Sixteen-year-old Ryan Howden of Invercargill is looking forward to just his second-ever rally, the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland, Round 3 of the NZ Rally Championship, on Saturday 18 July.
The Eastern Southland Car Club organise the rally, and Howden is the club’s Junior Champion. He comes from a strong motorsport background with his father, Glenn, and mother, Ismay, fully involved in the club. Glenn is the current Club Secretary, while Ismay is Club Captain and a huge help to Glenn in his role – “some would say a Secretary’s Secretary,” says Glenn. Both are also on the organising committee for the rally.
Ryan has been competing in entry-level ClubSport events for around four years, initially in the Toyota Corolla 1300cc Front Wheel Drive car that his father competed in, before graduating to a Suzuki Baleno. He recently came third in the National Junior ClubSport Championship in Ashburton in the old Corolla, a mighty effort in a car with far less power than his rivals’.
Ryan says, “ClubSport is definitely great grounding for rallying. “It teaches you basic car control,” he says.
His first rally outing came in April when he tackled Rally Otago in the Baleno with his dad alongside in the co-driver seat.
He finished eleventh in his class in a huge field, a placing that Ryan says he was happy with in his first rally. “I was very happy. The first day was pretty good; it was nice and clean, but dad had to rein me in a bit on the second day. I was a bit slower but really enjoyed the Kuri Bush Special Stage.”
Ryan is keen to drive in front of family and friends in his home rally. “I’m hoping Dad knows the roads well. We are not using notes. We are pretty lucky to have the support of Hayden Paddon, and he has promised me some in-car footage if he can get some.”
With his parents involved in the organising committee and Ryan and Glenn competing, Ryan says the home is very much rally-oriented at the moment. “There isn’t much talk about anything else!”
Ryan also appreciates the support of his sponsors – NAPA Auto Parts, AJ Auto Electrical, Xtra Mile Tyres, Paddon Racing Group, Heart Kids, Truck Moves NZ, Gore Flooring Xtra, Laird Motorsport and Creation Signs.
All the cars and drivers in the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland will be at Invercargill Central from 4pm on Friday, 17 July, where there will be an opportunity to get autographs and see the cars up close before the Ceremonial Start at 6pm.
The following day, the cars leave Wyndham at 8.30am, tackle seven high-speed Special Stages, and conclude at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill at 3.45pm.
Header Image: Enuff Photography
