It’s been six years since the New Zealand Rally Championship visited the seaside town of Whitianga for the Dayle ITM Goldrush Rally Coromandel, and a lot has changed within the championship space since that event.
More than half of the NZRC competitors have never tackled the infamous Port Charles, 309 or Tapu-Coroglen stages, so we thought we’d have a look at the current stars and their experiences on the twisting Coromandel roads.
The Battle:
History arguably shines brightest on Ben Hunt at this event as the defending winner and with two wins, the equal most successful driver at this event. He is also one of only two drivers who will line up in Whitianga on Friday night for each of the seven occasions the event has run.
For Robbie Stokes, Coromandel was the scene of his first-ever NZRC podium in what is recognised now as NZRC 2WD behind the wheel of a Toyota Levin. That second place was backed up a year later, however, 2019 was a short affair with engine failure right at the start of stage one. He certainly holds the experience upper hand over his brother Jack, who has never competed in Coromandel.
Jack Hawkeswood’s record is hit or miss at Coromandel, two DNFs in 2017 & 2019, split by his first-ever class podium in 2018 in the NZRC 2WD class, while Josh Marston snared his only Coromandel podium last time out in 2019.
Dylan Thomson is another with runs on the board in his previous four appearances, with a third and two class wins followed by a fifth in his first 4WD visit in 2019, just eight tenths of a second behind Kingsley Jones.
The pair are due to rekindle that battle, being seeded seventh and eighth. Jones is another with sweet and sour takeaways from Coromandel, a Rally Challenge class win in 2016 and a fourth outright in 2019 on the positive side, while a bizarre incident in 2015 saw a mid-stage collision with Todd Bawden that ended Jones’ day.
Other Classes:
With just two cars amongst the NZRC two-wheel drive runners, the experience advantage certainly sits with Bryn Jones, who has made a couple of all-comers starts, while Tim Mackersy will be making his first visit.
The only Open 2WD starter, Dave Strong, sits alongside Hunt as the only two drivers to start every edition of the Goldrush.
The Historic field sees the majority of the field in for a new experience, not something that can often be said about series leader Deane Buist. He, Stephen Gill and Pat Norris all make their first Whitianga start, while Mike Cameron is the Coromandel veteran with one start in 2017.
Keep a Close Eye On:
The Rally Challenge class equally offers up a new challenge for the majority of the field. Andy Martin is by far the most experienced, with three starts, two at the wheel of his old Mazda RX-3 and one in a VW Polo Proto car.
Haydn Mackenzie is the only other starter, his first ever rally lasting three quarters of the opening stage before a broken hub put him on the trailer early.
For Ben Huband, Gavin Feast, Josh Keighley, Kevin Laird, Julien Lenglet, and the only two-wheel drive car in the field, Kyle Percival, they will all be getting their first look at the twists and turns of the Coromandel Peninsula.
Best Spectating:
The Ceremonial starts in Whitianga’s main street on Friday night, offering a perfect chance to see the cars and drivers up close and grab a photo or an autograph.
The final stage on Saturday – the Super Special Stage – in downtown Whitianga is designed to be a spectator-friendly way to see some action and the easiest way for fans to watch.
But it is those iconic cambered and twisty Coromandel roads that the event is famous for. The way to spectate those is by entering the start or finish of any of the three different stages and choosing from many corners to watch. The trick is to be in before the road closure, though – so make sure you familiarise yourself with times before trying to access them.
Entry List: CLICK HERE
Maps: CLICK HERE
Where to Watch:
- SS1 Ventia Port Charles 1 – 22.53km | Livestream commences @ 8:15NZST
- SS2 Ventia Port Charles 2 – 22.53km | Livestream commences @ 10:05NZST
- 𝘕𝘰𝘵𝘦 – 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘯 𝘵𝘸𝘪𝘤𝘦.
- SS7 Carbonworks Forestry NZ 309 3 – 11.52km | Livestream commences @ 16:55NZST
As usual, our streams are FREE and ONLY on our Facebook page or www.nzrc.tv Youtube channel – If they ask you to pay, walk away!!
The post-production show will air on TV3’s CRC Motorsport after the event.
Follow the action with live times on www.chrissport.co.nz
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
