The Geraldine-based driver and his Blenheim-based co-driver John Kennard are in the midst of a comprehensive international campaign to win the FIA Production World Rally Championship title, but the pairing also has the opportunity to contest some events at home in New Zealand courtesy of a partnership with Palmerston North businessman Robbie Leicester. The partnership has already proved successful with Paddon winning the DriveSouth Rally of Otago on his first outing with the car.
Paddon’s entry in Rally New Zealand adds further impetus for other teams to test themselves against the just-turned-24-year-old who was ranked by Autosport magazine’s rally editor, David Evans, as one of the top ten drivers in the world last year.
“It’s absolutely fantastic news that Hayden and his team will line up for Rally New Zealand when it commences next Friday night with the ceremonial start at Manukau City Centre,” says Rally New Zealand chairman Peter (‘PJ’) Johnston.
“Hayden is showing the world that he’s got the talent and skill to win a world rally title. To have him racing at home for line honours in Rally New Zealand is exciting for fans and the event, and like the other competitors, Hayden will be racing to see if he can have his name inscribed on the Rally New Zealand trophy alongside WRC winners of previous years.”
With Rally New Zealand forming the second round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, the main sporting focus is on the battle for points in New Zealand’s premier rallying contest. However for the first time in his five years of national rally competition, Paddon’s focus is not on winning the championship, but rather on getting more competitive kilometres under the tyres of his new Subaru.
“Our New Zealand Subaru is built to the same Group N (production car) specification as the car we are running in the Production World Rally Championship, which is built by a Belgium-based team, Symtech,” says Paddon.
“The goal remains to get more miles in the Subarus after all our years driving Mitsubishis. There are many synergies between the two cars and our learning and development with the New Zealand car certainly aids the Europe-based car.
“Of course, we’ll be doing our best to win – that’s what we do! And it would be a great honour indeed to win Rally New Zealand outright regardless of whether this is a WRC year or not.”
Rally New Zealand takes in two days of rally action through the Franklin, North Waikato and Raglan districts for competitors across three fields: NZRC, Rally New Zealand Historic Rally and Possum Bourne Memorial Rally.
Rally New Zealand 2011 gets underway with a free-to-attend driver autograph session and ceremonial start at Manukau City Centre from 6:00 pm on Friday 6 May. On Saturday 7 May, competitors head from the rally headquarters at Hampton Downs to tackle eight special stages which include two super special stages run around the Hampton race circuit. On Sunday 8 May, rally crews face six further stages around Raglan and the iconic Whaanga Coast stage before returning to Hampton Downs for super special stage on the race track, followed by the official finish and podium presentations track-side from 5:30 pm. At Hampton Downs, in between the rally super special stages, other races and action takes place on both Saturday and Sunday, with Sunday’s ‘High Octane on Hampton’ event set to be a must-see day of exciting motorsport action.
SUBSCRIBE BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY
