The one-point title battle in the New Zealand Rally Championship heads to the penultimate event this weekend with stakes as high as they’ve ever been.
Jack Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2) leads Jack Hawkeswood (Force Motorsport Toyota Yaris Rally 2) by a solitary point ahead of the International Rally Whangarei as the two youngsters chase a maiden championship.
The pair have been engaged in a brilliant season-long battle; each driver claiming two of the previous four rally wins apiece.
While Hawkeswood has more experience on these Northland roads, famously used in the 1990s and 2000s when the stars of the World Rally Championship made an annual visit to these shores, Stokes led this event a year ago through the opening day and, but for a puncture, could have claimed a breakthrough NZRC win.
In addition to the two championship protagonists, Robbie Stokes (older brother of Jack) in the second Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2 looms as a serious threat, having claimed a dominant win here a year ago. A couple of rough early-year rounds took him out of the title race, but the older Stokes might be the favourite to win on roads he’s clearly been quick on in the past.
But the big addition to the battle is four-time national champion Ben Hunt, who has entered in the Force Motorsport Mazda 2 AP4 car that Andrew Hawkeswood won the 2017 championship in.
His addition gives Force Motorsport the ability to play team tactics and try to take points away from the Stokes team, just as the Cantabrians have done at previous rounds (though without actually doing so).
Quentin Palmer (Skoda Fabia Rally 2) is almost the forgotten man heading into the weekend. Ever reliable and clearly quicker on North Island roads, don’t discount him from being in the podium battle. Palmer was right on the pace in all but one or two stages at Hawke’s Bay recently and could feature prominently up north.
Vanuatu driver Pierre-Henri Brunet (Skoda Fabia Rally 2) completes the Open 4WD class.
The uber-talented Ari Pettigrew returns to the championship in Whangarei in his Porsche 911 and should have too much speed in both the Open 2WD class and overall 2WD.
Veteran Dave Strong (Honda Jazz) and Tim Mackersy (Ford Fiesta) will provide competition and keep Pettigrew honest.
The Historic class sees all three title contenders in action this weekend. Phil Macquarie (Ford Escort) will be a clear favourite, but the battle between Pat Norris (Toyota Corolla) and Mike Cameron (Mitsubishi Lancer) should be worth keeping an eye on.
Ben Harding (Mazda RX7) heads to Whangarei fresh off an outstanding home result at Hawke’s Bay in the Classics class but will find tough competition in the form of Andy Martin (Ford Escort) and an improved Roger McKay (Ford Escort).
Australian Rob Darrington (Subaru Legacy) is the sole entrant in the Rally Challenge 4WD class while Rally Challenge 2WD class leader Rory Lawn (Toyota Starlet) is the only entry in his class this weekend, as rivals take advantage of the drop-a-round rules.
The Vertex Lubricants International Rally Whangarei begins with a ceremonial opening in downtown Whangarei on Friday night before eight special stages in the Kaipara District on Saturday and two runs through the famous Pohe Island Super Special right in Whangarei.
Sunday’s action takes competitors south of the city for eight more stages.
Header Image: Geoff Ridder
