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 Team Green  Show Their Team Colours

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Paddon Wins Shortened Rally Hawkes Bay
   
  Team Green driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard have won 
  this weekends rain soaked Tomoana Warehousing Rally of Hawkes Bay 
  after day 2 of the event was cancelled due to wet weather blocking 
  access roads to the stages north of Napier.
   
  Day 1's 6 special stages, totaling 164 km, provided the teams with 
  very slippery and challenging conditions. After losing 30 seconds on 
  the opening stage of this event last year, Hayden was determined to 
  turn things around and let the competition chase him from the start. 
  As first car on the road for the opening muddy stage they made the 
  most of the tricky conditions to take an early 5 second lead. The 
  next two stages, Waihi and Cricklewood, were more heavily graveled, 
  diminishing any advantage gained from running first on the road in the 
  wet.
   
  They continued their impressive form from stage 1, winning both 
  stages, to arrive at the first service with a handy 24 second lead 
  over fellow Mitsubishi driver Chris West, with Richard Mason a further 
  3 seconds behind.
   
  ?The morning stages were very good for us. We went for a soft 
  compound BF Goodrich tyre which worked extremely well in the very 
  demanding conditions. The heavy gravel in the later stages was 
  sapping so much power out of the cars that everything seemed to be 
  happening in slow motion. Fortunately it was the same for everyone 
  and we pushed on to make the best of it.
   
  The afternoon stages were a repeat loop of the morning stages, but by 
  this time the worsening conditions were creating even more challenges 
  for the teams. The repeat run through the valley of stage 4 was the 
  slipperiest test, with Hayden backing off to try and protect their lead.
   
  ?It was so slippery! There was a slightly cleaner line from the first 
  run, but it was full of standing water. Most braking points and 
  corners we were aquaplaning and I really struggled to gain much 
  confidence in such unpredictable conditions. I decided half way 
  through the stage to back off a little, rather than throw it all away, 
  but I misjudged by how much and lost a lot of time.
   
  Over the 20km test their lead was slashed in half and the pressure was 
  back on Hayden to attack the longest stage. Beating their morning 
  stage time by 13 seconds and again winning the stage did just that. 
  Second placed Mason also stopped in the stage with a mechanical 
  failure, so Paddon’s lead going into the final stage was a comfortable 
  32 seconds. They again won the stage, giving a stage win tally of 5 
  out of 6, winning the day, and as it turned out the rally, by 48 
  seconds from West, with Taihape’s Brett Martin a further minute and a 
  half back.
   
  Other than stage 4, it was a really good day. We achieved all we set 
  out to do this weekend, extending our championship lead; not a lot, 
  but every point counts as we found out last year. To come away with 
  the rally win is fantastic! Obviously it would have been great to do 
  the same on Day 2, but it wasn’t to be.
   
  Day 2’s 5 special stages were cancelled after slips blocked access to 
  the stages north of Napier, so Paddon and Kennard stretched their lead 
  over Christchurch driver Chris West from 23 to 29 points in the New 
  Zealand Rally Championship.
   
  This win is down to the huge effort put in by our team prior to the 
  event after their late arrival. With their gear and car still being 
  loaded onto a Bluebridge Ferry in Picton, Hayden and John were forced 
  to walk over the start ramp on Friday evening at the beginning of a 
  bizarre weekend.
   
  The car and transporter were delayed a full day, eventually arriving 
  at 2:00 am on the morning of the rally. The guys then worked all the 
  remaining hours to get the car to the start at 8:00am for the opening 
  stage. So, a huge thanks to them for what was a massive team effort. 
  Also a big thanks to the organizers and volunteers for running an 
  event in very difficult conditions and helping us out with our late 
  arrival.
   
  Now Hayden and the team head back to base, where they have 3 weeks to 
  prepare the car for the all important Rally New Zealand. There they 
  will be competing in the Production World Rally Championship section 
  of the event, aiming for a top 3 finish, as well as trying to further 
  extend their solid championship lead with only 3 scoring opportunities 
  remaining.
   
