New Zealand Rally Championship
| Category | Rallying |
|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Inaugural season | 1975 |
| Tyre suppliers | MRF Tyres |
| Drivers' champion | Ben Hunt |
| Co-Drivers' champion | Tony Rawstorn |
| Makes' champion | Ford Motor Company |
| Teams' champion | Rally4Play |
| Official website | nzrallychampionship.co.nz |
| Current season | |
The New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) is New Zealand's leading rallying championship. A multi-event national championship has been held each year since 1975. Today the championship is held for a variety of classes based on engine capacity and further split by four or two wheel drive. The top class for a number of years has been the CAT1 class, featuring R5, NR4, and AP4 cars.
The New Zealand Rally Championship has been a launching pad for the career of many New Zealand drivers. Rod Millen and Possum Bourne being the most notable. In the 2000s Hayden Paddon used the series as a springboard to international competition, competing in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship before moving on to the Production, Super 2000 World Rally Championship, and World Rally Championships. Most recently Zeal Jones has used the series to gain valuable skills and experience to get a spot in the Toyota GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program.
The championship was formed around the then newly created Rally New Zealand when it joined the World Rally Championship in 1973. Since then Rally New Zealand has frequently been the starring event of the NZRC and the event is current based in Auckland. The International Rally of Whangarei and International Rally of Otago are also rounds of the NZRC as well as being rounds of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. The current 2025 championship also has events based in Canterbury, Coromandel, and Bay of Plenty regions.[1]
2025 Calendar
The 2024 season is scheduled to be contested over six rounds in Otago, Canterbury, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, and Northland.
| Round | Date | Rally | Rally headquarters | Surface | Stages | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1[2] | 4–6 April | International Rally of Otago | Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand | Gravel | 15[3] | 639.32km |
| 2[4] | 10 May | Rally South Canterbury | Timaru, Canterbury, New Zealand | Gravel | ||
| 3[5] | 10 June | Canterbury Rally | Rangiora, Canterbury, New Zealand | Gravel | ||
| 4[5] | 23 August | Rally Coromandel | Whitianga, Waikato, New Zealand | Gravel | ||
| 5[6] | 11 October | Rally Bay of Plenty | Tauranga, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand | Gravel | ||
| 6[1] | 7–9 November | Rally of Whangarei | Whangarei, Northland, New Zealand | Gravel |
Champions
Source:[7]
Drivers
Sourced from:[8]
Co-Drivers
Sourced from:[8]
2WD
Drivers
| Year | Class | Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Historics | Robert Murray | Mazda RX-7 |
| 2007 | FIA 2WD | Mark Tapper | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Eaun Fuge | Mazda RX-3 | |
| 2008 | FIA 2WD | Patrick Malley | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Robert Wylie | Nissan 240RS | |
| 2009 | FIA 2WD | Ben Jagger | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Mike Cameron | Mitsubishi Lancer | |
| 2010 | FIA 2WD | Stephen Barker | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Regan Ross | Ford Escort | |
| 2011 | FIA 2WD | Ben Hunt | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Robert Wylie | Nissan 240RS | |
| 2012 | FIA 2WD | Ben Hunt | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Open 2WD | David Holder | Toyota Levin | |
| Historics | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2013 | Overall | Josh Marston | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| FIA 2WD | Josh Marston | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Hamish Anderson | Toyota Levin | |
| Historics | Dean Buist | Ford Escort RS1800 | |
| 2014 | Overall | Max Bayley | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| FIA 2WD | Max Bayley | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Hamish Anderson | Toyota Levin | |
| Historics | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2015 | Overall | Max Bayley | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| FIA 2WD | Max Bayley | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Not Awarded | ||
| Historics | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2016 | Overall | Dave Strong | Honda Civic |
