Competition T200

In late breaking news on Saturday night, rally leader Troy Wilson was forced to retire, unable to fix an oil cooler damaged in the final stage in Bullsbrook.

It promoted rookie Bryce Moore and co-driver Adrian Burney in a 2022 Toyota Supra to the top of the leaderboard at the start of Day 4 with a 2-minute lead ahead of Jurgen and Helen Lunsmann in the EV, 2019 Tesla Model 3P+.

Moore held onto the lead to finish victorious, 2:01 minutes ahead of Lunsmann.

In third place, 13 years since he last competed in Tarmac West, was James Lister with co-driver Steph Esterbauer in his Mitsubishi TM 6.5.

This is the first time Moore has competed in Tarmac West; he is an experienced circuit racer and has competed in many rally sprints.

“I’m feeling a little bit emotional, this is the most mentally challenging motorsport event I’ve ever done, it’s been such a roller coaster,” said Moore, equally happy and relieved.

“We’ve had good luck, bad luck, and been struggling since yesterday, we’ve had no boost. I didn’t think we were going to finish the final run. I don’t think the car could do another stage in the condition it’s in, but we brought it home.

“There’s so many aspects to Tarmac West compared to other forms of motorsport, it’s such a challenge for the team, the co-driver, I had no idea how much goes into it, I was pretty green when I entered this and I would’ve been in a lot of trouble without Adrian, I was just driving as fast as I can when he told me to.”

Moore thanked his co-driver Adrian Burney, who has competed in Tarmac West three times, German Motor Works, Lance East Exotics, and Tarmac West organisers and volunteer officials.

In Malaga, Moore hardly played the safe game, winning one stage, and just 1 second off the pace in another, and in the City of Perth, no one would know he had a boost issue looking at his rapid times.

The 2-minute gap was impossible to close despite Lunsmann trying, setting the fastest time in all three stages in the city.

This is the tenth consecutive year an EV (electric car) has entered a tarmac rally anywhere in the world, and Lunsmann said he is proud to represent EVs with a second place outright.

“The roads are amazing, we had a ball, and congratulations to the guys up front, they drove really well,” Lunsmann said.

Lunsmann’s Tesla Model 3P+ battery was charged during services, drawing power from a large portable battery that was transported in the back of another electric car.

“No more generators needed, the battery worked a treat, and in fact we’ve been stress testing this in race conditions and the battery will be filling gaps in the north along the new Electric Highway,” Lunsmann said.

Third-placed Lister was ecstatic to take the third step of the podium.

“I’m so happy to be on the podium, we’ve had a great weekend and it’s unbelievable that we get to do this,” said Lister, who was beaming.

“The number one person I have to thank is Steph (co-driver), she encouraged me and her partner helped along the way, coached me through the fast stages of the last two days, it’s been a blast, we made it.”

Lister, who started today in equal fifth position, finished fastest in the first two stages in Malaga this morning and gained two places on the leaderboard to take the third step.

Competition T165 (limited to 165km/h)

Yesterday was carnage in the T165 category with 10 starters and five finishers that saw a change in the leaderboard with Sam Lloyd and Marc Roissetter in their 2006 Mitsubishi Evo X forced to retire due to mechanical issues.

It promoted Kane Pountney and co-driver and wife Vivian Pountney to the top of the standings in their 2013 Mercedes-Benz A45. They started the final day of competition 1:38 minutes ahead of Keith Hamilton and co-driver David Humphreys in 2009 Subaru Impreza WRX STI.

Pountney increased the margin by winning four of today’s six stages to take the category win, 1:19 minutes ahead of Hamilton.

Rounding out the top three was Daryl Henthorn and co-driver Noah Humble in their 2003 Mitsubishi 8RS, 9:34 minutes off the lead pace.

This is Kane Pountney’s second time entering Lance East Exotics Tarmac West, last year they were in the T130 class, and the husband and wife duo have also competed in the short and fast rally sprint events.

“We’re feeling great!” said Pountney. “It was a huge day yesterday and the results were great. Thanks to the organisers and all volunteers, rallying is in our blood now, totally addicted,” Kane Pountney said.

“We won the south west tarmac rally in the T130 category, and since then put in a roll cage to compete in the 165,” he explained.

Competition T130 (limited to 130km/h)

Father and son team Alex and Lachlan White took the T130 lead in their 1990 Nissan Silvia on Day 2 and held onto it to take the category win by 38 seconds.

Holding firm onto second place were rookies Jacob Green and co-driver Shane Johnston in their 2013 Toyota GT86, and rounding out the top three was Thomas Swan and co-driver Josh Couzens in their 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer Evo.

Swan won five of the six stages today.

Alex White, an experienced gravel rally driver, said he entered Tarmac West with a bit of apprehension.

“I wasn’t sure what to expect to be honest, I was a bit worried it might’ve been a bit boring being limited to 130 kilometres per hour, but some of the stages in Toodyay, Maryville and Bullsbrook were great and it didn’t matter, we were flat out everywhere, great corners, we had a great time,” Alex White said.

“This is our gravel car, and it took more work than expected to get it ready for this event, and to be honest, we were expecting to come last, but we did ok from the start, it’s been amazing.

“The officials have done an amazing job this weekend, if you see what has to go into organising an event like this and setting up stages and road closures, and it’s pretty much run on time, it’s really well organised.”

Alex and Lachlan White competed in TSD last year, which is the Time Speed Distance category where the event assigns the time competitors are to finish each stage with petalites for finishing too fast and too slow.

Anyone in a normal road car can enter TSD. It is designed to be a low-barrier entry into rallying – all that’s needed is a helmet and fire extinguisher to participate in a spirited drive along the same closed roads as the rally competitors.

“For anyone thinking about having a go at rallying, just enter TSD and don’t be put off by the 110km/h speed limit, which is the road speed limit anyway,” Alex White said.

“You get to mix with all the rally competitors, some are really experienced, and you’ll meet some people, you’ll learn some things, and it might change the way you do things, and build from there. It’s great fun.”