The tie rod end, a vital link in the car's steering, snapped while he was doing about 100kmh. Fortunately, it happened on a fairly straight bit of road and the Balclutha driver was able to slow the car to safety. Needless to say, it is an experience he hopes never to repeat.
Along with engine management system issues last week, it was one of many trials Gardner has experienced since he purchased the car last year from 2010 New Zealand Rally champion Dean Sumner, of Nelson.
The Evo's mixed report card reads: Went into limp mode while leading the Westland Rally, with injector system failure in March. Showed promise in April, winning the Eastern Southland Car Club's Long Point Rallysprint. Bad girl in May, blowing an engine at the Rally of Otago.
''It's so challenging, that car, but I think we are finally getting on top of it. It's going to be an amazing car when it's going right,'' Gardner said.
He thanked Balclutha mechanic Paul Goatley for the ''massive effort'' the had put into getting it shipshape and was looking forward to driving it in the eight-stage event tomorrow.
Gardner, the 2012 Catlins winner, leads out a field of 78 crews and will be followed by 2009 and 2011 victor Dean Bond (Balclutha) in a Mitsubishi Evo 6.5.
Other four-wheel-drives among the front-runners are Kaiapoi's Richard Baddock, the Mainland Rally Championship leader, in his Subaru Impreza WRX, Christchurch's Jeff Judd, also in a WRX, and Wallacetown's Carter Strang, the Otago Rally Allcomers winner, in his Evo 6.
Gore's Derek Ayson returns in the Nissan-powered two-wheel-drive Ford Escort that he placed third overall in at the 2013 Catlins event. Having started and completed every Catlins rally since it began in 1999, Ayson has an enviable track record. His Escort also has reliability on its side, having crossed the finish line in every event it has contested since it was built in December 2008.
The seeding list was being reshuffled as assistant clerk of course and rally secretary Roger Laird confirmed that Deane Buist, of Christchurch, and Kaikoura's Regan Ross had submitted late entries. They will both be driving extremely-competitive Ford Escort BDAs - hotting up not only the two-wheel-drive battle but also, potentially, the podium fight.
Others who will be hoping for a top 10 finish are Kaiapoi's Marcus Van Klink, who finished fifth in his Toyota Corolla AE86 last year, Waimate's Bert Murray (Mazda RX7), Balclutha's Mike Verdoner (Ford Escort) and Dunedin's Steve Wellington (Mitsubishi Evo 6 RS).
Last year's winner, Andrew Graves (Gore), will not be driving, instead returning to his co-driving roots, alongside Highlands Motorsport Park owner Tony Quinn, in a Ford Escort BDA.
Last year saw major route changes, which have been carried forward to this year's event. The crews will cover 161km of special stages, with the first car leaving the start at Owaka Motors at 9am tomorrow.
The final stage is at the spectator-friendly Riverside Reserve, in Balclutha, at 3.40pm. The rally is the Mainland Rally Championship's fourth round and the Southern Rally Series' second round.
