Carter Strang of Wallacetown is a familiar sight in rallies in his Mitsubishi EVO 10 but when he lines up for the Barry Robinson Memorial Rally Southland on Saturday 18 July 2026, he will be at the wheel of a brand spanking new GR Toyota Yaris.
The Toyota is one of several being prepared for the exciting new GR Yaris Rally Cup next year and Strang has purchased a car for an attack on that series. His appearance in his home event, Round 3 of the Brian Green Property NZ Rally Championship (NZRC), will be very much a shakedown for the car and its driver.
Strang, who did very little motorsport wise last season, apart from a little bit of local stuff says, “things have been happening behind the scenes. I had a bit of a reset, work was busy so essentially, I had a year off last year.” The year prior to the break he had finished second in the Rally Challenge class of the NZRC.
Strang says the change to the Yaris comes, “as I am not getting any younger and I’m not getting any faster. There is never a right time to do this but I like the concept of the car. It is reasonably low maintenance and a fast car.”
The Yaris is due to take part in a test day at Miller’s Flat on the Thursday before the event. “I will probably only get about an hour there so the rally will be a test, a shakedown,” says Strang.
Strang initially travelled to Force Motorsport in Auckland just under two months ago. I went to the workshop. I looked at the build quality and was impressed. I had a hoon at Jacks Ridge, a rally venue previously used for Rally NZ and I was bloody impressed. The next day I said let’s make it happen!”
Having finished second in the Wyndham Rally in both 2023 and 2024, an event from which many of the roads will be used for Rally Southland, Strang says, “I love Wyndham. The roads are magic. They are nice, flowing and rhythmical. They are public roads and there are not many rallies like that. They reward the brave. Special Stage 7 at Dunsdale is the cherry on top and I sponsor that stage with my business, Strang Automotive.”
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.
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