An influx of quality applications has seen the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally award scholarships go to two up-and-coming young rally drivers.

Choosing a single winner from the 15 applications wasn’t an easy task, and eventually, Cromwell’s Terri Taylor and North Canterbury’s Harri Silcock were chosen as winners.

Twenty-five-year-old Terri Taylor was brought up on the clay of the Cromwell Speedway and first competed when she was 13.

She has progressed through the motorsport ranks and currently drives a Subaru Impreza WRX, making her debut in the car at last year’s Southern Lights Rally.

A mechanical problem saw her retire from second place in the 4WD Classic section, but the die was cast.

“It’s safe to say that I am hooked, and now I really want to compete for the first time in the world-famous Otago Rally,” she said. “It will be a real bucket list achievement for me.”

Harri Silcock started driving grass karts at the age of 12, and with his father, John, a long-time New Zealand rally competitor, the sport was in his genes.

He contested the Mainland Rally Championship in 2024 in a 1600cc Toyota Starlet, finishing second in his class, and also completed one day of the Otago Rally.

“I really enjoyed my first rally outside Christchurch last year,” he said of his Otago Rally entry. “The ceremonial start, the atmosphere, the overseas competitors: it was a real step up from what I am used to.

“To win the scholarship this year and have the chance to contest the whole two-day rally means the world to me.”

Both scholarships winners receive free entry to the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally, including a set of stage notes, and $500 in cash. They will also be offered the use of a workshop throughout the rally.

“We were delighted with the response, with a record 15 applications. All were of very high calibre and it was very difficult to decide on the final recipients,” scholarship convenor, Tony Johnston, said.

“Any of them would be worthy and the applications showed that there is a great new generation of talent coming through.”

The scholarship program is also something that is very dear to the heart of event sponsor, Allan Dippie.

“One of most enjoyable things about supporting the Otago Rally is being able to help the next generation. All the scholarship applicants impressed me with their motivation and passion for the sport,” Central Machine Hire owner, Dippie, said.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding.

For more information on the Otago Rally, visit www.otagorally.com    

The New Year brings a new challenge for Kiwi rally star Hayden Paddon and the Paddon Racing Group (PRG) as they take their Hyundai i20N Rally2 car across the Tasman for an all-out tilt at winning the 2025 Australian Rally Championship (ARC).  

Paddon has committed to contesting all six rounds of the highly-competitive Australian championship which starts in Canberra in March, and continues in Western Australia in May, Queensland in July, Victoria in August, South Australia in October and Tasmania in November. PRG personnel will join Paddon at each round.  

Paddon is looking forward to the challenges of contesting more Australian rallies after the last two successful years in Europe with back-to-back FIA European Rally Championship titles to his credit. And while it’s a few years since he’s rallied in Australia, he’ll be drawing on earlier successes such as winning the 2022 Asia Pacific Rally Championship event in Coffs Harbour, finishing second overall in the 2018 Australian World Rally Championship event, and third overall at WRC Rally Australia in 2017.  

“I’m really excited to finally put together a campaign for the Australian Rally Championship, something we have been trying to make happen for a couple of years. It’s a championship that we have not yet tried our hand at, and I’ve been following closely the level of competition and calibre of the events, watching from the other side of the Tasman.  

“We are under no illusion that it will be a tough challenge, going up against some very fast competition on unfamiliar events and terrain, but we will treat it like any other rally or championship that we compete in, and know we have the best team with PRG and a strong package with the Hyundai i20N Rally2 to give it our best shot.”  

As a longtime fan of Possum Bourne who won the Australian championship seven times from 1996 to 2002, Paddon remembers the intense competition between Bourne and four-time ARC title winner Neal Bates through this period.

Now, Neal Bates’ sons Harry and Lewis are stars of the ARC with Harry having won the title, which earns the champion the Possum Bourne Memorial Trophy, three times (2019, 2023 and 2024). Lewis also won the ARC title in 2022.  

