Subaru rally driver, Cody Crocker, has a handy one minute 11 second lead in Heat One at Falken Tyres Rally Queensland going into the final two short special stages around Noosa tonight.

Barring an unforseen problem, the duffer developed over today's eight stages and 131 competitive kilometres should secure Crocker his third heat win from three stars in the 2003 Australian Rally Championship.

Behind him is a pack of three drivers separated by just 11.2 seconds. Simon Evans (Subaru) is second, 5.1 second ahead of Subaru Rally Team Australia driver Dean Herridge, with veteran Mitsubishi driver Ed Ordynski fourth, a further 6.1 seconds back.

The cars must still complete the 2.37 tarmac stage, known as the Hella Hillclimb, twice tonight and all three drivers will be well aware how telling those stages could be.

Evans was right on the pace throughout the day but gearbox trouble, once on SS6 and then again on SS8, ruined his day and saw him slip back into the battle for the minor placings. Herridge was consistently in the top three during the day and he will be hoping to hang on and finish the day on the podium.

But it was a tough day which claimed many victims. Crocker was delighted to make it out of the forest in one piece.

"This is one of the toughest events that we have done," Crocker said. "Every rally you have to advanced a little bit more, find a little bit more from the car, the gearbox, the suspension, and ourselves for that matter."

"We are getting more experience with our notes and this one was a big test because we had new pacenotes, new roads and very technical stages, so it was extremely tough and we were just happy to have no problems with it."

Heat Two gets underway on Sunday morning around Imbil. Full results and details are available at www.rally.subaru.com.au.

Results after SS8 - Falken Rally of Queensland - Saturday June 14, 2003 (Provisional)

1 C Crocker/G Foletta Subaru Impreza WRX STi 1: 22:51.2
2 S Evans/S Evans Subaru Impreza WRX STi 1:24:02.3 +1:11.1
3 D Herridge/G Macneall Subaru Impreza WRX STi 1:24:07.2 +1:16.0
4 E Ordysnksi/I Stewart Mitusbishi Lancer Evo 7 1:24:07.2 +1:22.1
5 S Pedder/P Humm Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 1:24:27.8 +1:36.6