Eventful final day for Brendo in Rally NZ

Brendan Reeves and Rhianon Smyth have had a drama-filled final day in Repco Rally New Zealand.

Having clinched the Kiwi 2 class in their Ford Fiesta after day two, the pair were keen to push on and secure a result inside the top 30.

Things started well, but on stage 13 they lost over 12 minutes when they had to stop and help another competitor (who had crashed) put out a fire. At the time of writing, they were hoping to have this time loss reinstated.

Undeterred, they soldiered on, only to have a ball joint fail and a front wheel fall off on the very last stage.

Brendo’s mechanical skills allowed him to put the wheel back on and fix the car with cable ties, and they finished the rally in a provisional 25th place.

“It’s been a drama filled day, but we’re rapt to get to the finish and build on our experience,” Brendo said.

“To drive the New Zealand roads and get a taste of the World Rally Championship has been awesome.”

VIEW PHOTOS OF BRENDO COMPETING IN RALLY NEW ZEALAND HERE