The fierce battle in the New Zealand Rally Championship resumes this weekend when the nation’s leading drivers tackle the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland.
Based out of Invercargill but featuring roads used in the non-championship Wyndham Rally, the national championship returns to the Deep South for the first time since 2024.
Jack Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2) and Jack Hawkeswood (Ventia Equipment Toyota Yaris Rally 2) will resume their head-to-head battle at the top of the standings.
The pair have traded wins through the opening two rounds of the championship and are separated by just two points heading into the weekend.
Robbie Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2) will have the bit between the teeth after a couple of disappointing results to start with, and should be as favoured as any to get the rally win.
Four-time national champion Ben Hunt makes a return to the championship in the Toyota GR Yaris Rally Cup car. His talents should give a good account of what these cars – set to run as a class of the championship next season – are capable of.
Quentin Palmer (Skoda Fabia Rally 2) has scored back-to-back podiums and will look to stay in the title frame, while Southland local Carter Strang will also enter a Toyota GR Yaris Rally Cup car and could be worth keeping an eye on in familiar territory.
Ari Pettigrew will start as the overwhelming favourite in the Open 2WD class in his Porsche 911 and will have some company with Andy Martin’s 991 GT3 car set to make its debut.
Martin’s battle with Dave Strong (Honda Jazz) and Tim Mackersy (Ford Fiesta) will be intriguing.
Pat Norris (Toyota Corolla) will need to be disciplined as he is the only starter in the Historic class, and he has a great opportunity to bank points with his rivals missing this event.
Veteran driver Deane Buist (Ford Escort) will start as favourite in the Classics field but will be kept honest by Ben Harding (Mazda RX7), Paul Cross (Toyota Corolla) and Roger McKay (Ford Escort).
The Rally Challenge 4WD class is set to be an epic showdown with the Subaru Impreza H6 brigade (Thomas Paul, Josh Keighley, James McIver, Kevin Laird and Terri Taylor) doubling as the contenders in the Group A Challenge.
Those competitors will battle defending champion Caleb Macdonald (Mitsubishi EVO 8) and impressive youngster Harri Silcock (Mitsubishi EVO 6) in class 5A.
Rory Lawn (Toyota Starlet) and Josh Silcock (Ford Fiesta) go head-to-head in their epic Rally Challenge 2WD battle.
The rally begins with a ceremonial opening on Friday afternoon on Esk Street in downtown Invercargill, followed by a full day of rallying on Saturday.
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
