Tony crashes but rateins rally title

Tony crashes but rateins rally title

JAKARTA (JP): A last-ditch collision cost Tony Hardianto a
season-ending victory in Bandar Lampung Sunday, but it did not
cost him his national rally championship throne.

Pacesetter Tony was on the way to his second win of the year
when his speeding Subaru Impreza smashed into a ditch on the 15th
and last special stage of Sunday's race at Way Berulu. The
accident enabled Arief Indiarto, who had been trailing Tony since
the outset on Saturday, to clinch the title in two hours, two
minutes and seven seconds.

Okky Harwanto finished second in 2:02:37, ahead of Ricardo
Gelael who completed the 180-kilometer course in 2:02:51.

The victory boosted Arief's championship ranking points to 34,
still a far cry from threatening Tony's 45 points.

Tony and his co-driver Antony Sarwono had their second
successive championship title assured Saturday when their closest
rivals, Hutomo Mandala Putra and his co-driver Jeffry, retired in
the second stage with engine trouble.

Hutomo, President Soeharto's youngest son, had to be content
with the overall runner-up spot behind Tony on 42.5, with Arief
finishing third.

Arief, the 1990 national champion, insisted that his first win
of the year was just a matter of luck. "Had Tony cleared the
final stage, I would have missed out on the top honor," he said.

Ricardo, Hutomo's Gudang Garam Goro teammate, admitted the
exceptional challenges he dealt with during the final quarter of
the four-leg championship series. "I found it difficult to
control my car on such a bumpy gravel track," said Ricardo.

Only nine of the 20 drivers registered for the race crossed
the finish line on Sunday.

Overall champion Tony took home a Timor car, a product of
Hutomo's national automotive company. (amd)