CODY Crocker laid claim to his third consecutive Australian Rally Championship on Sunday after two days of ‘hot’ rallying around the Yarra Valley in the NGK Rally of Melbourne.
The popular Yarra Valley stages represent round five of the Globalstar Australian Rally Championship.
Close on Crocker’s heels was fellow Melburnian Simon Evans, who took out Heat One on the Saturday.
Crocker clinched both the round win and his third national title in front of a capacity crowd on the demanding final Super Special Stage in and around the vines at De Bortoli Winery in Dixon’s Creek.
With codriver Dale Moscatt, Crocker completed over 723 kilometres through the bush around Toolangi, Marysville, Mt Donna Buang and Don Valley and at De Bortoli’s.
Evans pushed Crocker to the limit right up to the final stage with stunning performances that saw the pair separated by tenths of a second through the bush.
On hearing the news that he was faster than Evans, his main rival, Crocker realised the Melbourne round as well as the championship were his.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet, but the points are on the board and we are rapt,” he said.
“We had a fantastic weekend and it’s great to get the championship with one round to go.”
Event comanager Justin Hunt said he was delighted with the success of the event, describing the action in the bush by the 59 competitors as “red hot”.
“We’ve had good clean rallying throughout both heats, with both the main competitors pushing each other to the end.”
