WET conditions and a technical Canberra course combined to cause havoc on a dramatic opening day of the National Capital Rally.
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Mechanics and panel beaters were kept busy overnight as teams scrambled to get back on the start line for Sunday's second and final day of competition.
The elite Australian Rally Championship field was reduced from 11 to just six, Victorian Brendan Reeves surviving the carnage to collect his maiden heat victory after Saturday's eight stages, in front of Steven Mackenzie and Canberra's Adrian Coppin.
Defending series champion Eli Evans endured a horror day, recovering from a crash in the first stage before another mishap in stage five ended his run prematurely.
Fellow contender Scott Pedder bent a control arm before recovering to finish fourth.
Canberra 20-year-old Rhys Pinter, competing in the junior division for drivers under 26, was in hospital on Saturday night for precautionary scans after rolling his Ford Fiesta just 13 kilometres into the opening stage.
Reeves, 25, held his nerve after a slight crash early and gave credit to navigator and sister Rhianon Gelsomino for keeping the car on the road.
''Rhianon had to be as switched on as me calling the notes because we both had the same goal of winning,'' Reeves said. ''There was so many cars dropping out, but we kept pushing on. We had a small off in stage one this morning, but recovered from that and had a clean run this afternoon.
''The Canberra roads are some of the most difficult in the championship because there are so many corners, and the rain in the mountains made it tough as well.''
In his first drive for Citroen, Coppin was satisfied with his day's work in achieving a top-three position.
''I'm pretty happy and it's a good debut with the new team,'' Coppin said. ''They were very trying and changing conditions.
''You had to manage every stage differently, so we consolidated the last couple of stages to make sure we finished and we can push tomorrow.''
Pinter wasn't so fortunate, his weekend coming to an end when his car sustained extensive damage and rolled a couple of times. ''I'm feeling pretty dejected and devastated at the moment,'' Pinter said.