Hayden Paddon, with co-driver John Kennard calling the pace notes, has taken the lead of the Production World Rally Championship category after day two of Rally Finland. The top Kiwi rally duo has a 54.4s margin over local Finn and wildcard entrant Mikko Pajunen.
Paddon started day two third among the PWRC competitors with Finn Jarkko Nikara leading the category with a slender 0.5s lead over Swedish driver Patrik Flodin.
The Kiwis stormed through Friday’s first 20.35km test to take the stage win with a time of 12:03.1, 8.3s quicker than Flodin. With Nikara out on that stage with a brake issue that caused him to roll off the road, Flodin took the PWRC category lead and the battle with Paddon was on. The remaining morning stages went to Flodin with Paddon just a few seconds slower, meaning the Kiwi finished the four Friday morning tests just 12.5s away from Flodin.
Paddon said: “I struggled to adapt at the start of the day but it got much better and the car felt really good,”
In the afternoon, Nikara tried to regain position with two stage winning runs, but was too far adrift of Flodin and Paddon to impact on the Subaru drivers.
Paddon took the PWRC category lead on special stage nine – his times were still within a few seconds of stage winner Nikara, while Flodin suffered first a suspension breakage and then lost his brakes.
Paddon finished the day with another strong stage win to secure the nearly one-minute lead over Pajunen, who drives a two-wheel-drive Renault Clio R3.
Paddon said: “We were on tyre management mode this afternoon and it’s good to be leading. But there is still a long way to go and it’s going to be tough tomorrow.” Paddon’s closest rival on the PWRC points-table, Martin Semerad, was forced to retire after a car fire on Friday morning.
At this point, Paddon is on course to make it three wins from three PWRC, but as the 24-year-old from Geraldine acknowledges the third day of Rally Finland comprises eleven stages, so first he must finish in his Symtech Racing-built Subaru STI. Paddon and Kennard must cover 140.05 kilometres of competitive stages before Saturday’s 9pm finish.
Paddon would like to thank the continued support he gets from his loyal partners, which include Subaru New Zealand, EDL Fasteners, CR Properties, Placemakers, Racetech Seats, Castrol, Dunlop, Radio Sport, Radio Hauraki, Camerons Sea and Air Freight, Endless brakes, In-tune Automotive, All About Signs, Total Automotive, Reaction Racing, Raiseys Sport Nutrition, Chicane Racewear, RallyTours, Alto Lab, Pope Print, Granger Design, Bluebridge Ferry, 1 Group and Symtech Racing.
The team shares results via text updates, Twitter and Facebook, or visit the website www.haydenpaddon.com.
ENDS/
Attached image is free to use. Please credit Hayden Paddon Rallysport. It shows Kiwis Hayden Paddon and John Kennard in action among the massive crowds which support Rally Finland.
Rally Finland: statistics
Paddon started day two as third PWRC competitor, 35th on road, in car #138.
SS4 (20.35km): Full field – 21st on stage, 22nd overall; PWRC field – 1st on stage by 8.3s to P Flodin, overall 2nd in class by 4.3s to Flodin
SS5 (8.9km): Full field – 29th on stage, 21st overall; PWRC field – 3rd on stage by 5.0s to stage winner P Flodin, overall 2nd in class by 9.3s to Flodin
SS6 (29.9km): Full field – 28th on stage, 23rd overall; PWRC field – 2nd on stage by 4.1s to stage winner P Flodin, overall 2nd in class by 13.4s to Flodin
SS7 (13.68km): Full field – 26th on stage, 23rd overall; PWRC field – 1st on stage by 0.9s to P Flodin, overall 2nd in class by 12.5s to Flodin
SS8 (17.8km): Full field – 23rd on stage, 22rd overall; PWRC field – 3rd on stage by 7.5s to stage winner J Nikara, overall 2nd in class by 6.6s to Flodin
SS9 (29.9km): Full field – 27th on stage, 23rd overall; PWRC field – 3rd on stage by 6.9s to stage winner J Nikara, overall 1st in class by 4.4s to Flodin
SS10 (2km): Full field – 37th on stage, 23rd overall; PWRC field – 5th on stage by 1.5s to stage winner M Kosciuszko, overall 1st in class by 20.9s to Flodin
SS11 (12.07km): Full field – 18th on stage, 23rd overall; PWRC field – 1st on stage by 5.5s to M Pajunen, overall 1st in class by 54.4s to Pajunen
For more information, please contact:
Hayden Paddon – hayden@paddonrallysport.co.nz
NZ mobile: 027 318 1748; new international mobile +372 5751 2856
Or
Kate Gordon – kate@relishcomm.co.nz, 021 587 227
Hayden Paddon’s 2011 calendar
24-27 March – Vodafone Rally de Portugal (PWRC)
8-10 April – Rally Otago (NZRC)
26-29 May – Rally Argentina (PWRC)
15-17 July – International Rally of Whangarei (NZRC)
28-31 July – Neste Oil Rally Finland (PWRC)
8-11 Sept – Rally Australia (PWRC)
20-23 Oct – Rally de Espana (Rally Spain, PWRC)
10-13 Nov – Wales Rally GB (PWRC)