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Paddon Targets No. 1 Spot In Hawkes Bay

Vantage New Zealand Rally Championship leader Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard are this weekend planning to further build on their speed and strengthen their position at the top of the points table when they tackle the twisting roads of the Hawkes Bay.

This will be Hayden’s 3rd attempt at the Tomoana Warehousing Hawkes Bay Rally, previously having finishing in the top 5 on both attempts.  Once again he will take the role of road sweeper in the No. 1 car, but Hayden feels that lessons learnt from last year will be a huge advantage.

“It’s great to have the 1 on our doors, as it means we’re leading the Championship and it’s the position we’re targeting for the weekend.  As usual it won’t be an easy task, as Richard (Mason) is very fast here, as he is on most events.  Westy is on song too, and there are plenty of other fast Mitsubishi drivers waiting to pounce.  We were first on the road here last year and the conditions caught us out a bit, but I’m sure that experience will help immensely in achieving our goals this year.”

Hayden describes the East Coast roads as not covered in the thick layer of gravel seen on the Wairarapa Rally, but more a very fine gravel that is deceptively slippery.  He also acknowledges that their major downfall last year was losing 30 seconds on the first stage, something he’s determined not to do again.

“With the closeness of this year’s series we can’t afford to lose time in the opening stages.  Despite this year’s rally being a multi leg event, there’s still no room for error and it’s going to be max attack from the very first corner.  It will be great to get back in the Paddon Direct Mitsubishi Evo9 and have a good go, and I’m sure our new BF Goodrich tyres will work a treat on the traditionally damp Hawkes Bay roads.”

Since the last round of the New Zealand Championship, Hayden has competed in the Waitomo Rally and Repco Rally New Zealand Promo Day, where it was announced that he will receive a wildcard entry for the rally into this year’s Production World Rally Championship.  A week later Hayden and John were competing on a National rally in Thailand, as testing for October’s Malaysia APRC Rally.  All these events were behind the wheel of right hand drive Mitsubishis, but Hayden feels there’s no problem switching from side to side in the car now, as he’s well practised at both.  Since arriving home from Thailand Hayden has been helping the team put the final touches to its Evo 9, which was nearing the end of its mid-season re-preparation.

“Despite this being something of a mid season break, it’s been anything but for us!  It has been fantastic though and we learnt a lot from our Thailand journey which will help us, I’m sure, for the Malaysian event.  We’ve had a lot of help from our sponsors and supporters like BF Goodrich Siam, Paddon Direct and Vicarage Lane Wines in making both these events possible and I can’t thank them enough.  The Thai culture, climate and road conditions are in complete contrast to what we’re used to in New Zealand, but it’s always good to experience different places and terrains, as there aren’t many smooth, flowing roads in the world like we have here.”

With the experience tucked firmly away for the future, Hayden is now fully focused on the job at hand for this weekend’s 4th round of the Vantage New Zealand Rally Championship, fully intending to protect the 23 point lead they have over fellow Mitsubishi driver Chris West.  The event starts with a ceremonial start on Marine Parade, Napier at 7.00pm Friday night, before tackling 12 gruelling stages over the 2 day event.

Team Green: www.hayden-paddon.com
Hawkes Bay Car Club: www.hbcarclub.co.nz
Live results: www.chrissport.co.nz

Event Details

Name:  Tomoana Warehousing Rally Hawkes Bay
Date: 26-27 July 2008
Format: 12 special stages totalling 263 km
Past results: 2006 – 5th, 2007 – 4th
2007 winner: Dean Sumner

Championship standings

Hayden Paddon          Mitsubishi Evo 9         161
Chris West                  Mitsubishi Evo 9         138
Richard Mason            Subaru Impreza         129
Stewart Taylor            Mitsubishi Evo 9         121

Brett Martin                Mitsubishi Evo 9         110

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Thailand successful for Team Green

