Rally dos Sertões: Gonçalves wins SS2 in Bikes but Coma still overall leader./Mitsubishi´s Spinelli / Haddad the new leader in the cars.

The second day of the 22nd edition of the "Rally dos Sertões" in Brazil, between Caldas Novas and Catalão, began with changes in the special test course. For security reasons, the special had to be reduced and had only 78 km, against 202.23 kilometers planned. Even so, there were many emotions and an exciting dispute.

In bikes, the current world champion and current winner of the Rally do Sertões, the Portuguese Paulo Gonçalves (Honda HRC Team) was the best in the stage and closed the special with the time of 00:45:37 minutes, little more than a minute faster than the Brazilian Jean Azevedo (Honda Mobil de Rally), who was the first runner-up.

The Spaniard Marc Coma (KTM Red Bull Factory Team) finished third, but he is the overall leader, with the time of 02:42:27 hours, with 39 seconds of advantage to Gonçalves. Thirty-six of the 37 bikes disputed the second stage Today.

"Today the special test was very short. I started in the third position and I would like that it was a longer special to try to recover. I think I managed to recover more or less 1:40 minutes the difference for Marc Coma. Now we have five days ahead to try to get a good final position," said Paulo Gonçalves after the stage.

In the quads, thirteen competitors completed the second stage. The current champion, the Brazilian Robert Nahas (RNN Sports), was the winner with a time of 00:51:33 minutes. Tom Rosa (ATV Yamaha) was the first runner-up and Gabriel Varela (Divino Fogão Rally Team) finished third.

The Polish Rafal Sonik (Sonik Team), winner of the first stage, and Marcelo Medeiros (Taguatur Racing), who won the prologue, missed the route and lost time. Medeiros was the fifth in the day and Sonik the seventh. Nahas also took the lead in the overall (03:04:45 hours), with more than five minutes ahead to Medeiros and Sonik.

In the UTV/SSV, the duo Jose Helio Rodrigues and Edmilson de Camargo (Polaris Racing) got the victory in the second stage in UTVs with the time of 00:53:26 mins. Denisio Casarini and Eduardo Shiga (Casarini Can-Am) were second on the day and are leading overall with 03:14:25 hours, just 10 seconds ahead for the duo Rodrigo Varela and John Arena (Divino Fogão Rally Team). 

With the special test reduced for safety reasons, competitors of the "Rally dos Sertões" in Brazil forced the pace in the race of the 2nd stage on Monday (25th), between the cities of Caldas Novas and Catalão. The special had the dispute of 78 km, against 202.23 kilometers planned. 43 of 45 cars disputed the second stage.

In category T1 FIA (cars), the four-time champion Guilherme Spinelli and the co-driver Youssef Haddad accelerated their Mitsubishi ASX Racing and got the victory with a time of 00:48:30 minutes. Cristian Baumgart and Beco Andreotti (NWM Ford Ranger) were first runners up, just ahead of teammates Marcos Baumgart and Kleber Cincea (Ford Ranger).

Reinaldo Varela and Gustavo Gugelmin (Overdrive Toyota Hilux), who were leading, got a penalty (they over speeded in a radar zone), and dropped to fourth place overall.

Spinelli and Haddad took the overall lead from Varela, with the time of 02:40:45 hours, followed by Marcos Baumgart and Cincea. "It was a more enjoyable special test than yesterday, although three quarters of it have been canceled, which is a shame, but it was fast, with nice mounds. Anyway, we forced the pace a little more," said Spinelli.

In T1 Prototypes, the duo João Franciosi / Rafael Capoani (Mitsubishi Petrobras) won and got the overall lead (02:56:50). In Pro Brasil, Mauro Guedes and Neurivan Calado (MS Rally) also won and remained in the overall lead (02:54:44).

In Super Production, Glauber Fontoura and Minae Miyauti (Mitsubishi Ralliart Brazil) still unbeatable after winning the prologue and the first two stages. In Production T2, Vilson Thomas / William Thomas is another duo that won the day's special and is on overall leadership with 03:15:57 hours.

In the trucks, six-time champion of the Rally dos Sertões, Edu Piano and co-drivers Solon Mendes and Antonio Carlos de Sales (Ford F4000) won also the second stage and they are in the trucks leadership, with 00:02:52 minutes of advantage for the trio Kenner Garcia / Rafael dal Bello / Raphael Bettoni (Ford F4000), who was the first runner up Today.

On Tuesday the competitors depart towards Paracatu (Minas Gerais State) in the dispute of the 3rd stage of the Rally dos Sertões 2014. There will be 360.45 km in total on the third day (22.20 km of initial liaison, 209.86 km of special and 128.39 km of final liaison).

Between Goiânia and Belo Horizonte, Sertões will go through five more cities. Three will host the rally for the first time: Catalão, Paracatu and São Francisco. Caldas Novas and Diamantina complete the route.