Allport team shares in South African rally victory

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Scot Alister McRae takes the New Zealand prepared Neil Allport Mitsubishi Lancer EVO8 to victory in South Africa over the weekend.

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Kiwi's on the international stage: Auckland based Neil Allport Motorsport flank Alister McRae and co-driver Gordon Noble after winning the South Africa Zulu Rally on Sunday (28th May 2006).

Media release: on behalf of Neil Allport Motorsport

For immediate release: Monday 29th May 2006.

Allport team shares in South African rally victory

Auckland based motorsport preparation business Neil Allport Motorsport has recorded another international success when Scot Alister McRae won the South Africa Zulu Rally over the weekend (27-28 May 2006).

Fronted by past New Zealand Rally Champion Neil Allport, his team prepared and supplied a Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8 for the two-day challenge through the KwaZulu-Natal regions.

As with any international campaign, victory was all the sweeter when Allport reflected on the challenges that held up the best prepared plans to have the car ready.

"The car was due to arrive in Durban on 11th May and when I arrived in the city on 18th May I was told that the boat from Auckland to Singapore had broken down. I was then given daily predictions that the boat would arrive the following morning. The boat docked the Wednesday afternoon prior to the rally and we tested Alister's car two hours before scrutineering. Fortunately he was happy with the car.”

With a crew of Kiwi mechanics and support from Silverstone Tyres, the Allport team shared the victory podium with McRae and British co-driver Gordon Noble.

“I brought the Team from New Zealand and to win a rally in Africa with one of the most famous names in rallying will stay with us Kiwis for a long time,” he added.

For his part, the former British Rally Champion and WRC experienced driver was fastest on five of the twelve stages over the two days. “The roads have been very good; they certainly make a driver work. The last 10kms of the last stage were cancelled which I am pleased about as the roads were very rough and it would have been easy to damage the cars. World Championship rallies are now sprint events and just because the rally is in Africa you don't need Safari type roads,” said Alister McRae after scoring his second international rally win of the year.

While Allport and his crew now return to New Zealand, McRae heads for China in July where he leads the Chinese Rally Championship.

ENDS

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