Hi all,

We’ve just arrived back in Bangkok after a good, and very warm, day. The morning started with a ceremonial start at 8.15am before we headed out to the opening stages. The stages were quite rough in places and, combined with many short corners, turned out to be roads that I thoroughly enjoyed, as the car had a bit of an attitude on it.  The prime target for the day, and the week leading up to the rally, was to gain as much experience as possible and learn as much as we can for Malaysia.  I know we’ve achieved just that, as I can take a lot away from the trip and be a lot more prepared for the show down in Malaysia in October.  As we aren’t from Thailand, we weren’t eligible to be in the official results, but we ran at the front of the field as testing.  On paper, we won all 11 stages and would have won the rally by 3.22 minutes, so as well as learning a lot, we were very competitive in a foreign country and completely contrasting conditions.  The temperature was 38 degrees for most of the day and a lot warmer inside the car with 5 layers of fire proof clothing on.  All in all, John and I are over the moon with how the week has gone and I thank you all for your support and help in getting us here.  Also, a huge thank you to Regis and Pao from BF Goodrich Tyres, who have really looked after us this week, over and above supplying great tyres for the event.  We certainly would have been lost without the help, as very few people can speak English and the majority of signs are in Thai, which has made for some interesting conversations when trying to explain things.  A big thanks too to Mr Suphot, Mr Chaiya and the K45 team, who prepared and ran a great car for us.  Last but not least, to all the locals and rally organisers who were very friendly and made our visit very enjoyable.  Now I can’t wait till the next round of the NZRC, Rally Hawkes Bay in just under 2 weeks time and I’m even more revved up to go for Malaysia.  Bring it on!!

John and I leave Bangkok late Monday evening (local time) and arrive in Christchurch Tuesday evening.  Then there’s still a lot of work to be done on the car and a test session to get back in the groove of left hand drive again, after contesting our last two events in right-hand drive. This won’t be a problem, as I’m comfortable driving on either side of the car now. Massive thanks again to our own team in NZ, who have, as always, put in many hours of work on the car, even while I’ve been tripping around the globe. Thanks guys!

Please also see the gallery for some pictures from our trip and our video clip from the weekend.

Talk soon,

Cheers
Hayden

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Paddon and West get Production World Rally chance

Hayden Paddon and Chris West have been selected as the two recipients of this year’s Repco Rally New Zealand scholarships, offering them a chance to take their rally careers to a new level internationally.

The scholarships provide the talented Kiwi rally drivers with an opportunity to showcase their talents in the Production World Rally Championship (P-WRC) class during Repco Rally New Zealand by covering the entry fee – worth about $NZ 7000 (€3500) – and providing a service area for their team and car amongst the P-WRC teams at the event’s home base, Mystery Creek Events Centre, in August.

West (33) and Paddon (21) were selected by the board of Rally New Zealand as the applicants they believed can represent New Zealand to the highest level on the event and also have the ability to finish in the top level of the P-WRC field. The other applicants were Stewart Taylor, age 33 from Havelock North; Andre Meier, age 18 from Cambridge; and Sloan Cox, age 16 from Rotorua.

“Each of this year’s five applicants has their own talents,” says Carr. “Clearly rallying, as a sport, has some very good talent coming through local competition. Our aim is to create the best possible chance of having a New Zealand driver at the top of the P-WRC results for Repco Rally New Zealand, by talking about and providing a platform for New Zealand drivers to go to the next level. We believe Chris West and Hayden Paddon offer us the greatest potential to achieve this goal.”

Carr adds that this scholarship offers drivers a unique opportunity in world terms. “Normally a driver would have to enter the entire eight round Production World Rally Championship – you can’t just enter one round – and this year’s P-WRC is fully subscribed with all 28 entry slots taken.”

Both West and Paddon have won this scholarship in the past, a fact that did not preclude either driver from applying for the scholarship again.

Carr says: “We have to judge who we feel offers the best chance for top results this year based on current performance, as well who will benefit most from us providing this springboard to hopefully take them to next level. Yes, it is a judgement call, but one we, as a board, are very comfortable with.”

