Rizal leads Medan Rally after first day

Rizal leads Medan Rally after first day

Musthofid
The Jakarta Post/Medan, North Sumatra

Rizal Sungkar gave an outstanding display of racing to stave
off older brother Rizal in the first leg of the Gudang Garam
National Rally Championship here on Saturday.

Rizal, with navigator Anthony Sarwono, notched up the best
time of one hour, nine minutes and 36 seconds after seven of the
planned 13 special stages were completed.

Rifat, the winner of the opening series in Lampung, finished
second in 1:09:57, just a second faster than third-placed Herry
Agung.

The treacherous course, winding through rubber and oil palm
plantations in Tebing Tinggi, caused nine of the 46 cars to crash
out.

"It was a good race for me today. I had no problem with the
car. The car preparation was fitting for the race, including in
the choice of tires. I like the Medan track," Rizal said at the
post-race press conference.

Rizal, who drives for the Pertamina Rally Team along with
Rifat, said a migraine affected his performance during the fifth
stage.

"It came on suddenly. I struggled to control the car but I
somehow couldn't keep up the speed. Coming out from the stage, I
let Anthony take over the wheel," he said.

The pair also dealt with a tire puncture.

Rifat, with navigator Muhammad Herkusumah, trailed in the
first five stages before he decided to change his tires, from
ones for dry conditions to those better suited for the muddy
sections of the course.

He also complained about a spectator who threw a rock onto the
road, forcing him to slow down on the third section.

Herry suffered a reversal of fortune, leading for most of the
day before ending up in third place overall.

The Bosowa Rally Team driver and navigator Hade Mboi built a
two-second lead over Rizal when the cars regrouped after
completing the first four stages. Rifat was then 18 seconds
behind.

But Herry failed to maintain the lead, saying he was
unfamiliar with the course. He also blamed his tires, which were
unsuited for the rainy conditions of the final stages.

"I last raced here in 1990. I was not serious at the time,"
Herry said, adding that he would try to bounce back on Sunday for
the final six stages.

The Medan rally is the second stop of the 2005 Gudang Garam
National Rally Championship. The next stops will be in Makassar
and West Java.