| FIA 2WD | Max Bayley | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Dave Strong | Honda Civic | |
| Historics | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2017 | Overall | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Anthony Jones | Ford Escort | |
| Historics | Tony Gosling | Ford Escort | |
| 2018 | Overall | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-8 | |
| Historics | John Silcock | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2019 | Overall | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-8 |
| FIA 2WD | Mike Sheehan | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-8 | |
| Historics | Jeff Judd | Ford Escort | |
| 2020 | No 2020 Championship | ||
| 2021 | Overall | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Ari Pettigrew | BMW 318ti | |
| Historics | Anthony Jones | Ford Escort | |
| 2022[8] | Overall | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Daniel Haines | Ford Escort | |
| Historics | John Silcock | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2023[8] | Overall | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 |
| FIA 2WD | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 | |
| Open 2WD | Daniel Haines | Ford Escort | |
| Historics | John Silcock | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2024[9] | Overall | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 |
| FIA 2WD | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 | |
| Open 2WD | William Hawes | Toyota 86 | |
| Historics | Paul Fraser | Ford Escort | |
Co-drivers
| Year | Class | Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Historics | Deborah Kibble | Mazda RX-7 |
| 2007 | FIA 2WD | Jeff Cress | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Mike Gibbs | Mazda RX-3 | |
| 2008 | FIA 2WD | Raymond Bennett | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Paul Turner | Nissan 240RS | |
| 2009 | FIA 2WD | Ben Hawkins | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Helen Cameron | Mitsubishi Lancer | |
| 2010 | FIA 2WD | Richard Ellis | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Darren Galbraith | Ford Escort | |
| 2011 | FIA 2WD | Tony Rawstorn | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Historics | Tim Smith | Nissan 240RS | |
| 2012 | FIA 2WD | Tony Rawstorn | Ford Fiesta ST |
| Open 2WD | James Holder | Toyota Levin | |
| Historics | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2013 | Overall | Venita Fabbro | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| FIA 2WD | Venita Fabbro | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Sarah Brennan | Toyota Levin | |
| Historics | Andrew Bullman | Ford Escort RS1800 | |
| 2014 | Overall | Phillip Deakin | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| FIA 2WD | Phillip Deakin | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Sarah Brennan | Toyota Levin | |
| Historics | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2015 | Overall | Donna Elder | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| FIA 2WD | Donna Elder | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Not Awarded | ||
| Historics | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2016 | Overall | Bruce McKenzie | Honda Civic |
| FIA 2WD | Lisa Hudson | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Bruce McKenzie | Honda Civic | |
| Historics | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2017 | Overall | Amy Hudson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Amy Hudson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Tanya Gwynne | Ford Escort | |
| Historics | Blair Reid | Ford Escort | |
| 2018 | Overall | Amy Hudson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Amy Hudson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-8 | |
| Historics | Samantha Gray | Ford Escort | |
| 2019 | Overall | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-8 |
| FIA 2WD | Glenn Goldring | Ford Fiesta R2 | |
| Open 2WD | Dave Neil | Mazda RX-8 | |
| Historics | Sarah Brennan | Ford Escort | |
| 2020 | No 2020 Championship | ||
| 2021 | Overall | Amy Hudson | Ford Fiesta ST |
| FIA 2WD | Amy Hudson | Ford Fiesta ST | |
| Open 2WD | Samantha Gray | BMW 318ti | |
| Historics | Zoe Jones | Ford Escort | |
| 2022[8] | Overall | Brayden Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 |
| FIA 2WD | Brayden Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 | |
| Open 2WD | Matt Priest | Ford Escort Mk2 | |
| Historics | Donna Elder | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2023[8] | Overall | Brayden Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 |