Coincidently West and Paddon are both from the South Island – West from Christchurch and Paddon from Geraldine – and both drive Mitsubishis. Both achieved top results in the recent NAC Insurance Hella International Rally of Whangarei against top Asia Pacific rally drivers like Cody Croker, with West winning the event outright and Paddon second.

West says his Andrew Simms Mitsubishi team has invested a lot of time and effort preparing for this season. “And now the results are showing. It’s just fantastic to be given the opportunity to represent the country in P-WRC again.

“Realistically the New Zealand Rally Championship is the priority – we want to maximise points there – but we’d like to run in the top five or six P-WRC cars. Of course, we’re not going out without the aim to win – that’s why Hayden and I have been given this opportunity and we want to do well,” concludes West.

Paddon says simply that the aim is to win the P-WRC class.

“We have the advantage of home roads,” says Paddon. “Top Kiwis have shown, in the past, that they are competitive against the best P-WRC drivers in the world. Last year Richard Mason won a lot of stages in P-WRC and came second in this class in Rally New Zealand. And this year the pace, nationally, has increased significantly.

“We want to stand out from the rest – there’s no prize for running fourth or fifth; you don’t really get noticed. When you get an opportunity like this, you have to use this to your advantage. You do get a lot more attention from international media and teams. When you’re in national field, you could be running different tyres and fuel, but in P-WRC you’re running in identical cars so it’s a level playing field and that’s what everyone’s looking at. I’m really focused on doing well in P-WRC, because if I do well there, I’ll do well in the New Zealand Rally Championship as well,” says Paddon.

Paddon was also one of two drivers, the other being Brad Ayling from Taranaki, to top the points’ table for the first qualifying round of the Asia Pacific Pirelli star driver competition, which provides the drivers with nearly $10,000 each towards the costs of competing in the Pirelli star driver finale at Rally Malaysia in October this year. The Pirelli winner in Malaysia earns the right to contest six World Rally Championship rounds in a specially-prepared car next year.

“With the advent of the Pirelli star driver competition, this year there are more opportunities than ever for our young rally drivers to develop their rallying careers and make that break onto the world stage,” says Carr. “We look forward to working with Chris West and Hayden Paddon to maximise the opportunities this P-WRC scholarship affords them.”

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Paddon takes championship lead

Geraldine Rally Driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard have taken the lead in the Vantage Aluminum New Zealand Rally Championship after a strong 2nd outright in the weekends Rally of Whanagrei, fending off top International competition.

As defending champion for the event, Hayden was pumped up to repeat the feet. A slow start however which was dampened by a wrong tyre choice did not get there weekend off to a good start, arriving at first service 19.5 seconds down in 2nd. These 19 seconds would prove vital by events end.

“The conditions this year were a lot different to last year with a lot more gravel on the roads. Even with the APRC cars ahead of us sweeping the roads, there was still a lot of gravel which caught us out.”

In Saturday afternoon’s stage Hayden’s comeback began, winning the final stage by 5 seconds and breaking there own stage record from 2007. The team ended the day 2nd, 20 seconds behind fellow Mitsubishi driver Chris West.

Day 2 started a lot stronger, winning stage 10 and 12 arriving at first service just 1.9 seconds behind West for the day. The battle heated up in the final 3 stages, Paddon taking first blood winning the first two, again setting new stage records and taking over the lead by just 3.5 seconds heading into the final 21km stage. The stage was set and neither driver held back in their pursuit for maximum points. West won the stage, but only by 0.5 of a second, so Hayden held onto win the day by a mere 3 seconds. The team also finished 2nd overall, 17.5 seconds behind West and over a minute ahead of APRC and Australian champion, Cody Crocker.

“It was a fantastic battle and is one of the closest I have ever had. It was to the point where every tenth of a second counted and the pressure was really on to not only drive 100% but to also make no mistakes. Even through we missed out on the overall victory it was still a very successful day and more importantly we now have a healthy championship lead which is more than expected leading into this event.”

