda Fabia R5.

Derek Ayson of Gore was seventh overall and first 2-wheel-drive car home and the winner of Class C in his Opel Manta 400 while Ian Warren of Dunedin in his Nissan Pulsar VZR took the Class B honours in eighth, one spot ahead of Class B runner-up Thomas Paul of Cromwell in his Honda Civic.

Class A was taken out by Jak Elliott of Glenavy in a Toyota Echo from Kevin Brockie of Dunedin in a Toyota Viz.

Other class placegetters were Paul Cross of Gore in his Toyota Corolla AE86, third in Class B behind Warren and Paul, and Tim Mackersy of Dunedin, third in Class C behind Ayson and Gill. With the top three overall not eligible for class prizes Strang took out Class D from MacDonald and Jones.

Three competitors did not finish the event, Gore drivers Damian Vincent and David Kirk plus Jake Thomas of Mosgiel all succumbing to driveline issues.

Event Secretary, Roger Laird of the Eastern Southland Car Club, said “we were very lucky with the weather and the event was very well received by competitors and the landowners with many favourable comments received. Thank you to the competitors, landowners, volunteers and Crossroads Clinton for their support of the event. A special mention to Kingsley Jones who made the big trek south from Pukekohe for the event.”