Gore rally driver Derek Ayson blew away the cobwebs with a charity run at the Chloris Pass Rallysprint, near Owaka.
The event on Saturday acted as a perfect warm-up for Ayson leading up to the Otago Rally in two weeks’ time.
“It was a good shakedown for the car. So far it seems to be going good. It is a good shakedown event since it has undergone a complete rebuild since the Silver Fern Rally,” Ayson said.
The 8.5km course was tackled both ways and Ayson covered the course in about five minutes each way.
For one of the runs, his co-driver was Sue Clearwater. She won the opportunity to ride with Ayson in a charity auction at the Dairy Heifer awards supporting the Southland Rural Support Trust.
rally car; she has been a passenger in her partner, David McLean’s, Starlet.
The Starlet and Ayson’s Escort provided different challenges.
“It [the Starlet] was front-wheel drive in comparison to rear-wheel drive, which meant it [the Escort] was a lot more tail-happy,” Mrs Clearwater said.
However, she felt comfortable riding in the Escort.
“Derek has become such a legend in this car – he can drive it so well.”
