Record numbers to compete in Rally Otago
OPINION: Rallying in New Zealand is surging in popularity, with interest in the sport arguably accelerated by young Kiwi drivers seeing what Hayden Paddon is achieving on the world stage.
That is reflected in the number of entries for the Rally Otago, with a record 132 cars entering the twoday gravel rally around the Dunedin district. Top seed is defending NZ Rally Champion David Holder, who will contest the event in the Hyundai i20 AP4 rally car that Paddon drove to victory in last year’s rally.
He faces some fierce competition against the likes of 2015 NZRC champion Ben Hunt (Subaru WRX), Rangiora’s Matt Summerfield (Subaru WRX), the very quick Sloan Cox (Mitsubishi Evo X) and local favourite Emma Gilmour (Suzuki Swift Maxi).
The Holden Barina AP4 rally team makes its debut in the NZRC with Christchurch’s Josh Marston and co-driver Andrew Graves.
Missing from the entry list is his team-mate Greg Murphy. With Supercars media commitments in Tasmania, Australia, this weekend, Murphy has to miss the opening round but plans to compete in the remaining five championship rounds.
Paddon back on tarmac in Corsica
Also missing from the Otago entry list is Geraldine’s Paddon. Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are this weekend competing in Tour de Corse as the FIA World Rally Championship heads to the French Mediterranean island of Corsica for round four of the 2017 season.
This is Paddon’s first WRC tarmac rally for the year and the third time he has contested the ‘rally of 10,000 corners’, which features classic narrow, twisty mountain asphalt roads across the whole island.
In preparation for the round, Paddon and co-driver Seb Marshall last weekend competed in the Rally Sanremo, finishing second overall in a Hyundai i20 R5, a car not too dissimilar from the AP4 cars competing here in NZ.
Marshall will take over codriving in the WRC from Kennard after Rally Finland in June. Paddon and Kennard will start the first day ninth on the road in the #4 Hyundai i20 Coupe WRC, based on their current championship position.
Kiwi drivers overseas
This weekend sees a proliferation of Kiwi single seater drivers competing around the globe. Indycar driver Scott Dixon races at the Grand Prix of Long Beach. Dixon sits third on the points table, heading to the second round of the Indycar Series on the 11-turn temporary street circuit in Long Beach, California.
Also in the US is Southlander Brendon Leitch who will make his debut in the US Formula 4 Championship at Homesteadmiami Speedway in Homestead, Florida.
The opening round of the series will see 32 entries take to the grid. In Victoria, Australia, newly crowned NZ F1600 champion Liam Lawson will debut in the Australian F4 Championship at Sandown Raceway. Lawson tested with the Team BRM late last week and has made the decision to compete in the ‘double-header’ this weekend.
In Malaysia fellow Pukekohe driver Taylor Cockerton is competing in the Formula Masters China Series at the Sepang International Circuit. He contests the five round series with the Cebu Pacific Air by PRT team that oversaw Christchurch’s James Munro’s successful series win in 2014.