Just 14.3 seconds stand between Australian Subaru driver Cody Crocker and his first international win, with one day remaining in Rally New Zealand.

While fellow Subaru driver, Toshi Arai, leads the Group N production class battle after two days of intense rally action on New Zealand's north island, Crocker is clearly within striking distance when the cars return to tackle the final 113.81 competitive kilometres tomorrow morning.

Crocker, who won the opening round of the Australian Rally Championship a fortnight ago in Western Australia, would dearly love to take his Subaru Impreza WRX STi to victory at World Rally Championship level.

The ARC round win was just the second of his career, and a follow-up victory in New Zealand, against the best production class drivers in the world, would give notice that the young Victorian is the man to beat in the domestic championship this year.

Crocker held a 1.8 second lead going into today's 150 competitive kilometres, but he lost 19.9 seconds to Arai on the 59 kilometre opening stage, the longest of the entire World Championship, to slip into second place.

He held on doggedly to that placing for the reminder of the day to keep his title hopes alive with five stages remaining.

"Things have gone pretty much to plan today," Crocker said

"We got through the stages cleanly which was our goal from the start of the day. They are not our favourite group of stages up here. They are very tricky and can catch you out, just like they did last year.

" Crocker's 2002 campaign ended on Tokatoka (SS12) when he crashed out of the event. There were no such problems today.

The final day of Rally New Zealand commences at 9.06am NZ time (7:06 Eastern Australian time) with the result expected around five hours later.

Group N - after Leg Two, Rally of New Zealand

1, T Arai (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) 2 hrs 55 mins 52.9 secs;

2, C Crocker (Subaru Impreza WRX STI) 2.56.07.2, +14.3 secs

3, M Ligato (Mitsubishi Lancer) 2.57.08.5, +1:15.6

4, H Al Wahaibi (Mitsubishi Lancer) 2.57.39.7., +1:46.8

5, R Ferreyros (Mitsubishi Lancer) 2.58101.6, +2:08.7