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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution driver Armin Kremer, and co-driver Fred Berssen, finished the Rally of Rotorua, the third round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, in second position. The German won the second leg of the event, which ran under ’SUPERally’ regulations, and, mid-way through the series, leads the Championship by just one point over arch rival Karamjit Singh.
The third round of the series took the contenders to New Zealand and while Kremer suffered during the opening leg, he nevertheless managed to power back up the leaderboard during the second day of competition. Having chosen too soft a compound tire for the first two stages of the rally, the German reigning Asia-Pacific champion dropped to ninth position, but by the end of the day had climbed back to second behind ultimate victor, Singh, with a string of top times.
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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution Gr. N
Katsuhiko Taguchi / Mark Stacey
(Leg 2 - 10 July 2004)
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A cold and frosty start to today’s second leg saw temperatures between eight and 12 degrees and while Kremer set three fastest stage times, the deficit to Singh was simply too much to overcome.
"I love the rally with these nice but difficult stages", said Kremer at the finish. “Unfortunately we could not go the same speed on the first day; we are not good enough in tight corners and are still missing traction".
Fred Berssen - co-driving in place of Timo Gottschalk who was driving in Bohemia this weekend - added: "If the first day went like the second one, a win would have been possible".
Local driver Mark Tapper finished third in another Lancer Evolution while Kremer’s team-mate and 1999 Asia-Pacific Rally Champion Katsuhiko Taguchi claimed fourth overall, third of the registered contenders. The Japanese Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution driver set one fastest time today and holds third position in the Championship standings.
The fourth round of the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship takes the contenders to Japan (September 3-5) and the event will run alongside the country’s inaugural round of the FIA World Rally Championship.
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