New Zealand rally driver Andrew Hawkeswood is heading to the final round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship in China this October with support from MotorSport New Zealand.

In March, MotorSport New Zealand released details of a $5,000 grant for one New Zealand competitor who qualified for October’s APRC final in China.

Auckland-based Hawkeswood qualified for the APRC final by gaining points in the first two qualifying rounds which were run in New Zealand. The Otago Rally was an APRC round for the first time, while the International Rally of Whangarei has been ...    more...

Hayden Paddon and John Kennard are set to contest two FIA World Rally Championship events before the end of the year – piloting the all-new Ford Fiesta R5 MkII at Wales Rally GB and returning to the wheel of the EcoBoost-powered Ford Fiesta WRC at Rally Australia.

As one of the sport’s most popular competitors, the rallying community were devastated when a stray rock put paid to Paddon’s Rally Finland ambitions earlier this year. But the New Zealander did not give up the fight and worked tirelessly with his backers to facilitate another ...    more...

Christchurch’s Dylan Thomson has secured his third consecutive junior championship and tightened his strangle-hold on third place in the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship after another top five result at the Dayle ITM Goldrush Rally Coromandel.

Thomson headed to the event looking to secure his championship position and also look to learn the effect of set-up changes and a new Dunlop tyre on the Specialised Auto Services Subaru Impreza STI.

The opening loop of stages saw Thomson and co-driver Amy Hudson make a strong start, putting themselves fifth as they ...    more...

Queenstown’s Mike Sheehan has one hand on the championship trophy in the front-wheel drive class of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship after a maximum score at the Dayle ITM Goldrush Rally Coromandel held over the weekend.

Having seen his lead reduced to nothing at the previous rounds, Sheehan knew he needed to increase his pace and made improvements to both the Truck Moves Ford Fiesta R2 as well as his driving with training from mentor David Holder.

Sheehan and co-driver Glenn Goldring made a good set of pace notes ...    more...

The multi-championship winning rally team, Paddon Rallysport, has revealed they are undertaking a ground-breaking new project – the design, development and construction of the world’s first electric rally car that will be capable of running full length rallies.

Headed by New Zealand’s most successful rally driver, Hayden Paddon, the Hyundai Kona EV rally car project is being undertaken at Paddon Rallysport Group’s (PRG) headquarters at the Highlands Innovation and Technology Park in Cromwell, Central Otago, New Zealand.

Paddon is passionate about the project which will showcase PRG’s ...    more...

Subaru driver Ben Hunt is elated to have wrapped up the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) today, with a round to spare.

Hunt and his long-time co-driver Tony Rawstorn needed only to finish eighth or higher in the one-day Dayle ITM Goldrush Rally of Coromandel to secure a second career title – after achieving his first win in a Subaru Impreza WRX in 2015 - but they went ahead and won it anyway.

“It is a huge credit to the Hunt Motorsports team, Speedhub Motorsport, Subaru, all my sponsors and everyone ...    more...