Coming off the back of a successful 2025 season, the six round 2026 Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series (NIRS) gets underway next weekend (Saturday 21 March 2026) with the Vantage Windows & Doors Possum Bourne Memorial Rally.  

The opening round has attracted a quality field including the defending champion and several of last year’s Class winners.

Organised by the Auckland, Pukekohe and South Auckland Car Clubs Joint Venture Rally Committee, the one-day event is based at the Te Akau Waingaro Community Centre in Te Akau and has three ex-World Rally Championship stages which will be repeated, totalling 140 kms of magnificent public gravel roads.

This Rally also includes an 80km Clubman permit and foreign participation.    

Out in front of the field as part of the pre-event safety team, will see the 0 car duties being carried out by four-time and current NZ Rally Championship title holders, Ben Hunt and Tony Rawstorn, driving the iconic ex-Possum Bourne Vantage Subaru Hillclimb car.  

The second 0 car is Bourne’s ex GpA Impreza with owner Christchurch’s Stu Webber in the driver’s seat with Spencer Bourne (Possum’s youngest son) codriving alongside.  

First seed on the road is 2025 NIRS champion Quentin Palmer and co-driver Noel Moloney who returns to the co-driver role after rehabilitating from a serious work accident (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) now with a full season’s experience competing in their Rally2 car.  

Behind them is Jack Hawkeswood and Jason Farmer (Toyota GR Yaris Rally2) with 2025 NIRS runner up Ben Huband (Subaru Impreza WRX) seeded third.  

Sam Broadbent/Matthew Broadbent (Toyota Corolla) return to defend their Class B (2WD 1301-1600cc) title while Class D (2WD 2000cc and over) winner Brent Taylor teams up with Dave Neill in a Mk2 Ford Escort to compete in Class E (Classic 2WD) which has attracted a number of entries including Mark Parsons and Mal Clark (Triumph TR7 V8) along with Kyle Percival and Maddy Buhr (Ford Escort Mk2).  

Chris Ramsay / Bayden Thomson (2.5l Millington powered APR2 Toyota Corolla) finished runner up in Class D and may have his hands-full with Tony Differ / Jason Stringer in the ex-Bruce Herbert 500hp EX Lancer Turbo and Dave Strong / Rob Scott in a V6 Supercharged RWD Honda Jazz RS. Palmer will also be defending his Class F (4WD 1601cc – 999CC) title and with the late addition of ex-NZ Rally champion and NIRS naming partner Andrew Hawkeswood and Jeff Cress (Force Motorsport Mazda2 AP4) entered in the event along with son Jack Hawkeswood plus the return of Mason Grimmer in his special Mazda 323 4WD, Class F will certainly be competitive.    

The 2025 rivalry in Class G (4WD 2001 and over) will continue with Huband defending his title against Carlin Leong (Subaru Impreza) and a genuine Kia Ora and welcome to the NIRS drivers’ championship is the rapid Julien Lenglet (Subaru Impreza).

Also of interest will be the Class C 1601-2000cc 2WD Ford Fiesta ST150 of Khalid Mason, son of multi NZRC title holder Richard, who will have his wife, Sara Mason, in the co-driver’s seat to guide the 16 year old safely through the high-speed challenge in his first big Rally event.  

Two international drivers are welcomed to the event as a shakedown for the up-coming Rally Otago.  Australian Glenn Brinkman/Kaylie Newell (Nissan Bluebird) will join Class E, while Vanuatu driver Julien Lenglet/Fleur Pedersen (Subaru Impreza) will compete in Class G and likely to be very competitive.  

The first Te Akau South 1 Special Stage 1 gets underway at 09:15am which will be repeated at 10:40am after Service at the Te Akau Complex (from 09:55am). A second Service takes place from 11:15 before the Woodleigh 1 Special Stage 3 starts at 12:40pm followed by the Te Karaka 1 SS4 at 13:20. These two stages are repeated before the Ceremonial Finish at the Te Akau Waingaro Community Complex from 16:15pm.  

Spectators are welcomed with maps and QR codes to spectator points available on FB and www.nirs.co.nz website.   

For the 2026 season, the Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series will be run over six events with the best results from five out of the six rounds determining the 2026 Driver and Co-driver champions.  

Most Rounds include an 80km Clubmans Division offering for a cheaper competitor option and for novice and rookie competitors.  

The 2026 North Island Rally Series acknowledges and thanks these partners for their support: Hawkeswood Mining, Semog, Pure Quality Construction, Paddon Racing Group, iSignit, Ngatea Panelbeaters and Online Contractors.