| FIA 2WD | Brayden Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 | |
| Open 2WD | Matt Priest | Ford Escort Mk2 | |
| Historics | Donna Elder | Mazda RX-7 | |
| 2024[9] | Overall | Brayden Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 |
| FIA 2WD | Brayden Thomson | Ford Fiesta Rally4 | |
| Open 2WD | Jason Dwyer | Toyota 86 | |
| Historics | Helen Cameron | Mitsubishi Lancer | |
NZ Rally Challenge Series (4WD)
Drivers
| Year | Overall | 4WD | 2WD | Classic 4WD | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Driver | Vehicle | Driver | Vehicle | Driver | Vehicle | Driver | Vehicle | |
| 2013 | Graham Featherstone | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | Graham Featherstone | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | David Ralph | Toyota Starlet | ||
| 2014 | Darren Galbraith | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Darren Galbraith | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Jeff Torkington | Toyota MR2 | ||
| 2015 | Darren Galbraith | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Richard Bateman | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII | Justin Glavish | Toyota Starlet | ||
| 2016 | Kingsley Jones | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | Kingsley Jones | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VII | Jeff Torkington | Toyota MR2 | ||
| 2017 | Adam Bligh | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII | Richard Bateman | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | David Taylor | Honda Civic | ||
| 2018 | Grant Blackberry | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X | Grant Blackberry | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X | Marcus van Klink | Mazda RX-8 | Matt Adams | Mitsubishi Galant VR-4 |
| 2019 | Matt Adams | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | Matt Adams | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX | Daniel Alexander | Toyota Starlet | Phil Collins | Audi Quattro Coupe |
| 2020 | No Championship | |||||||
| 2021 | Quentin Palmer | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Quentin Palmer | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI | Daniel Haines | Ford Escort Mk2 | Sean Haggerty | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2022[8] | Jeff Ward | Subaru Impreza | Jeff Ward | Subaru Impreza | ||||
| 2023[8] | Zeal Jones | Subaru Impreza | Zeal Jones | Subaru Impreza | ||||
| 2024[9] | Andrew Graves | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 | Andrew Graves | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 | Jared Parker | Toyota FX Corolla | Andrew Graves | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 |
Junior Drivers Championship
| Year | Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Sloan Cox | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X |
| 2017 | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta MK5 ST |
| 2018 | Dylan Thomson | Ford Fiesta MK5 ST |
| 2019 | Dylan Thomson | Subaru Impreza WRX STi |
| 2020 | Not Contested | |
| 2021 | Ari Pettigrew | BMW 318 Ti Compact E36 |
| 2022[8] | Ari Pettigrew | Holden Barina AP4 |
| 2023[8] | Bryn Jones | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| 2024[9] | Zeal Jones | Skoda Fabia R5 |
Rookie Drivers Championship
| Year | Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Dean Summer | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 6 |
| 2004 | Sam Murray | Subaru Impreza |
| 2005 | Lee-Anne Barns | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 |
| 2006 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 |
| 2007 | Callum McInnes | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2008 | Andre Meier | Subaru Impreza |
| 2009 | Matt Jansen | Subaru Impreza |
| 2010 | Regan Ross | Ford Escort |
| 2011 | Neil Marshall | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 |
| 2012 | David Holder | Toyota Levin |
| 2013 | Graham Featherstone | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 7 |
| 2014 | Lance Williams | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2015 | Richard Bateman | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 8 |
| 2016 | Carl Davies | Toyota Yaris |
| 2017 | Max Tregilgas | Ford Fiesta ST |
| 2018 | Eugene Creugnet | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 |
| 2019 | Ben Thomasen | Subaru Impreza |
| 2020 | No 2020 Championship | |
| 2021 | Brendon Wadsworth | Ford Fiesta R2 |
| 2022[8] | John-Paul van Der Meys | Ford Fiesta ST |
| 2023[8] | Jared Parker | Toyota Corolla |
| 2024[9] | Carter Strang | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10 |
