The fourth unique winner from four events, Jarred Biggs & Fleche Crawford return to the top step after four years since their last!
The Central Zone Final and the fourth Round for the 2025 Lucas Oils NZ 4×4 Trials Series took place out of Feilding in the Manawatu. As the second half of the season gets underway, it’s shaping up to be a fight between Mitch Caldow & Jamie Elms, Ash Tonkin & Dyon Ross and defending champs Scott Biggs & Phil Walton for the National Title.
The Top 10 is all still to play for, as teams can drop their worst scoring round towards their overall points tally. Meaning they could build upon their best two rounds heading into the fourth!
32 stages were laid throughout the valleys in Pohangina, with the Manawatu 4WD Club hosting the event to fundraise for the Grassroots Rescue Helicopter.
MORNING
At midday Jarred Biggs & Fleche Crawford were well on form, having made the switch to the popular Journey Claw’s between rounds leading on 74.07 points. Ash Tonkin & Dyon Ross were only a couple seconds behind courtesy of Section 1 with 76.34 points. Chris Gifford & stand-in Tom Baeriswyl were third, ahead of Caldow & Elms and Wayne Buckthought & Rachel Buckthought rounding out the top five.
Defending C Class champs Caleb Adlam & Jarrod Moss were in the mix with 7th, whilst Alastair Bevege & Grant MacDonald had a strong morning to sit 9th in their Homebuilt buggy!
AFTERNOON / D CLASS
In the afternoon trying to make up the gap, Tonkin & Ross attempted the high line on Section 16, their 2nd course of the afternoon. It went along the base of a hill before a hard right to drive up the steep face – the alternative was to turn earlier and drive up on a 45-degree angle to squeeze above the cliff face and sneak along on top…
After managing to squeeze through the gap, the team lost their footing before they could turn up to the 20 grading, rolling down to the bottom with a few bent and broken parts along the way. Those watching on would stick to the low line, with no teams getting further than the 40 grading.
Tonkin & Ross would manage to repair their truck to finish the day, a feat of its own, as they dropped only less than a second behind Biggs & Crawford in the afternoon to finish 2nd Overall on the day!
Gifford & Baeriswyl would overcome their own troubles throughout the day to finish third, not limited to power steering and cooling issues as they return to the podium for the first time since last season’s final.
C CLASS
John Hawken & Haare O’Brien would finally take their first win in C Class in a hot minute, with former champ Hawken not on the top step since the 2012 National Final! After running 11th outright in the morning and behind Adlam & Moss, the Whanganui team would keep their cool to hold on and finish in the top spot. Rhys O’Brien & Clarrie Vazey would improve to finish 2nd in their Homebuilt, as too would Nathan Fogden & Cody Fogden to take 3rd.
Adlam & Moss would fall back in the afternoon to finish 4th.
Current C-Class leaders Shayne Towers & Tony Hadland would suffer a nasty rollover backwards in the morning and have to pick up the pieces. The team managed to get back out and finish they day, however a broken throttle position sensor meant they had no power as they ultimately brought up the rear of the field.
Nevertheless, with their strong placings so far this season they are now tied for the C Class lead with Hawken & O’Brien. With drop rounds in play, they have a healthy lead of 299 over Hawken and Adlam on 295!
THE PRODUCTION’S AND THE MODS
Our regulars in F, G & K Class would all finish the day, with all of the above now “champion-elect” for 2025 as we pass halfway in the season!
Paul Taylor & Danielle Taylor in their F Class Toyota Landcruiser would have another strong day, being the best out of everyone for the afternoon!
Daniel Howat & Cole Stockler would once again overcome issues in the morning to finish in their G Class Suzuki SJ410.
John Sheridan & Matt Wilson would finish the day leading the rear-fiddles group, as the K Class winning buggy comes up for sale!
BEST OF THE REST – TOP 10
Behind the Top 3 in D Class and rounding out the Top 10…
Title leaders Mitch Caldow & Jamie Elms continue their consistent run of results with 4th. They lead the way over Ash Tonkin & Dyon Ross by a singular point outright – and only a point behind with drop rounds in play.
Phil Cameron & Todd Charman would have a strong day to finish 5th, increasing their chances of a reutn to the Top 10 come end of season!
Andy Canning & John Boylett of Nelson would score their best result this season in 6th.
Cracking the Top 10 for the first time is Alastair Bevege & Grant MacDonald with their Homebuilt D-Class! The Nissan VQ35 turbocharged buggy was knocking on the door last season with an impressive 11th at Whanganui – The team from the Bay of Plenty now taking 7th. It is also the best result for the Homebuilt originally built by Kevin Bevege back in the early 2000’s.
Wayne Weatherly & Tayla Weatherly would survive a mishap in the afternoon speed section to finish 8th, without those extra penalty points would have seen them 5th in otherwise a strong day for the father-daughter team.
Scott Dickson & Caitlyn Thomsen would stay in the mix of the Top 10 with 9th.
Last round winners Dave McKie & Reece McKie would finish 10th after rolling on the morning ungraded and picking up 100 penalty points.
The final two rounds this season take place in the Bay of Plenty, with the penultimate round held in Te Puke on Sunday 23rd March!
