A total of 50 entries overall and 21 NZRC competitors will tackle the Dayle ITM Goldrush Rally Coromandel when it returns to the New Zealand Rally Championship later this month.
After five seasons away, the iconic tight and twisty gravel roads of the Coromandel Peninsula make their return to the national championship on Saturday, 23 August.
Seven competitors will enter the Open 4WD class, where championship combatants Ben Hunt (Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2) and Robbie Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2) will resume their head-to-head battle.
Just seven points separate the two at the midway point of the season, with the defending series champion Hunt with his nose in front.
Several other contenders could throw a spanner in the works of their title fight, however – Robbie’s brother Jack Stokes has demonstrated incredible pace in his Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4 so far this season, while Jack Hawkeswood is a recent rally winner in his Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris.
Josh Marston is third in the championship in his RDL Holden Barina AP4. He has enjoyed success at Coromandel in previous visits.
Dylan Thomson is back in the older model Subaru Impreza and will be a factor with his speed and consistency, while Kingsley Jones returns to the championship in his Skoda Fabia R5 and will be relevant with his liking of the tight and twisty cambered roads on offer.
The season-long battle in the NZRC 2WD class between Bryn Jones and Tim Mackersey continues as the pair battle it out in identical Ford Fiesta Rally 4 cars.
Dave Strong starts his local rally as the sole entry in Open 2WD in his Honda Jazz.
The Historic 2WD class’s title protagonists, Deane Buist (Ford Escort) and Stephen Gill (Ford Escort), have both made the trip north, while they are joined by Pat Norris (Toyota Corolla) and Mike Cameron (Mitsubishi Lancer).
The Rally Challenge 4WD class will be wide open with a deep class and current leader Caleb Macdonald not featuring – leaving the door ajar for the likes of Ben Huband (Subaru Impreza), Gavin Feast (Subaru Impreza), Josh Keighley (Subaru H6), Kevin Laird (Subaru H6), Julien Lenglet (Subaru Impreza) and Andy Martin (Subaru Impreza) while Kyle Percival (Ford Escort) is the only Rally Challenge 2WD entrant.
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