Interest and excitement in the 2026 Vantage Windows & Doors Possum Bourne Memorial Rally, set to go 21 March 2026, is high and attracting considerable support and attention.    

The event, which will be run on previously used World Rally Championship Special Stages in the North Waikato District, is expected to attract 35-40 entries and will also be a celebration of Possum Bourne’s life and rally driving career, with a number of mobile and static displays of ex-Possum Bourne cars.  

Zero car duties at the front of the field will be carried out by four-time and current NZ Rally Championship title holders, Ben Hunt and Tony Rawstorn, driving the amazing ex-Possum Bourne Vantage Subaru Hillclimb car.    

The second Zero car is Bourne’s ex GpA Impreza with Christchurch’s Stu Webber in the driver’s seat with Spencer Bourne (Possum’s youngest son) codriving alongside.  

The one-day event is the opening round of the 2026 Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series and sees current title holder Quentin Palmer and Noel Moloney (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) having entered, along with the rapid pair of Jack Hawkeswood and Jase Farmer in the exciting Toyota GR Yaris Rally2.  

After a major rebuild, fans will get to see the spectacular TR7 V8 Triumph of Mark Parsons and Mal Clark along with Kyle Percival and Maddy Buhr in his Ford Escort Mk2 contesting Class E - Classic 2WD.  

Class D - 2001+ 2WD will be spectacular and has attracted the ex-Herbert 500hp EX Lancer Turbo with Tony Differ behind the wheel and Jayson Stringer in the silly seat, along with Dave Strong / Rob Scott (V6 Supercharged RWD Honda Jazz RS) and Chris Ramsay (2.5l Millington powered AP2 Toyota Corolla) battling at the pointy end.  

The rally will be based at the Te Akau Waingaro Community Centre in Te Akau and has three ex-World Rally Championship stages which will be repeated, totalling 140 kms of magnificent public gravelled roads. It’s a perfect shakedown opportunity for both the coming season and for those heading to Rally Otago's 50th Anniversary event in April.  

Bourne won the NZ Rally Championship in 1991 and went on to win the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (1993, ‘94, ‘99) and the Australian Rally Championship seven times consecutively (1996-2002), plus the iconic Ashley Forest Rallysprint (1989, 1991, 2000) and the Queenstown Race to the sky in 2001).  

In 1993 he became the first New Zealand resident to have a works contract in a Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile rally championship, when he drove a Subaru Legacy for Prodrive.  

“Possum was an incredible driver and a great down-to-earth friendly guy” said Rally Coordinator Marty Roestenburg.  

“He was a role model, a sponsor’s dream and a real-life hero for many of us in the sport.  

“The Auckland, Pukekohe and South Auckland Car Clubs JV Rally Committee feel privileged and honoured to continue acknowledging his and his whanau’s legacy. Peggy Bourne is 100% beside us with this tribute and has kindly agreed to attend the Event to help wave the cars away at the ceremonial start and present some special trophies at the prizegiving afterwards.  

“We are incredibly grateful for the iwi, community groups and the Waikato District Council support that have all contributed towards making this Event happen.”  

For the 2026 season, the Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series will be run over six separate events with the best results from five out of the six rounds determining the 2026 Driver and Co-driver champions.  

Most Rounds include an 80km Clubmans offering for novice and rookie competitors.  

The 2026 North Island Rally Series acknowledges and thanks these partners for their support: Hawkeswood Mining, Semog, Pure Quality Construction, Paddon Racing Group, iSignit, Ngatea Panelbeaters and Online Contractors.

The Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship will feature a new Class in 2026 with the Classics Championship confirmed by MotorSport New Zealand.

Based on the Otago Rally technical regulations that have been successfully used for a number of years, the class will see a dedicated space for classic 2WD rally cars to compete against each other and will hopefully see a number of new cars enter the championship this year.

It will be officially known as Category 6 and will be contested across all six rounds of the 2026 championship, while also being classified as part of the overall GoldStar championship.

The Historic 2WD class (Category 4) will remain as it has, with the regulations continuing to protect historic cars.

“We've seen the increasing difficulty associated with running genuine historic compliant vehicles and have given an avenue through the highly successful Otago Classic Rally to have the opportunity to have more exciting cars within the championship that still celebrates the essence of the era,” championship coordinator Blair Bartels said.

“We know there is a lot of interest in this class and hopefully that will translate to a good field of entrants.