“It will be special to compete in Australia this year, especially after the many years of success that Possum Bourne had there and watching that as a kid. To now take our own Kiwi team across the ditch and rejuvenate that trans-Tasman rivalry is going to be an exciting and fun challenge. We know from previous times we have competed in Australia that everyone is very welcoming which adds to the experience.”  

Kiwi fans will be able to follow Paddon in action during the six ARC events as championship organisers deliver a mix of on-stage action, interviews and analysis via live streams broadcast on the ARC’s Facebook and YouTube channels.  

PRG appreciates the support of their partners including Hyundai New Zealand, Caltex Havoline Oil, Mitre 10 Trade, Winmax Brake Pads, Bar’s Bugs, EROAD, Ben Nevis Station, Wipertech, Design Windows, MITO, Repco, Machinery House, King Gee, KiwiFibre and Trial Lite.

New Zealand Junior Rally Champion, Zeal Jones, will embark on an eight-event rally program in Japan in 2025.

As a finalist in last year’s Toyota Gazoo Racing WRT's successful junior driver program, twenty year old Jones got the taste for their professional rallying program and has now accepted an offer to drive for CUSCO in this year’s Japanese Rally Championship.

Driving a GR Yaris, he’ll contest all rounds of the Toyota Gazoo Racing Morizo Rally Challenge Cup – six events on tarmac and two on gravel.

The car that Jones will drive is similar to a Group N, standard production car with a standard engine and gearbox. It will have modified brakes and suspension, and will run on a control Dunlop tyre that the series is using.

The Morizo Rally Challenge Cup is for drivers under 28 years of age, both male and female, and Jones is likely to be the only driver residing outside Japan.

There are 16 competitors registered for the series in 2025, the second year that the Morizo Rally Challenge Cup has been conducted.

Should he win the series, he’ll automatically qualify for the final that will decide the next generation of Toyota young drivers that will be held in Finland later this year.

That eventuality would be his second such trip to Finland after missing out on the two coveted spots at the last phase of selection late last year.

Rather than having to qualify for the final through the selection process in Japan as he did in 2024, victory in the Morizo Rally Challenge Cup would mean a direct ticket to the final in Finland.

The young Kiwi is also using the experience in Japan to develop as a driver.

“I have no expectations going into the season as I’ve never done a tarmac rally before,” Jones told RallySport Magazine.

“A lot of the drivers I’ll be competing against have grown up on tarmac rallies, so no doubt there will be some quick drivers.”

Jones will have fellow Kiwi Bayden Thomson in the car beside him calling the pace notes. Thomson is the undefeated three-time New Zealand 2WD Champion in a Ford Fiesta Rally4, having won the last three series since joining his cousin, Dylan, in 2022.

Jones impressed in last year’s New Zealand Rally Championship, driving a Skoda Fabia R5 in all rounds of the series.

He finished a brilliant third outright in September’s Daybreaker Rally.

However, his eight-event program in Japan means that he’ll only do selected events in the NZRC this year, budget dependent.

Jones has had to finance the majority of the Japanese program himself, albeit it with a lot of help from CUSCO – a team that fellow New Zealander, Mike Young, has been a regular driver for.

The Japanese Rally Championship begins with Rally Mikawa Bay in late February, before events in April, May, June, July, September and October.

Kiwi rally star Zeal Jones says he took some valuable lessons from his experience in the final shootout for the 2024 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge in Finland.

Zeal fought his way through two rounds of gruelling testing in Japan to make the final stages of the competition but just fell short of winning one of the top two spots and a place as a Generation 4 driver in the official TOYOTA GAZOO World Rally programme.

“Ultimately, I lacked the consistency of the two drivers that were chosen – Kanta Yanaguida and Rio Ogata,” he said.

“There are so many different areas you’re tested on as a driver, an amount that you can’t prepare for everything. So it's hard to pinpoint any specific but consistency is a key in this competition.”

Despite the disappointment, Jones was happy with his performance, particularly given his young age and his unfamiliarity with the Japanese conditions.

“I was pleased with my overall performance. In our downtime, I was thinking, what else could I have done with my level of experience on the snow, with the cars, and in that environment?

