World test for Kiwi drivers

World test for Kiwi drivers

New Zealand's best driver talent gets the chance to benchmark their ability against the world leaders at this weekend's 2007 Rally New Zealand.

The penultimate round of the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship lines the field up in a head-to-head contest against the World Rally Championship drivers at the Hamilton event.

With the New Zealand championship using Group N specification production vehicles - they are in direction competition with the Production World Rally Championship contenders.
Up against current table leader Toshi Arai (Japan) there are three Kiwi crews who have entries in to the Production World Rally Championship round as part of their domestic points chase.

Heading the New Zealand field is Geraldine's Hayden Paddon (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 8) with an 18 point lead in the local championship. 19-year old Paddon is joined by Dunedin's Emma Gilmour (Subaru Impreza) as a two-car scholarship entry package.

Third entrant is defending NZ champion and runner-up in the 2006 Rally New Zealand PWRC category, Richard Mason. With entries restricted, he was able to purchase European driver Kristian Sohlberg's slot for the New Zealand round of the series.

Run behind the 14 WRC cars that top-bill the annual Rally New Zealand event the three Kiwi cars in the PWRC field add another 22 entrants. The remaining 16 local championship contenders follow behind in a third group.

New Zealand's championship field also includes former WRC works driver Alister McRae (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9) and American business magnate Ken Block (Subaru Impreza).

A full local field also includes former champion Chris West/Garry Cowan (Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 9), second in the series Sam Murray/Rob Ryan (Subaru Impreza) and Northland teenager Kirsty Nelson/Michele Brunt (Subaru Impreza).

Set over three days only the first two count toward the New Zealand title. Starting with a shakedown test at Mystery Creek on Thursday morning (30 August) - the event kicks off with a ceremonial start in Hamilton on Thursday evening.

Friday is a five-stage test around the Otorohanga and Waitomo regions - including the Super Special at Mystery Creek service base. Saturday covers six stages in Franklin and Waikato districts with the Sunday a seven stage slog that concludes with a final sprint around the Mystery Creek Super Special. Ceremonial finish celebrations begin at 3pm on the Sunday at the Mystery Creek Events Centre.

Ends.

Event Overview
- 2007 FIA World Rally Championship - Round 11
- 2007 FIA Production Car World Rally Championship -Round 5
- 2007 Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship - Round 5
Total Distance: 1255.98km No. of Stages: 18
Stage Distance: 353.56km Stage Surface: All Gravel
Longest Stage: SS2/4 Waitomo 43.88km Shortest Stage: SS5/9/18 Mystery Creek SSS 3.14km
Close of Entries: Wednesday 25 July Stages in Darkness: Nil
Sunrise: 0642hrs Sunset: 1757hrs
Service Park: Mystery Creek Events Centre
Rally HQ Location: Mystery Creek Events Centre, 125 Mystery Creek Road, Hamilton
Reconnaissance: Tuesday 28 August from 0800-1900hrs
Wednesday 29 August from 0800-1845hrs
Shakedown: Thursday 30 August -P1 and P2 drivers from 0800-1000hrs
-P1, P2 and P3, and others subject to availability from 1000-1200hrs
Ceremonial Start: Thursday 30 August at 1830hrs (competitors start in reverse order)
Information & Results: www.rallynz.org.nz

Vantage Aluminium Joinery 2007 NZ Rally Championship
NZ Gold Star Rally Driver - Group N (four of six rounds)

1 Hayden Paddon John Kennard Mitsubishi Evo 8 164
2 Sam Murray Rob Ryan Subaru Impreza 155
3 Richard Mason Sara Randall Subaru Impreza 146
4 Dean Sumner Paul Fallon Mitsubishi Evo 9 139
5 Callum McInnes Linda Loughlin Subaru Impreza 98
6 Nathan Thomas Richard Kelly Mitsubishi Evo 7 95
7 Dylan Turner Sandy Bansal Mitsubishi Evo 9 87
8 Emma Gilmour Glenn Macneall Subaru Impreza 81
9 Stewart Taylor Warwick Searle Mitsubishi Evo 9 79
10 Patrick Malley Raymond Bennett Mitsubishi Evo 8 78
11 Kayne Barrie Jayson Stringer/Erin K Ford Fiesta 62
12 Brett Martin Grant Marra Mitsubishi 53
13 Mark Tapper Jeff Cress Ford Fiesta 51
14 Dermott Malley Linzi Malley Ford Fiesta 49
15 Kirsty Nelson Michele Brunt Subaru Impreza 46
16 Chris Lange Malcolm Peden Ford Fiesta 40
17 Alister McRae Steve Smith Subaru Impreza 36
18 Chris West Garry Cowan Mitsubishi 6.5 30
19 Ken Block Alex Gelsomino Subaru Impreza 28
20 Sloan Cox Tarryn Cox Mitsubishi Evo 8 25