“We look forward to welcoming this class to our existing championship categories in what is shaping as a big year for the series.” MotorSport New Zealand President, Deborah Day, said the introduction of the Classic Rally Championship both honours the sport’s past and strengthens its future.

“The introduction of Category 6 recognises the strong and passionate contingent of classic competitors who are such an important part of rallying in New Zealand,” said Day.

“Classic Rallying has long been a cornerstone of our sport, and it is fantastic to now provide a dedicated national championship platform for these iconic cars and their drivers.”

The 2026 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship will be held over six rounds starting with the Otago Rally April 10-12.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally has secured a major international coup for its milestone 50th Anniversary event, confirming that Australian motorsport superstar Toby Price will join the field this April 10-12.

Price, a two-time winner of the gruelling Dakar Rally in the motorcycle category (2016, 2019), has recently made a seamless transition to four wheels.

The off-road legend is fresh from the 2026 Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia, where he drove a factory-backed Toyota Hilux to an historic eighth-place finish — the best-ever result for an Australian in the car category.

Price holds a record nine Finke Desert Race titles and has rapidly come onto the scene in the Australian Rally Championship, with several national starts now under his belt.

His entry into the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is expected to significantly boost international interest in the event, which is already shaping up to be the largest in its half-century history.

For his New Zealand debut, Price will get behind the wheel of a brand-new Toyota GR Yaris, prepared by Auckland’s Force Motorsport.

The four-wheel drive, sequential-gearbox machine is the first car built for the newly announced GR Yaris Rally Cup, a one-make series set to launch in New Zealand in 2027.

“I jumped at the opportunity to compete at the Otago Rally; it’s got a big reputation in Australia,” Price said.

“I can’t wait for the challenge of driving on those fast, smooth Otago roads against a quality field, and I’m really looking forward to meeting the New Zealand drivers and fans.

"To drive a brand-new Toyota GR Yaris is a dream — it's such an awesome car."

Event spokesperson Roger Oakley welcomed the addition of the Australian icon.

"This 50th Anniversary event is shaping up to be huge; we are expecting up to 30 international teams to join the New Zealand field. 

“We’re delighted Toby is coming to the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally. He’s achieved a huge amount in motorsport, especially in the intensely demanding field of desert racing.

"Equally, his achievements in rallying are increasingly competitive. He’s a great ambassador for motorsport and an inspiration to young people.”

Tony McConachy of Force Motorsport echoed the excitement.

“When we conceived the GR Yaris Cup, the aim was to attract a wide range of competitors with a high-performing car. Having Toby as the first driver is a thrill, and we are really looking forward to working with him.”

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally will feature 280 competitive kilometres across 15 special stages on Dunedin’s world-renowned gravel roads.

More than 120 teams are expected to enter the event, which serves as a round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, the FIA Asia-Pacific Rally Championship, and the TER Series.

The Otago Rally acknowledges and thanks the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for support through its Events Boost Fund, and the City of Dunedin for Premier Event support.

New Zealanders Hayden Paddon and John Kennard have done the job they were tasked with doing: get to the finish of Rally Monte Carlo.  

The opening round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship, which ran 22 to 25 January, lived up to its unpredictable reputation with snow, ice slush and mud making the 17 special stages of twisty asphalt roads through the French Alps of this year’s edition of Rally Monte Carlo every bit as challenging as it’s ever been.  

Add in the fact that Paddon and Kennard were learning the Hyundai i20 Rally1 car, plus the short preparation timeframe and it’s understandable to hear Paddon say it’s been one of the most mentally and physically challenging rallies of his life.  

The Kiwis finished just outside the points in 11th place. They finished Thursday evening’s first three stages in a creditable eight place, improved to seventh place by the end of Friday, but despite trying to balance speed with low risk on Saturday, they were caught out by worsening weather and road conditions, slipping off SS12 into a paddock. Fans helped them get the car back on the road but the time delay dropped them to 13th overnight. They came through Sunday’s final four stages to improve to 11th overall.  

Paddon says, “We got to the finish which was obviously the first objective. I knew it was going to be a big learning process, and the conditions made that learning process a lot harder than it should have been. Sometimes we had some good splits, less than a second a kilometre off the times of our teammates, so there were a few positives but we didn’t put it together consistently enough over the weekend. Conditions were very hard to be learning the car as well.  