“I couldn’t have done anything more. So, I was pleased I left it all out on the table to display my skill. Ultimately, it wasn’t enough this time, but still, being one of the youngest in the selection, I know there will be more opportunities to come.”

“I said to Both Mikko and Jouni the biggest thing I learned was patience. Coming from a Rally2 background in 2024, the cars I drove in Finland were slower, so I had to adjust my aggression to more standard cars with the reduced level of grip and power as well as other significant differences.

“So, I think looking back now to my 2024 NZRC campaign, I can see where I went wrong and could easily make time up, so that’s a huge learning from the competition.”

“It was a tease in a way to see what else was out there in this world of rallying. It opened a new perspective on how to attack things personally in many different aspects, physically, mentally and more. In the mix, it also shows what great qualities New Zealand has rallying but also what we could work on.”

As for the future, Jones says he is still very much at the planning stage, but for now is looking forward to a well-earned break.

“It’s difficult to say right now. With Plan A out of the mix, Plan B always floated around your mind in case of this scenario. There are a few things on the table that we are evaluating to make the right next step in preparation for some new big goals in the future. So we’ll push hard to make the best outcome, but before that, a small break after these big few weeks.”

TOYOTA GAZOO Racing New Zealand Motorsport Manager Nicolas Caillol says Jones has a bright future ahead, which TGRNZ wants to be part of.

“We are proud of Zeal’s achievement in being able to go up to the final stages of just six drivers from an initial 100. That is extremely impressive regardless of anything else.

“Zeal demonstrated what we have seen in him here in New Zealand and despite not being one of the two drivers selected, he does have a great future and we are working together to see how we could support him in his future endeavours.

“With Finding New Zealand’s Next World Champion programs we have developed here in NZ we see talent and nurture it in the Toyota 86 Trophy, the Bridgestone GR86 Championship, with the GR Supra GT4 EVO/EVO2 programme and of course the Castrol Toyota Formula Regional Oceania Championship. Despite not being directly involved in Rally on NZ scene, we are proud to support the next rally talent as well and we believe Zeal is that driver.”

Organisers of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship are proud to announce the 2025 calendar that includes the return of two events to the championship for the first time post-pandemic.  

The season will, as has become traditional, kick off with the two-day Otago Rally on April 4-6, based in Dunedin.

The action will then resume at the South Canterbury Rally on May 10, based in Timaru, before a return to the Canterbury Rally in Christchurch on June 1.  

Following a mid-season break, teams will move to the North Island with another returning event, Rally Coromandel, to be held on August 23 from the seaside town of Whitianga.

The series then moves to the Tauranga-based Rally Bay of Plenty on October 11, before the second two-day round of the season, International Rally of Whangarei, to round out the season on November 7-9.  

“It’s really exciting to be able to release the calendar as we work into the 2025 season,” said NZRC Championship co-ordinator Blair Bartels.  

“To be able to welcome a couple of exciting events in Canterbury Rally and Rally Coromandel back onto the calendar alongside fantastic events like Otago Rally, South Canterbury Rally, Rally Bay of Plenty and the International Rally of Whangarei is very pleasing.  

“Book ending the championship with a pair of two-day events amongst four one-day events keeps things exciting right to the final round, while splitting the events into South and North Island with a mid-season break was very well received amongst the teams this season and offers numerous benefits.  

“Of course, we’re blessed to have so many rallies of a high calibre in this country and while keeping to a six-round calendar, unfortunately they can’t all fit in. On that note, we’d like to thank the organisers of the Daybreaker Rally and Southern Lights Rally for their efforts across the last two seasons, particularly stepping up at short notice to pull together the Daybreaker Rally in 2023.”  

“We’re pleased to see another New Zealand Rally Championship set for 2025,” said MotorSport New Zealand president Deborah Day.  

“New Zealand is lucky to have the best rallying roads in the world, and with Rally Canterbury and Rally Coromandel returning to the championship calendar we get to see more of those roads contested at our highest level.”    

Championship articles are in their final stages of preparation and will be released in due course.     

