New Zealand’s fastest rally driver ever, Hayden Paddon, has a stranglehold on the New Zealand Rally Championship after last weekend’s fourth round, but you could throw a blanket over the rest of the title challengers.
Despite missing round three, Paddon’s three victories sees him 33 points ahead of the pack, but just 30 points separates the next seven drivers in one of the most competitive seasons in memory.
Of those drivers, none have had a trouble-free run in every rally, although it’s Josh Marston (Holden Barina) and Ben Hunt (Subaru WRX) who have the most to gain should Paddon falter in either of the final two events.
For any of the leading drivers, finishing second to Paddon would nearly be seen as a title victory, and again highlights the competitiveness of this year’s NZRC.
Hunt had a blinding start to the season with two second placings, but has had a horror run since. Marston won in Canterbury, but has otherwise had a patchy season.
Another still in the running is Australian Rally Champion, Nathan Quinn, who has driven three different cars in three events, while Matt Summerfield’s debut season in the ex-Brian Green Mitsubishi Mirage started brilliantly at Otago, but has tapered off since.
Emma Gilmour’s run of luckless events in her Suzuki Swift has continued, and one can only wonder what New Zealand’s fastest lady could achieve if she had a more reliable steed!
As mentioned last week, the competitiveness and success of the New Zealand Rally Championship continues to lure Australians across the Tasman, and this could increase even further before the season comes to a close.
An interested spectator at South Canterbury was the 2016 Aussie champ, Molly Taylor, along with her 2018 co-driver, Kiwi Malcolm Read.
And while contract commitments with Subaru Australia may prove an obstacle in Taylor’s aspirations of entering a couple of New Zealand events later this year, she hasn’t ruled it out.
“I’d love to do a few events, but they’re only dreams at this stage. I’m certainly trying though,” Taylor said this week.
All of which must make Motor Sport NZ and the NZRC organisers incredibly happy. Having the previous two Australian champions competing in the next round of the series would be nothing short of a massive coup.
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