With more than two weeks until the cut off, entries are already rolling in to the Tanoa Hotel Paihia Rally of the North, with well over twenty entries already confirmed. Entries received to date range from club based two-wheel drive competitors to three previous event winners with the rumour mill indicating at least another three previous winners indicating their intention to enter.
With the event doubling as the final round for both the Rally Xtreme and Top Half Rally Series’, it is expected that battles for not only overall honours but each of the classes in the respective series will be exciting with a final chance for a series class win up for grabs.
“This year’s rally is really shaping up to have a good strong and exciting field, with as many as seven previous winners possibly taking the start,” says chairman of the event organising committee, Anita Greenland. “The battles right through the field are going to be intense and that bodes well for an exciting event.”
The event sees more than 180km of special stages heading north from the host town of Paihia with morning stages passing Kaitaia, where the lunch break will take place from 11am. The afternoon sees two stages over 30km in length as the event passes back down the east coast before finishing back in Paihia.
The Tanoa Hotel Paihia Rally of the North will run on October 11, based from the tourist town of Paihia. As well as Tanoa Hotel Paihia, the event acknowledges its support from MRT Construction, Belair Mitsubishi Wreckers, Hynds Pipes, Manukau Auto Centre and RCK Contractors/Support Jethro Morrow.