Gold Card Drivers Championship
| Year | Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2024[9] | Paul Fraser | Ford Escort |
Manufacturers
| Year | Manufacturer |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Subaru |
| 1995 | Mitsubishi |
| 1996 | Subaru |
| 1997 | Mitsubishi |
| 1998 | Mitsubishi |
| 1999 | Mitsubishi |
| 2000 | Mitsubishi |
| 2001 | Mitsubishi |
| 2002 | Mitsubishi |
| 2003 | Mitsubishi |
| 2004 | Mitsubishi |
| 2005 | Subaru |
| 2006 | Subaru |
| 2007 | Subaru |
| 2008 | Mitsubishi |
| 2009 | Subaru |
| 2010 | Mitsubishi |
| 2011 | Subaru |
| 2012 | Subaru |
| 2013 | Not Contested |
| 2014 | Subaru |
| 2015 | Subaru |
| 2016 | Mitsubishi |
| 2017 | Subaru |
| 2018 | Hyundai |
| 2019 | Subaru |
| 2020 | No Championship |
| 2021 | Hyundai |
| 2022[8] | Hyundai |
| 2023[8] | Ford |
| 2024[9] | Ford |
Teams Cup
| Year | Team | Driver / Co-Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Andrew Simms Mitsubishi | Chris West Chris Cobham |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X |
| Josh Marston Rocky Hudson |
Ford Fiesta R2 | ||
| Jeff Judd Malcolm Read |
Ford Escort RS1800 | ||
| 2014 | Team Mason | Richard Mason Sara Mason |
Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
| Marcus van Klink Dave Neil |
Mazda RX-7 | ||
| Brent Taylor Chris Ramsay |
Toyota 86 | ||
| 2015 - 2016 |
Non Contested | ||
| 2017 | Matt Summerfield Nicole Summerfield |
Subaru Impreza WRX STI | |
| Darren Galbraith Rocky Hudson |
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VIII | ||
| Jack Williamson Brenda Williamson |
Suzuki Swift | ||
| 2018 | Tortoise and the Hare | Jack Williamson Brenda Williamson |
Subaru Impreza WRX STI R4 |
| Hayden Paddon John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 AP4+ | ||
| 2019 | Team LJ Hooker | Dylan Turner Malcolm Read |
Audi S1 AP4+ |
| Dylan Thomson Amy Hudson |
Subaru Impreza WRX STI | ||
| 2020 | No Championship | ||
| 2021 | Paddon Rallysport | Hayden Paddon John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 AP4+ |
| Ari Pettigrew Samantha Gray |
BMW 318ti | ||
| 2022[8] | Paddon Rallysport | Hayden Paddon John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 AP4+ |
| Ari Pettigrew Jason Farmer |
Holden Barina AP4 | ||
| 2023[8] | Paddon Rallysport | Hayden Paddon John Kennard |
Hyundai i20 N Rally2 |
| Ari Pettigrew Jason Farmer |
Holden Barina AP4 | ||
| 2024[9] | Rally4Play | Dylan Thomson Bayden Thomson |
Ford Fiesta Rally4 |
| Bryn Jones Sean Lockyear |
Ford Fiesta Rally4 | ||
Multiple Winners
Drivers
| Wins | Driver | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Hayden Paddon | 2008–2009, 2013, 2018, 2021–2023 |
| 5 | Richard Mason | 2005–2006, 2011–2012, 2014 |
| 4 | Bruce Herbert | 2000–2003 |
| 3 | Rod Millen | 1975–1977 |
| Tony Teesdale | 1982, 1984, 1987 | |
| Neil Allport | 1986, 1989, 1992 | |
| Joe McAndrew | 1993–1994, 1996 | |
| Ben Hunt [9][8] | 2015, 2019, 2024 | |
| 2 | Jim Donald | 1980–1981 |
| Brian Stokes | 1985, 1988 | |
| Reece Jones | 1995, 1997 | |
| Geoff Argyle | 1998–1999 |
Co-Drivers
| Wins | Co-Driver | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Robert Haldane | 1988–1990, 1993–1994, 1996 |
| Rob Ryan | 1999–2003, 2007 | |
| John Kennard | 2008–2009, 2013, 2021–2023 | |
| 4 | Sara Mason | 2006, 2011–2012, 2014 |
| Tony Rawstorn[9] | 2015, 2018–2019, 2024 | |
| 2 | Garry Cowan | 2004–2005 |
| Leo Bult | 1995, 1997 |
References
- ^ a b Sampson, Matthew (12 December 2024). "2025 New Zealand Rally Championship calendar released". VelocityNews. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ Rally, Otago (7 May 2024). "Otago Rally quick off the mark with 2025 date". Otago Rally New Zealand. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ [1]
- ^ Copyfast (23 October 2024). "2025 South Canterbury Hydraulics Rally South Canterbury". South Canterbury Car Club. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ a b "Calendar for 2025 revealed with two returning rounds | :: Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship ::". Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "2025 Round Five: Battery Town Bay of Plenty Rally (Series Finale) – North Island Rally Series". Retrieved 20 January 2025.
- ^ "Rally Champions". MotorSport New Zealand. Retrieved 11 November 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u "Gold Star Champions | MotorSport New Zealand". motorsport.org.nz. Archived from the original on 20 February 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l https://www.chrisarchive.co.nz/archives/events/