Hi all, sorry it has been a while since my last post.
Next weekend is the Rally Wairarapa and it is shaping up to be the most interesting round of the national championship to date.
Last year it was the opening rally of both the New Zealand Rally Championship and the season. Based in Masterton, it is of course Richard Mason’s home event and he had won every Rally Wairarapa staged. But last year the non-NZRC entry of Andrew Hawkeswood took a comfortable victory, then wound everyone up at the prizegiving.
As Hawkeswood took the microphone to make is victory speech, he told the crowd he would need his help. He then said “Knock Knock.” “Who’s there?” replied the crowd. “Richard.” “Richard who?” “Exactly”………….
This year Hawkeswood is part of the open class in the NZRC and Mason is running the same car as last year, so the battle will be resumed, Hawkeswood keen to keep the trophy and Mason sure to want to regain it.
But neither of them will have it easy. Hayden Paddon ran here last year debuting his Left Hand drive Evo 9, something that he is now used to but last year it was new to him and caused a few problems. This year Paddon is leading the New Zealand Rally Championship and has won the last two rounds so watch out for him.
Geof Argyle is going to what is the closest to being his ‘home’ event and barring disaster, is sure to wrap up the open class 4wd and will be another in contention on the fast Wairarapa roads.
After running an older and now sold Evo 8 over the first 3 NZRC rounds, Chris West is now behind the wheel of one of Ralliart New Zealand’s Production World Championship Evo 9 for this event so will be sure to be on the pace.
Along with Mason, Emma Gilmour will fly the Subaru flag. So far she has cemented her standing as New Zealand’s fastest woman and has been snapping at the heels of the leaders so who knows?
Then there are a few ‘dark horses’ in Glenn Inkster, Sloan Cox, Matt Jansen, Stephen Barker and Keiran Hall.
Then there are the two-wheel drives but we will save them for next week.
Cheers
Blair