Despite a left rear puncture on the day’s second stage which cost her and co-driver Glenn Macneall 30 seconds in their Subaru Impreza WRX STI, Gilmour fought a day long battle with Dean Sumner and Chris West for position amongst the leading New Zealanders.

She went into the day’s final stage at the Hampton Downs race track with a narrow advantage over West, but he was 1.1 seconds faster on the stage to claim third place for the day by 0.1 of a second.

“We had a good afternoon, but just couldn’t quite hang on,” said Gilmour. “It’s a bit of a pity, but we can have another go tomorrow.”

Each day’s competition of the Rally of NZ awards a separate set of points in the national series.

At the moment Gilmour trails Sumner by 8 points.

But the puncture on the second of three long back country road stages in the Glen Murray – Naike area in the morning was a telling blow.

“We got a pace note wrong and I came into a corner too fast,” said Gilmour. “We hit a bank sideways and popped the tyre bead off the rim.”

They then had to drive 12 kms to the end of the stage with the puncture, losing 30 seconds.

‘The suspension was knocked out of alignment, so we had to do the next stage like that and then the first time on the race track,” said Gilmour.

“But the boys fixed everything at the service break and we had a good run this afternoon, until I was a bit too cautious on the race track on the final stage.

National champion Haydon Paddon continues to lead the Kiwi drivers in 15th overall, with West, Sumner and Gilmour filling the next three places.

Gilmour is second in the Production Car World Rally Championship class behind Paddon as West and Sumner are not entered in that competition.

Tomorrow’s final day includes four stages in the Raglan area with drivers making two attempts at the notorious Whaanga Coast stage.

Results.-

New Zealand Rally Championship Day 2 Heat

1, H Paddon, J Kennard (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1h 36m 03.0s;
2, D Sumner, P Fallon (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1.37.24.1;
3, C West, C Cobham (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 1.37.37.7;
4, E Gilmour, G Macneall (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) 1.37.37.8;
5, S Taylor, W Searle (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10) 1.37.42.8;
6, G Smith, C Ward (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo10) 1.39.22.1.

Overall after Day 2
1, Paddon, Kennard, 3h 18m 30.6s;
2, West, Cobham, 3.20.12.5;
3, Sumner, Fallon, 3.20.57.9;
4, Gilmour, Macneall, 3.21.07.5
5, Taylor, Searle, 3. 21.44.4;
6, G Inkster, C Goldring (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9) 3.23.31.3