2025 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship Calendar:

Rd 1: Otago Rally Friday April 4- Sunday April 6

Rd 2: South Canterbury Rally Saturday May 10

Rd 3: Canterbury Rally Sunday June 1

Rd 4: Rally Coromandel  Saturday August 23

Rd 5: Rally Bay of Plenty Saturday October 11

Rd 6: International Rally of Whangarei Friday November 7- Sunday November 9

New Zealand's Central Machine Hire Otago Rally will again be a part of the World Series of TER when it runs again in early April 2025. A series aimed at iconic events in iconic locations, the TER Series is an evolution of the European Series.

This will be the second time that the Central Machine Hire Otago Rally has been included as a round.

For the Otago Rally in particular, the TER series provides global TV coverage focussing not only on the competition, but on the region's tourism, landscape and, of course, the stunning rally roads that Dunedin and its surrounds offer.

"We are delighted to be part of the TER Series again. This is a fantastic opportunity to promote Dunedin, New Zealand and NZ rallying to the world," event promotions manager, Roger Oakley, said.

"We very much enjoyed working with the TER team in 2023, and love their enthusiasm to promote the sport."

Each event in the TER Series will receive significant television coverage in the form of a 25-minute highlights package, which is to be beamed around the world with specific broadcast arrangements in virtually every country. 

A European-based TV crew will be in Dunedin for the event and will showcase all the region has to offer.

"The Otago Rally has an international reputation, it is based in our city and travels around all our surrounding landscapes.

"Being part of the TER Series gives a perfect platform to promote our City and lifestyle to the world as well as providing a great event for our locals to attend and be part of," Dunedin City Destination Manager, Sian Sutton, said.

TER organisers are also thrilled that the series will again visit New Zealand's South Island.

"We are excited to see the TER series return to Otago and New Zealand," TER series organiser, Luca Grilli, said.

"Rallying is very strong in New Zealand, they have amazing roads and scenery. It is unlike other places in the world, a great destination for the sport and the tourist."

The 2025 Central Machine Hire Otago Rally will begin with the popular ceremonial start in Dunedin's Octagon on Friday, April 4, before the rally action itself takes place on the following two days over 15 stages and 280 competitive kilometres.

Competitors can signal their intention to complete by going to https://otagorally.com/competitors/intention-to-enter/

The rally is grateful for the support of Dunedin City Council Premier Event funding.   

The 2025 Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is already proving popular, with over 65 intentions to enter received so far. There have already been nine received from Australia, and seven from other countries including the UK and Japan.

Rally organisers are expecting to have a full field of over 100 entries for the April 5 and 6 event, with the rally’s “star driver” yet to be announced.

Welsh driver, Meirion Evans, has already confirmed his entry, as has Japan’s Fuyuhiko Takahasi in the Pacific Cup section of the rally.

Australians to show early interest include Richie Dalton in a Ford Escort RS1800, and Darryn Snooks in a Datsun Stanza.

Next’s year’s Central Machine Hire Otago Rally route is just about finalised and will offer competitors 280 kilometres over 15 special stages, finishing with the famed Kuri Bush stage.

The intention to enter is non-binding, so competitors are encouraged to get their name on the list at: https://otagorally.com/competitors/intention-to-enter/

Supplementary Regulations will be available soon for what promises to again be a bumper edition of the event.

The Central Machine Hire Otago Rally is grateful to the Dunedin City Council for Premier Event funding.

Rising Kiwi rally star Zeal Jones is aiming to showcase his skills in what could be a careerdefining few days in harsh winter conditions in Europe. The final shoot-out in the 2024 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program got underway in Finland and the prize will be a seat as a Generation 4 driver with the reigning World Rally Team Champions.

Zeal has fought his way through two rounds of competition in Japan to make the final stages and his skills in and out of the rally car are going to be assessed by a world class team that includes four-time WRC runner-up Mikko Hirvonen, former WRC co-driver Jouni Ampuja and former WRC driver Juho Hanninen as well as a significant number of the TOYOTA GAZOO World Rally Team.