Paddon and Kennard now jump from trailing Mason by 29 points to leading West by 23, after Mason rolled out of contention on the rally’s second stage. Hayden also won the Pirelli Star driver qualifying round followed by Taranaki driver Brad Ayling. Both drivers receive a financial assistance package to help them compete in the scholarship final in Malaysia in October.

“All in all it was a fantastic weekend, and winning the Pirelli scholarship qualifying round topped off a great weekend. The scholarship is a once in a life time opportunity and its one that we are going to work extremely hard towards and try to win.”

“This weekends result is also great for our whole team and our very loyal sponsors. It has felt like a while since we were last on top of the podium, and this is a good way to pay back all the hard work that everyone has put in. Of course it will only get harder as now the challenge will be to stretch our lead in the championship at the next round, Hawkes Bay.”

With a 7 week mid season break teams now have the chance to extensively freshen up there cars after what has been a grueling first half to the championship. Team Green will be no different as they also prepare for two international events, Rally New Zealand and the Pirelli Start Driver round in Malaysia.

“It’s a good start to the season. Now the others have to chase us down and we will try and make it as difficult for them to catch us as possible. Also we have two very big events to look forward to, so the next 7 weeks will be very busy preparing the car. I already can’t wait to get back behind the wheel.”

The teams Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 will be on display at the Paddon Direct stand at this weeks Mystery Creek fielday’s. Hayden will also be driving at the Rally New Zealand Promo day on June the 29th at Mystery Creek before the next round of the New Zealand Rally Championship, Rally Hawkes Bay, 26-27 July.

For more information:
Hayden Paddon 
PO Box 21
Geraldine
+64 27 3181748

Overall classification

1, Chris West / Garry Cowan, (total time)             2:36.36 #
2, Hayden Paddon / John Kennard,                      2:36.54 #
3, Cody Crocker / Ben Atkinson,                          2:38.18 *
4, Dean Sumner / Paul Fallon                               2:39.12 #
5, Brett Martin / Grant Marra,                                        2:39.20 #
6, Katsuhiko Taguchi / Mark Stacey,                      2:40.25 *
7, Callum McInnes / David Calder,                        2:41.20 #
8, Scott Pedder / Glen Weston,                            2:41.20 *
9, Dean Herridge / Chris Murphy,                         2:43.10 *
10, Hiroshi Yanagisawa / Yoshimasa Nakahara,      2:43.29

** Asia Pacific Rally Championship registered drivers
# New Zealand Rally Championship registered drivers

Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship
Goldstar driver points - after round three (top-ten)

1, H Paddon (Geraldine)                                               161
2, C West (Christchurch)                                               138
3, R Mason (Masterton)                                                129
4, S Taylor (Hastings)                                                   121
5, B Martin (Masterton)                                                110

Ends.

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Hi all,

Sorry for the delay in my leg report today, as I have just arrived back in Cambridge from Whangarei. Today was a really good day and really exciting. Overnight rain and patches of rain throughout the day dampened the roads which created very in-consistent grip levels. Some corners offered a lot of grip while others were somewhat slipperier.

Yesterday’s leg winner and fellow Mitsubishi driver Chris West was again the team we dueled with closely today. Although this time we made a better morning tyre choice and unlike yesterday we didn’t lose too much time in the morning. We arrived at service, the mid point of the day just 1.9 seconds down on Westy for the day after sharing the 4 stage victories with each other.

The afternoons stages was max attack and the tyre choice was crucial. We took a bit of a gamble with a tyre more suited to wet conditions, but as we sped through the first stage it was evident that the roads were drying out more than expected. Never less the tyres still worked extremely well and I was starting to feel very confident in the car and started to push. We won the first 2 of the afternoons 3 stages, both setting new stage records and went into the last 21km stage with a 3.5 second lead. It was on for young and old and I must admit that the battle was extremely exciting and every tenth of a second was critical. We were able to hold Westy off who beat us by 0.5 of a second in the final stage but it wasn’t enough so we held on for maximum points for the day by 3 seconds.

