Jack Hawkeswood comes to the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland, Round 3 of the Brian Green Property Group NZ Rally Championship (NZRC) this weekend just two points off the championship lead.
Hawkeswood, originally from the North Island, but these days based in the small settlement of Millers Flat in Central Otago where he is involved in gold mining, is looking forward to the challenge Rally Southland presents as he and Jack Stokes of Canterbury arrive at the event battling for the championship lead with an almost twenty point gap back to third placed Quentin Palmer.
“It is a bit of a surprise. I didn’t think it would be a two-horse race but there are four rounds to go so it still is anyone’s game. This has been the most exciting year of competition. Every stage has had me on the edge of my seat.”
Hawkeswood finished second behind Stokes at Rally Otago in his GR Toyota Yaris Rally 2 before beating him by a margin of .2 of a second at the second round in Canterbury. “He made me work for that one,” says Hawkeswood.
Hawkeswood, who was third in last year’s NZRC, has done some events in the south over the years including the Popotunoa Rallysprint which he has won twice but has never done the Wyndham Rally. Some of the early Special Stages in Rally Southland make use of roads that were originally used for the Wyndham event. “It has been a while since most competitors have done Wyndham which is good. It makes it a bit more-fair. It makes for an even playing field.”
Asked what he expects from the roads in Southland, he says, “I enjoy the roads anywhere in New Zealand. We have some of the best roads in the world. It is a privilege to drive on them.”
After a strong start to his championship, Hawkeswood is looking forward to getting behind the wheel at Rally Southland on Saturday 18 July.
All the cars and drivers in the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland will be at Invercargill Central from 4pm on Friday 17 July where the opportunity exists to get autographs and see the cars close up before the Ceremonial Start at 6pm.
The following day the cars leave Wyndham at 8.30am before tackling seven high speed Special Stages before the event concludes at the Ascot Park Hotel in Invercargill at 3.45pm.
Rally maps are available from Invercargill Central during the Ceremonial Start on Friday evening.
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