“Honestly, I’ve dreaded coming back to this event over the last six weeks since I got the call. I never wanted to come back to this place, but it was obviously an amazing opportunity and I’ve loved it. From this, I think I can move forward now, it’s like a weight off my shoulders. To be fair, I probably should have come back here eight years ago. I thought I moved on but when I got told I was coming back, you know, this has been the most challenging six weeks of my life. But I’m a professional and I knew what my job was to do.  

“The conditions were tougher than what everyone expected and it didn’t get any easier as the rally went on. The margin for error was very small, knowing our job was to finish the rally. Driving was a balancing act which I struggled to get right. But it’s Monte Carlo and you’ve got to remind yourself you’ve very lucky to be here.”  

Hyundai Motorsport will reveal which other 2026 WRC rallies Paddon and Kennard are doing with the team in due course. Meanwhile the team heads to Rally Sweden in the middle of February with Finnish pairing Esapekka Lappi and Enni Malkonen in the third Hyundai i20 Rally1 car.  

PRG appreciates the support of their partners including Hyundai New Zealand, Caltex Havoline Oil, Mitre 10 Trade, Winmax Brake Pads, Bar’s Bugs, EROAD, Ben Nevis Station, Wipertech, Design Windows, MITO, Repco, Machinery House, King Gee, KiwiFibre, TrialLite, Hankook, Z Energy, Blaster and Signbiz.

The Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series are delighted to announce the return of the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally and Vantage Windows and Doors sponsorship of the one-day event.  The opening round of the 2026 series, the North Waikato Rally now becomes the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally taking place on the very roads that the late Possum Bourne learnt his trade.  

“We are thrilled to have both this event and Vantage Windows and Doors coming on board,” commented rally co-ordinator Marty Roestenburg.  

“It is fantastic to see the return of this event to the rallying calendar and particularly to Possum’s local roads.”  

Originally the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally evolved out of a memorial rally sprint run by the Pukekohe Car Club with the last event back in 2013.  

This season, to be run on Saturday 21 March 2026, the event is organised by a partnership of Auckland, Pukekohe and South Auckland Car Clubs.    

It will be based at the Te Akau Community Centre in Te Akau and has three ex-World Rally Championship stages which will be repeated, totalling 140 kms of magnificent public gravelled roads. It’s a perfect shakedown opportunity for both the coming season and for those heading to Rally Otago's 50th Anniversary event in April.  

Legend has it that Peter Bourne rolled his mother’s Humber 80 on the back roads of Pukekohe while trying to avoid running over a possum, hence the nickname stuck with one of NZ’s best rally drivers.  

Before his untimely passing in 2003, Bourne won the NZ Rally Championship in 1991 and went on to win the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship (1993, ‘94, ‘99) and the Australian Rally Championship seven times consecutively (1996-2002), plus the iconic Ashley Forest Rallysprint (1989, 1991, 2000) and the Queenstown Race to the Sky in 2001.  In 1993 he became the first New Zealand resident to have a works contract in a Fédération Internationale du Sport Automobile rally championship, when he drove a Subaru Legacy for Prodrive.  

Vantage Windows & Doors, are proud to support the upcoming North Waikato Rally as the naming sponsor. Continuing a relationship that reflects Bourne’s legacy of performance, innovation and commitment to excellence. Vantage supported Possum throughout key stages of his career and has remained closely connected to New Zealand motorsport, backing events and competitors that celebrate skill, resilience and the next generation of rally talent.  

Craig Vincent, CEO of Profile Group, parent company behind the Vantage Windows and Doors brand and primary co-driver to Possum Bourne speaks of his support for the North Waikato Rally.

“Poss and I competed together for many years, including national and international rally events, and achieved some of the most rewarding moments of our careers through that partnership,” said Vincent.  

“Rallying is built on trust between driver and co-driver, and Possum demanded absolute commitment - something that pushed us both to perform at our best. Supporting the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally through Vantage is a way for us to honour that history, celebrate what we achieved together, and ensure Possum’s legacy continues on the roads where it all began.”  

This season, the Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series will be run over six separate events with the best results from five out of the six rounds determining the 2026 Driver and Co-driver champions.  

All Rounds include an 80km Clubmans offering for novice and rookie competitors.  

The 2026 North Island Rally Series acknowledges and thanks these partners for their support: Hawkeswood Mining, Semog, Pure Quality Construction, RallyDrive NZ, Paddon Racing Group, iSignit, Ngatea Panelbeaters and Online Contractors.