NZ Gold Star Rally Co-Driver - Group N (four of six rounds)
1 John Kennard Hayden Paddon 166
2 Rob Ryan Sam Murray 157
3 Sara Randall Richard Mason 146
4 Paul Fallon Dean Sumner 139
5 Linda Loughlin Callum McInnes 100
6 Richard Kelly Nathan Thomas 97
7= Glenn Macneall Emma Gilmour 81
7= Warwick Searle Stewart Taylor 81
9 Raymond Bennett Patrick Malley 80
10 Jayson Stringer Kayne Barrie 56
11= Sandy Bansal Dylan Turner 53
11= Grant Marra Brett Martin 53
11= Jeff Cress Mark Tapper 53
14 Linzi Malley Dermott Malley 51
15 Michele Brunt Kirsty Nelson 48
16 Malcolm Peden Chris Lange 42
17 Steve Smith Alister McRae 37
18 Garry Cowan Chris West 32
19 Alex Gelsomino Ken Block 29
20 Tarryn Cox Sloan Cox 25
21 Erin Kyle Kayne Barrie 8

Event information: Rally New Zealand (31 August - 1 September 2007)

Thursday 30th August:

10:00am - Shakedown (testing) - Mystery Creek
4:00-6:00pm - Car show - Hood St, Hamilton
6:30pm - Ceremonial start (cars in reverse order) - Hood St, Hamilton

Friday 31st August:
8:20am - Start of Leg 1 from Mystery Creek (five stages) - Group N 4WD, Group N 2WD championship cars
5:03pm - First car starts Super Special stage at Mystery Creek

Saturday 1st September:
7:00am - Start of Leg2 from Mystery Creek (six stages) - Group N 4WD, Group N 2WD and Kiwi-2 championship cars
12:32pm - First car starts Super Special stage at Mystery Creek

Sunday 2nd September:
7:50am - Start of Leg 3 from Mystery Creek (for competitors in WRC event only)
2:18pm - First car starts Super Special stage at Mystery Creek (final stage of rally)
3:15pm - Ceremonial finish at Mystery Creek

TV coverage for the event includes live footage on Sky Sport during the weekend plus the NZRC feature on Powerbuilt Motorsport TVOne - 23rd September.

Fast facts:

• The fifth round (of six) rounds in the 2007 Vantage Aluminum Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship.
• Is run inside the 11th round of the World Rally Championship.
• Contested over two of the three days of Rally New Zealand (Friday and Saturday).
• Competitors can continue for the third day in the quest of the 'First Kiwi home' title.
• Only the Group N 4WD and Group N 2WD cars are eligible to run in the Rally New Zealand event (FIA international regulations).
• Kiwi-2 cars (five of) only contest the Saturday (one-day) Smartwood by Alpwood Possum Bourne Memorial Rally 07.
• Three of the 21 NZRC teams are entered to run in the PWRC field that follows behind the WRC cars. The remainder follows behind the PWRC cars.
• Based at Hamilton's Mystery Creek Event Centre.
• NZRC competition covers 11 stages in the Otorohanga/Waitomo/Franklin/Waikato districts.
• Finish celebrations will be held over to the Sunday afternoon following the WRC ceremony (starting at 3:15pm).
• International drivers Ken Block (America) and Alister McRae (Scotland) will both be contesting the New Zealand Rally Championship event.
• Richard Mason/Sara Randall, Hayden Paddon/John Kennard and Emma Gilmour/Glenn Macneall are the three teams with PWRC entries.
• The cars remain unchanged specification wise other than they are allowed to run the FIA control fuel and are required to have a modified fuel system to allow for fuel samples to be taken.
• This is the first time since 2005 New Zealand championship drivers have had a round during the WRC event
• Event website www.rallynz.org.nz
• Championship results can also be found on www.chrissport.co.nz
WRC = World Rally Championship - modified production vehicles run over a 16 round glove-covering series.
PWRC = Production World Rally Championship - production specification cars run in a World Rally Championship format (contested over eight rounds).
NZRC = Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship - domestic rally championship covering four category of cars (Group N 4WD, Group N 2WD, Classic, Kiwi-2).

Group N = Production specification vehicle with safety features such as roll protection, fire safety, and abrasion protection.
Kiwi-2 = New Zealand category of two-wheel drive car to specific rules allowing variation on manufacturer supplied model.

Photo images:
• Overall winner at the recent Tomoana Warehousing Rally Hawke's Bay was Rotorua's Dean Sumner in a Lancer EVO 9. Photo: Euan Cameron - click to download...
• Mitsubishi's Dean Sumner took overall victory at the Rally Hawke's Bay - the fourth round of the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship. Photo: Euan Cameron - click to download...
• Now leading the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship is Geraldine's Hayden Paddon after finishing fourth at the Rally Hawke's Bay. Photo: Euan Cameron - click to download...
• Fastest two-wheel drive car at the Tomoana Warehousing Rally Hawke's Bay was the Ford Fiesta of Auckland's Mark Tapper. Photo: Euan Cameron - click to download...
• With a sizeable grasp on the Kiwi-2 title of the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship is Auckland's Dave Strong in the Honda Civic. Photo: Euan Cameron - click to download...
Vantage Aluminium Joinery 2007 New Zealand Rally Championship - calendar
#1 13-15 April 2007 Rally of Otago
#2 11-13 May 2007 Rally of Whangarei - FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship event
#3 2-3 June 2007 Rally Wairarapa
#4 3-4 August 2007 Rally of Hawke's Bay
#5 31 August-1 September 2007 Rally New Zealand - FIA World Rally Championship event
#6 29-30 September 2007 Rally of Nelson

ends

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