This is a fantastic result for our whole team and sponsors as they have all put in a lot of hard work. It has felt like a while since we have won a day or a rally so to get back up on top is great and its somewhere we would like to stay. It wont be easy however although we are getting quicker and quicker in the new car with every outing.

With Richard Mason’s demise on stage 2, we now have a 25 point lead in the championship over Westy. This is fantastic, considering we came into the round 29 points behind and to come out with such a large lead is a good start to the first half of the season. But the pressure is still on and as Mason illustrated this weekend things can turn around very quickly so we need to work even harder to stretch our lead at the next round, Rally Hawkes Bay in 7 weeks time.

This round was also a qualifying round for the Pirelli Star driver scholarship, with the top two receiving financial assistance to help us compete in the Scholarship final in Malaysia in October. We were able to win this which will help us immensely in our challenge to try and win the scholarship which we are fully focused on doing. There is a lot of work that needs to be done between now and then but it is a once in a life time opportunity so will try and make the most of it.

Again a huge thanks to our team, Dad, John, Math, Allan, Neil, Tom and Katie. Big thanks to Regis and Jindaporm from BF Goodrich who helped us with tyres that worked extremely well in the conditions, and Rally NZ who ran a excellent event. Also to all our sponsor and supporters who continue to help and support us, as without this support our results would not be possible. Thanks very much!!!!

All in all was a fantastic week, right from when I got to Whanagrei and there is simply too much to report in this quick update. I will however have a full report out during the week to fill you all in on our event.

Until then, C ya!

Thanks Everyone

Hayden

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Hi all,
 
Day 1 of the International Rally of Whangarei hasn’t been a bad day for us, finishing 2nd overall, 20 seconds behind leader Chris West and 1 minute ahead of 3rd place Australian Cody Crocker, who leads the
strong international contingent.
 
Conditions today have been very challenging, with what looked like a very recently laid layer of thick gravel on several of the roads. Even with 14 Asia Pacific cars ahead of us, it was still very slippery and when there was a clean line, it wasn’t generally the part of the road I wanted it to be. Every corner was a comprise between taking
the tighter swept line or trying to straighten out the corners more using the slippery gravel.
 
We managed to win the last proper special stage by 5 seconds and in the process set a new outright stage record, which was great. Our goal tomorrow is to try and get maximum points for the day in NZRC and to claw back the 20 seconds we need to take the lead. It won’t be easy, but there’s less gravel covering tomorrow’s stages, which should suit us better.
 
Earlier in the day championship leader Richard Mason rolled into retirement and he will not restart tomorrow, which has allowed us to close to within 2 points of the championship lead.
 
Can’t wait for tomorrow and more flat out driving on roads that I love!
 
Thanks all,
 
Hayden

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Paddon and Team Green happy with Southern result

Geraldine rally driver Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard finished the weekend’s Scenic Circle hotels Rally of Otago in a strong 2nd place.

Paddon, driving their left hand drive Mitsubishi Evo 9 started strongly, 13 seconds behind leader and eventual rally winner Richard Mason after the opening two stages. Hayden then pushed hard to try and put some pressure on the leader but could only get within seconds on each stage. By the end of the day the gap was 23 seconds.

“It was a good day. Without losing so much time in the first two stages things would have been a lot closer but never less still happy with how the day went as we have made a big step up in pace from where we were with the new car at Wairarapa.”

The events second leg was the longest of the rally which included the longest stage of the championship, 51km of fast flowing forestry tracks. However, it was a case of dejavu for the team, reaching first service 13 seconds adrift of the leader. Hayden targeted the long stage as the stage where he could try and put some pressure on rally leader, Mason.

“The first couple of stages went ok. The character of the stages were different to that of the first day and it just took we a little bit to get back into the grove. Unfortunately about quarter of the way through the 50km stage the intercom failed and I could barely hear John’s notes. From that point my concentration went from driving to worrying about the little I could hear, where the road went and getting to the end.”

With their long stage problems combined with a spin on the final stage, Paddon and Kennard finished the day 1 minute and 17 seconds behind Mason but still satisfied with their result. They were second fastest on all but 2 special stages from the weekend.

