Nannup win puts Evans back on track
![Steve Glenney and co-driver Andy Sarandis finished the rally in second place.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_G9I1JKDQB.1-1.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Driver Eli Evans claimed his first win since 2015 at the Make Smoking History Forest Rally at the weekend.
Taking place across tracks in Busselton and Nannup, the rally represents round two of the 2018 CAMS Australian Rally Championship.
![Molly Taylor and Malcolm Read secured third place in the final stage.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_G9I1JKDR6.1-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Evans, of Victoria, and co-driver Ben Searcy, of Perth, are now championship leaders following their weekend performance.
After two and a half years without a win, Evans said this victory provided a much-needed confidence boost.
“I actually did start to doubt myself, but this has given me a huge hit of confidence,” he said.
![Rally winners Eli Evans and co-driver Ben Searcy tackle the 2018 Make Smoking History Forest Rally track in Nannup at the weekend.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GFV1JK5UN.1-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Evans and Searcy finished heat one and two with 40 points each, with a bonus of one bringing them to 81 points to top second-place-getters Steve Glenney and co-driver Andy Sarandis, who finished on 64. This year’s rally marked a return to the West for Glenney, who had not raced in WA for a decade.
“The roads over here in Western Australia are brilliant, I love them, but they are so tricky, so much concentration is required but I guess we got away with it,” he said.
![John O’Dowd and co-driver Tom Wilde of Nannup kick-up some dust.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_G9I1JKDR0.1-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
Third place was determined by the rally’s final stage, with Molly Taylor and Malcolm Read securing a spot on the podium over Glen Raymond and Kathryn Catford. Nannup’s Tom Wilde finished eighth.
Spectator pictures:
![Lyn Read with Marilyn and Ross Louwen.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVLV.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![The Rally Action crew.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVNP.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![Denise Pearce with sons Brodie, 11, and Maverick, 6.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVNH.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![Tayla, Clayton and Tyson Pillage, 14.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVMA.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![Tracey, Carl and Tim Rattenburg, 12.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVM2.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![Emily Loughton, 10, Thomas Loughton, 12, Juliette Flanagan, 7, and Hannah Flanagan, 12.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVMJ.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![Tyde, 13, Elliot, 5, and Austen Ashling, 9.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVMH.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
![Mark and Liam Johnson, 11.](https://images.thewest.com.au/publication/B88821008Z/1525402811720_GI81JKVMI.2-0.jpg?imwidth=810&impolicy=wan_v3)
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