New Zealand rally stars Hayden Paddon and John Kennard are as ready as they can be for their return to the top tier of world rallying, when Rally Monte Carlo gets underway on 22 January.  

The opening round of the 2026 FIA World Rally Championship is notoriously unpredictable as crews tackle 339.15 km of twisty asphalt roads through the French Alps in winter conditions. Shrewd tyre selection to provide the best compromise for frequently changing conditions is important, as is an ability to ‘read’ potentially changeable conditions.  

The Kiwis line up for Hyundai Motorsport in the team’s third Hyundai i20N Rally1 car and have been making the most of several opportunities to get familiar with this model, having never driven one until ten days ago.  

Paddon says they’re both excited and nervous for the challenge that lies ahead.  

“Monte is the most challenging event of the WRC, made even more challenging for us with learning a new car,” says Paddon.  

“We have done a small amount of testing in the Hyundai i20N Rally1, initially in some very tricky and icy conditions, and subsequently, the longer test days – while not in the same conditions to Monte – gave us a good opportunity to learn more about the car.  

“There is still a lot to learn, but first impressions are the Rally1 is quite different to cars we have been driving in recent years. It’s not just about the power; it’s the aero and how the car works with the chassis and the driveline. Even the seating position is unique. But I’m sure with some more seat time and adaption, we’ll continue to get more comfortable which puts us in a good place for the rally.”  

It’s been a whirlwind of activity for Paddon and Kennard over the four weeks since it was announced they would contest selected WRC events in 2026 for Hyundai Motorsport and support the team’s goal of winning the manufacturer’s title alongside full-season drivers Thierry Neuville and Adrien Fourmaux.  

Paddon says, “The team has been very welcoming and supportive to help us through the challenge ahead. Our role is very clear, to play a supporting role to Thierry and Adrien who will be fighting at the front, and ensuring we have a clean rally and focus on finishing which is easier said than done.  

“John and I know we will not be so competitive speed-wise. Our role is to provide back-up, so if something happens the team still scores points. It’s a different approach compared to eight years ago. I’m very competitive, but I also know my role with the team for this event.”  

The 2026 WRC season got underway with a season launch in Monaco on Saturday 17 January. Crews then started their reconnaissance of the 17 special stages on Sunday 18 January before the rally itself starts with three night stages on Thursday 22 January. The 2026 itinerary brings a fresh twist to the tradition. While the Service Park remains based in Gap to access the most reliable winter conditions, the Saturday evening itinerary includes a high-octane blast through the streets of Monaco, partially utilising the Formula 1 circuit layout. The rally concludes on Sunday with the legendary Col de Turini stage, serving as the Wolf Power Stage, where the cold atmosphere can linger late in the day. It is a rally where technical expertise, ice-note crews, and pure bravery coalesce to crown the season’s first winner.

PRG appreciates the support of their partners including Hyundai New Zealand, Caltex Havoline Oil, Mitre 10 Trade, Winmax Brake Pads, Bar’s Bugs, EROAD, Ben Nevis Station, Wipertech, Design Windows, MITO, Repco, Machinery House, King Gee, KiwiFibre, TrialLite, Hankook, Z Energy, Blaster and Signbiz.

Two-time Otago Rally competitor and 2019 Classic Rally winner Mads Ostberg will return for his third attempt at the event.

The popular Norwegian will go head-to-head against Northern Ireland's Kris Meeke in the 50th anniversary Otago Rally, to be held from April 10-12 next year.

While Meeke will be back behind the wheel of the Rossendale Wines Ford Escort RS1800, Ostberg will line up in a top-spec Mazda RX3 owned by prominent Southland businessman and motorsport supporter and competitor Scott O’Donnell.

The deal has been made possible by the generous support of Paddon Racing Group and O’Donnell, with Ostberg to enlist experienced local co-driver Jared Hudson to read pacenotes for the event.

"I can’t wait to come back," Ostberg said. "I enjoyed myself so much when I was there in 2018 and 2019.

"2026 is going to be a real challenge against Kris Meeke in the Rossendale Escort and Pasi Hagstrom in the Central Machine Hire Porsche 911.

"New Zealand is a special place in the world to go rallying, and I'm excited to make some more memories there."

The owner of the Mazda RX3, Scott O'Donnell, added: "It’s great to be able to support Mads coming back to the Otago Rally, and help make their 50th anniversary something really special.

"The RX3 is a fast car, and I think we’re about to find out just how fast it really is."

While a Mazda RX7 has won the Otago Classic Rally before, an RX3 has never tasted success, although that Mazda model has won the overall rally on four occasions.

