MotorSport New Zealand has announced a new Classic Rally Championship for the 2026 New Zealand Rally Championship, establishing a dedicated national platform for classic rally cars to compete.
The new championship, officially known as Category 6, has been developed to attract classic two-wheel-drive rally machinery to the national stage. It builds on the proven technical regulations created and refined by the organisers of the internationally renowned Otago Rally, which have successfully drawn competitors from around the world to compete alongside New Zealand’s highly regarded classic rally drivers.
Category 6 will be contested across all six rounds of the 2026 NZRC, with competitors eligible to fight for Category honours while also being classified within the overall Championship standings. The Historic 2WD class (Category 4) will remain unchanged, with existing regulations continuing to protect genuine historic vehicles.
Blair Bartels, Championship Coordinator, highlighted the importance of this new class:
“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. 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 championship.”
MotorSport New Zealand President, Deborah Day, said the introduction of Category 6 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. 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 Classic Rally Championship marks an exciting new chapter for rallying in New Zealand, celebrating the heritage, spectacle, and competitive spirit of classic rally cars. MotorSport New Zealand and the NZRC team warmly welcome classic rally competitors to be part of this national championship category and look forward to seeing these iconic cars competing across the country in 2026.
The 2026 New Zealand Rally Championship will kick off with the Otago Rally from April 10–12, with final regulations and Articles for the championship scheduled to be published before the end of the week.
Header Image: Shots By TayB/Tayler Burke
