The final round of the 2006 WA State Rally Championship was a slippery affair. Running around Gustav Nyquist Kids Jersey the catchment area of Wellington Dam in Collie, the July weather supplied plenty of rain and turned the clay based roads to mud.
With a new twist for 2006, the Experts Cup Rally was changed to a fully pace noted event. Teams had the opportunity to look at the special stages in the morning, prior to the rally starting in the afternoon.A lot hinged on this event. If Alex Stone and Dianna Madlener (WRX) did well on this rally the state championship would be theirs. Others would be fighting hard for the win, those closest in contention were Toby Heyring/Peter Turner (Spec C WRX) http://www.officialauthenticredwings.com/authentic-4-jakub-kindl-jersey.html and Rob Herridge/Anthony Chudleigh (WRX).
By the 2:00 pm start the rains had stopped falling in the forest, helping slightly with traction. Whilst the head of the field ripped through the stage, those further back approached with more caution. Herridge/Chudleigh took themselves to an early lead, winning SS1 with Chris Anderson/Joel Lithgo (Spec C WRX) 2nd and John Macara/Paul Helm (WRX) 3rd.In SS2 Herridge/Chudleigh found a tree and a bank, giving their Subaru a bump in the left front and finishing the stage third fastest. Leigh Hynes/Stuart Percival (WRX) were second quickest and Heyring/Turner took stage 2 honours in their new Spec C WRX.
SS3 was a test of teams Johan Franzen Kids Jersey over 25km around Wellington Dam. The stage had some distinctly muddy sections to negotiate. Heyring/Turner again won the stage. This time the Lancer Evo 7 of Dennis & Jacquie Dunlop was second, equalling the time of Stone/Madlener's (WRX). Relatively early in the Rally Lee McIlroy/Steve Vass lost a great deal of time. The pair had gone off the road and got their WRX stuck in SS3. As precious time ticked away the team recovered the car, however not before 7 or so minutes had expired dropping them well down the order. Hynes/Percival were forced to bow out at the end of SS3 with a blown engine which also caused an under bonnet fire. Graham Furness/Peter Lindsay also ended their rally in SS3 with driveline problems.SS4 was the start of the night stages. Macara/Helm won the stage, Stone/Madlener were 2nd and Herridge/Chudleigh third.
By the end of SS4 the http://www.officialauthenticredwings.com/authentic-5-nicklas-lidstrom-jersey.html overall rally lead held by Heyring/Turner had been whittled down to just 1 second.
In SS5 Stone/Madlener took their first stage win of the event. ARC regulars Darren Windus/Jon Mortimer borrowed a local Spec C WRX for the Experts. In SS5 the pair were second quickest and keeping up the pressure Herridge/Chudleigh were third.