Celebrating 5 decades of Rallying in New Zealand – 19th August 2017
History is continually being made within New Zealand rallying, from its inception in the late 1960’s, when the European influenced high speed, closed road, special stage events, took over from sedate navigational time trial’s, rallying has progressed right up to the high profile events we have in New Zealand today as part of both the FIA sanctioned Asia Pacific Rally Championship, International Rally of Whangarei, and the former World Rally Championship, Rally New Zealand.
It all started in May 1967 when the Hamilton Car Club organised an event called the “Rally of the Pines” which was held largely in the Tokoroa Forest area, it was the very first rally organised in New Zealand under the European rally regulations as we know them today. However prior to that an event called the “Midnight Madness” which was organised by the Auckland Car Club also run in 1967, however they were becoming speed events but organised as Trials.
With Rallying in New Zealand now spanning five decades, the 50 years of rallying in New Zealand is being organised as a celebration to mark the occasion, and will take place at Hamilton’s Claudelands Showgrounds Events Centre on the 19th August 2017.
This celebration is an initiative on behalf of Motorsport New Zealand and any profits generated from this event will go to the Motorsport New Zealand Motorsport Academy to support our future young motorsport racing champions and will be used to further promote having Rally New Zealand a round of the World Rally Championship, with the” Bring Back WRC to New Zealand” campaign.
The 50 Years of Rallying will be a celebration with a formal dinner on the Saturday evening, incorporating high profile guest speakers, acknowledgement and attendance by all previous Gold Star Rally Champions; the evening will also feature the first inductees to the newly established Motorsport New Zealand Motorsport Hall of Fame.
The dinner will be preceded by a “Noggin and Natter” and will provide an opportunity for those attending the function to spend time reacquainting themselves with old friends and enjoy viewing a significant display of memorabilia from the 5 decades of the sport of rallying and also feature a selection of Rally Cars from this period.
The intended programme for the evening is as follows:
5.00p Noggin & Natter commences
• Display of memorabilia, commercial stands, service vehicles, approx. 20 competition cars
7.00p Move to main room to be seated
7.30p Entrée served
• Parade of all NZ Champions
o Called to stage and introduced
8.00p Couch discussion session and roving mic.
• Brian Kelly to MC
• Couch members (1x media, 2x drivers, 1x organiser,1x co-driver, female rally driver)
• Blair Bartels to take mic into room and have short discussions with selected people
9.00p Main course served
• Following main course
o FIA representative Morrie Chandler, President Motorsport New Zealand Wayne Christie to do official
o Rally Inductees into MSNZ Hall of Fame
10.30p Dessert served
12.00a Function finished
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