"It’s so good to have Mads back here at the Otago Rally," event spokesman Roger Oakley said. "He’s such a great guy, the fans really enjoyed meeting him. It’s hard to believe it will be seven years since he was here last.

"The spectators are in for a treat, Mads is a spectacular driver and the Mazda RX3 is a very fast car."

While his World Rally Championship commitments with Hyundai may prevent him from entering this year's Otago Rally, Hayden Paddon has been influential in getting Ostberg back to New Zealand.

"I’ve had a long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Otago Rally for a long time now. I’m delighted to be able to help bring my good friend Mads back to compete," Paddon said.

"The Classic Rally really is a special event, and seeing Mads competing against Kris and Pasi will be great viewing."

The Otago Rally thanks the New Zealand Government for support from its Event Boost Fund, and the City of Dunedin for Premier Event support.

An influx of quality applications has seen the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally award scholarships to two up-and-coming young rally drivers. Choosing the two recipients from the 11 applications wasn’t any easy task, but eventually, Cromwell’s Josh Cooper and Waikato’s Samuel Broadbent were selected.

Twenty-five-year-old Josh Cooper won the 2024/25 Eastern Southland Car Club Championship, and in 2024, joined the Paddon Racing Group team as a mechanic and car manager.

“Rallying has become a large part of my life, and being selected for this scholarship means I can take a major step forward in my development as a young competitor determined to build a future in the sport," Cooper said.

"Adding such an iconic event like the Otago Classic Rally to my 2026 calendar is an amazing achievement and something I’ve dreamed of doing for several years.”

Samuel Broadbent, 23, is from Ngatea in the Waikato.

In 2023, he became New Zealand’s first simulator rally champion on EA WRC, holding multiple stage records.

He then translated these skills into the rally car, winning the 'Fastest Rookie Driver' in the North Island Rally Series and was the 1600cc class winner.

His goals include winning entry into Motorsport New Zealand’s Elite Motorsport Academy, and then to contest the New Zealand Rally Championship in 2027 in the Rookie and Junior classes.

“To me, the Otago Rally Driver Scholarship is more than funding; it is a pathway for growth, mentorship, and the chance to contribute to the Otago Rally community,” he said.    

Both scholarship winners receive free entry to the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally, including a set of stage notes, and $500 in cash.

“We were delighted with the response,” scholarship convenor Tony Johnston said. “It really is quite uplifting to see how focused all the 11 applicants were on progressing in the sport, and how hard they are working to achieve their goals. It was very difficult to decide on the final recipients.

“All of them were worthy, and I will be watching their progress with a lot of interest.”

The value of the scholarship can clearly be seen, with 2024 winner Zeal Jones recently confirmed as a Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Challenge Program Generartion 5 driver, based in Finland. The two year program rallying in Finland and Europe is a part of Toyota's pathway to the WRC. Zeal was selected for this program against a very high quality field of over 100 candidates.

Event sponsor and Central Machine Hire owner, Allan Dippie, is a big supporter of the scholarship program.

“I’ve got a lot of enjoyment out of the sport over many years, and it is a great feeling to be able to give something back.

"These applicants give me a great deal of confidence in the future of the sport,” Dippie said.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally thanks the New Zealand Government for support from its Event Boost Fund, and the City of Dunedin for Premier Event support.

Talented Kiwi rally driver Zeal Jones has secured the drive of a lifetime and will base himself in Finland next year with the Toyota Gazoo World Rally Team.

Jones, who impressed during his formative years as a teenager in the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship winning the 2023 Rally Challenge and then becoming the 2024 Junior Champion, has been chosen from a highly competitive field as the TGR driver in the WRC Challenge Program and will drive a Rally4 car in Europe for the world rally giants.

It will see the 21 year old move to Finland, initially for a month testing, before a more permanent move from the end of April.

Jones’s chief instructor will be former WRC star Mikko Hirvonen as part of the program and Zeal will drive in several Finnish and European rallies throughout the northern Summer, along with the other successful candidate, Japanese drifting star Hiroya Minowa.

“I can’t wait to get started,” an excited Jones said.

“It is an amazing opportunity and I’m very grateful for the faith Toyota Gazoo World Rally Team have shown in me.

“I also can’t thank those who have supported me on this journey – my parents, partners, sponsors, and the New Zealand Rally Championship.

“My time in the championship certainly set me up for this opportunity and I hope that others see what a great breeding ground it has become.”