Alex Rullo is not the first ex Supercars driver to compete in a car rally, but he may be the first to have competed in the Otago Rally. From Western Australia, Alex and his father Peter were over in NZ for the first time with Paddon Rallysport at the start line of the 2026 Otago Rally in Dunedin.
While World Rally Championship driver Hayden Paddon was away competing in Rally Croatia with the Hyundai Motorsport team, Alex was behind the wheel of his Hyundai i20N Rally 2 car with his father driving the ex-Kingsley Jones Skoda Fabia R5.
“I did Supercars and loved it,” said Rullo. “We probably went to the main game a little early and definitely learnt some things.
“Ended up co-driving for a couple of years with Nissan (Kelly Racing) then Covid happened. I didn’t do any motorsport for a year or two and Dad had done a lot of tarmac rally and did a gravel rally and said this is awesome, you have to try this.
“I did a test up at Tolley Challis’ Farm (Western Australia) with Alistair McRae of all people, in an Evo 9 and I absolutely loved it! I really fell in love with the sport from there and did a rally a month or two later, the Forest Rally, an ARC round. It absolutely poured with rain; I think I got Covid on the event but still loved it. It was a terrific challenge for me as a driver.
“Compared with Supercars, in rallying there is a lot up to you as a driver to be fast. There is a lot of effort it took to be fast, the recce, studying videos before the event, especially when you are up against competitors such as the Bates’ and Hayden (Paddon). There is a really high level of competition.”
In 2025, WRC driver Haydon Paddon decided to compete in the EROAD Australian Rally Championship and linked up with Alex and Peter and their Rullo Motorsport team, sharing key logistics, data and parts over the season.
“I learnt quite a bit off Hayden last year. He brought so much knowledge. I worked with a lot of experienced people in circuit racing, and I would sort of describe him as the Shane van Gisbergen of rallying. He has so much experience, he knows his stuff and he is a true professional.”
Unfortunately, both father and son retired out of the first stage (SS9) of the second day of the 2026 Otago Rally, Peter with a mechanical, Alex going off-road.
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