The Hindu : Sport / Racing : Motor : Cody Crocker wins Malaysia leg

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Sport - Racing : Motor

Cody Crocker wins Malaysia leg

K. Keerthivasan

MOTOR SPORTS / Is virtually assured of overall drivers’ title

WINNING SMILES: Cody Crocker (left) and co-driver Ben Atkinson, who triumphed in the APRC’s Malaysia leg on Sunday.

JOHOR BAHRU: There was no way Cody Crocker would have let go off this opportunity.

With his one and only competitor for the throne, Katsuhiko Taguchi, out of the race the other day, the 37-year-old Australian drove in an unhurried fashion to complete the race and bag the winner’s trophy in the Ancom Malaysian Asia Pacific Rally Championship for the third consecutive year, here on Sunday.

The 37-year-old Subaru driver is now virtually assured of the overall drivers’ title.

Fortunately, the rain which lashed the city on Saturday during the last few stages, didn’t arrive at all, much to the relief of most of the drivers.

In the six special stages, Crocker evidently drove with the minimum of fuss, realising that he needed to finish the race more than anything else.

“It is not that we drove exceptionally well.

“We were lucky in certain stages. We approached some stages very carefully, maintaining a safe pace right through. We had a two-and-a-half minutes lead (over the Japanese pair) going into the second leg.

“From this position, you don’t have to take any risks. I am a complete fool if I have done so. Our objective was to finish at all costs,” said Crocker, for whom this was the third title of the season. “I am thrilled to win the race. It’s been a tough weekend,” the Motor Image Rally Team driver added.

Lost battle

Disappointed at not being able to finish the race on Saturday, MRF Tyres Rally Team’s Taguchi came with a vengeance and finished first in the second leg, overtaking Crocker in five of the six stages. It was a lost battle, nevertheless.

MRF’s Gaurav Gill did not participate in the second leg as his engine was found to be beyond repair.

The Japanese duo of Hiroshi Yanagisawa and Yoshimasa Nakahara emerged second, while Rifat Sungkar (Indonesia) and Bill Hayes (Australia) came third. New Zealand’s Mark Tapper won the coveted Pirelli Star driver competition, thereby earning a spot in the World Rally Championship in 2009.

The seventh and final APRC round will be held in China on November 8 and 9.

The results (provisional): 1. Cody Crocker & Ben Atkinson (Aus) 2:55.24; 2. Hiroshi Yanagisawa & Yoshimasa Nakahara (Jpn) 2:58.52; 3. Rifat Sungkar (Ina) & Bill Hayes (Aus) 3:05.53; 4. Takuma Kamada & Naoki Kase (Jpn) 3:09.04; 5. Scott Pedder & Glen Weston (Aus) 3:15.35.

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