He has left no stone unturned in his final preparation since securing a spot in the final shootout just a few weeks ago.

“My preparation has been very thorough,” he said. “I have tried dialling some research-based training into my program from potential scenarios we may be put into.

“General fitness and aerobic activity have still been at the forefront of my training with a mix of simulator sessions. However, I have also incorporated mental skills training to ensure I have the right mindset to attack this challenge and go over prepared as an all-around driver.

“Training with limited information ensures we go over fresh, and they test our natural ability as much as possible.

“In Finland, we know we will be tested physically, mentally and while driving on the ice and snow across a six day program, evaluating our pros and cons to determine the final driver to be selected to be part of the TGR WRC Challenge Program Generation 4.

“Winter conditions are a completely new experience for me. However, with my preparation, I have reached out to several experienced people in this field to give me a heads up, so I will at least go into it feeling a little less like a rookie.”

The TGR WRC Challenge Program was established in 2015 ahead of Toyota’s return to the top level of the WRC to identify and nurture talented young Japanese rally drivers.

Zeal’s mother is Japanese making him eligible to compete.

He is the youngest driver ever to become the NZRC Rally Challenge Champion, and is the 2024 New Zealand Junior Rally Champion.

The goal for the selected drivers is comprehensive growth as an athlete and the ultimate target is for them to become a professional rally driver and gain success in the World Rally Championship.

Takamoto Katsuta joined the program as part of the very first selection in 2015. From minimal rally experience, he went on to achieve his first WRC podium in 2021 at the Safari Rally Kenya. Having scored further podiums on rallies from Japan to Finland, Taka is now part of Toyota’s main TGR-WRT line-up. So far he has achieved five podiums in his WRC career.

Defending champions James Ford and his co driver Neil Shanks held on to win the 2024 Silver Fern Rally, making it back to back wins.  Their winning margin after 7 days, and almost 1000 kilometres of special stages was 4 minutes 21 seconds.

Robbie and Amy Stokes finished in second place, 4 minutes 11 seconds ahead of Robert Gough and Jeremy Rogers in third. The top three positions were held by Ford Escorts.

James on his win: “It’s been a long week, we’ve had a few incidents but apart from that we’ve managed it. We have managed an engine problem since day 2. The last stage was very rough and a bit of a baptism of fire for the last stage of the rally.

“We did the same stage 2 years ago in the other direction so we knew what it was like. We had a big lead so went pretty steady”.

The 2WD Challenge was won by Chris Ramsay and Amy Hudson in Ramsay's self-built Toyota Corolla. Behind them by 9 minutes 33 seconds were Dave Strong and Rob Scott in Dave's one-off V6 Honda Jazz RS. Richard Galley and Claire Buccini in the BMW E30 just held onto third place another 5 minutes 42 seconds back.

Ben Huband and Corinne Cutler (Subaru Magnum H6) won the 4WD class from Tom Milliken and Chris Cunningham, having had a mostly trouble free rally.

The Irish pairing of Keith Hamilton and Glenn Alcorn (Subaru GC8) won the 3-Day Silver Frond by just 23.9 seconds from the Ford Escort of Stephen Gill and Grant Molloy.

The Porsche and the Lancia Stratos were repaired overnight after their heavy crashes on the penultimate day south of Dunedin.

It was all hands on deck to repair the cars for the final day.

Tuthill Porsche Team Manager: "The first job was to assess it and see what needed pulling out, then make it straight. Because it caught fire we had to redo the wiring loom too.  Luckly we had the car back (at Service) by mid-day so worked until about 10pm”.

The final day had the longest stage of the entire rally at a staggering 54 kilometres. This was one of three stages which took the survivors through some of the most picturesque landscape in the country.

Following these three stages and after lunchtime service the cars toured to Wanaka for the Ceremonial Finish at Paddons Paddock.

Of the 53 7-Day entries, 26 completed all 47 stages. James Ford showed his consistency winning 23 in the Historic section with Marcus van Klink - the only other leader for 5 stages - next on 8, while Dave Strong won 24 to Rambo's 21 in the Challenge.