“Sure it would be nice to be on the top step of the podium, but second is still good points in the bank and sets us up nicely to attack the remaining rounds. We pushed pretty hard yesterday (Saturday) and today didn’t go quite as well but hats off to Richard, he drove really well.”

Hayden described the close competition from day 1 as something that he really enjoyed and is confident that they can put a even stronger challenge to Mason at one of Hayden’s favourite rally’s, Whangarei in just 3 weeks time.

“We are consistently making good steps forward in our speed which is a testament to the hard work that our team is putting in. I feel we will have a good chance to repeat last years result at Whangarei and can not wait for the challenge.”

The result from the 2nd round of the New Zealand Rally Championship has lifted Hayden to 2nd in the championship, 29 points adrift of the leader and 5 ahead of 3rd placed Stewart Taylor, the same place that he finished in the weekends Otago rally.

“It would be good to be closer but it is early stages in the championship and is still a lot to play for. In saying that we have to start scoring maximum points to eat into that lead and Whangarei will be a good chance to do this.”

Hayden would like to thank the continued support from his loyal group of sponsors and supporters. For news and updates visit the teams website, www.hayden-paddon.com.

For more information
Hayden Paddon 
+64 027 318 1748
hayden@paddonrallysport.co.nz

NZ overall Goldstar Championship

1.       Richard Mason        129
2.       Hayden Paddon  100
3.       Stewart Taylor        95
4.       Chris West              78

NZ junior championship

1.       Hayden Paddon   134
2.       Sloan Cox               108
3.       Andre Meier            98
4.       Kirsty Nelson          90

Next round of the championship:
International Rally of Whanagrei  -        6-7 June 2008

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Home Win for Paddon - Timaru Herald

Geraldine's Hayden Paddon has finally won the Rally of South Canterbury and did it in his new left-hand drive Mitsubishi Evo9.

Paddon was delighted after missing out in 2005 and finishing second in 2006, the last time he raced in his local rally.

The 20-year-old finished 58 seconds ahead of second-placed Kieran Hall of Nelson after taking out seven of the nine special stages.

The top-seeded Paddon did not have it all his own way, especially in through the early stages.

He took out the first stage but Hall grabbed the second in his Evo5, reducing his lead to one second.

Paddon slowly inched ahead but on stage five, a 26.6km stage dubbed Hanging Rock, he took hold taking 24sec out of Hall to lead by 36sec and almost assure himself of victory.

Jeff Judd finished in third place in a Subaru almost two minutes down on Paddon while second seed Regan Ross withdrew with mechanical problems on stage seven.

Ross had early withdrawn from stage two after losing oil.

Timaru' s James Bracefield made the most of local knowledge in the co-driver's seat helping Dean Buist of Christchurch to fourth having been seeded seven

The next best local driver was Paul Dickson finished eighth overall while Lyndon Galbraith improved 15 places in his revamped Toyota Levin to finish 15th.

Steve Dore went off road on stage seven while Mark Taylor in his big Ford never made the start.

Paddon said it was a pretty good day.

"We were using it as a testing day for Otago in a fortnight but it was a big step forward in how well the car went after Wairarapa.

"The more accustomed to the car I get the more confident I feel."

Paddon said the roads were really fast in what was a typical South Canterbury autumn day.

"It was like a drag strip in places but I've got no complaints, it made for good rallying."

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Team Green win local rally

Yesterdays Timaru Rally was a great day out. Every year i do the event it seems the roads get quicker and this year was no different. It was almost like a drag strip on a few of the stages and combined with the thick covering of freshly graded gravel roads it was certainly a challenging but most enjoyable day. Our focus for the rally was on set-up and for myself to get more miles in the new car. The conditions made it difficult to effectively back-to-back different set-ups, but by days end i felt that we had made some good steps forward and i am again feeling more confident in the car. So all is looking promising for Otago.

Timaru Rally has always been one of my favorites as they are the roads that i learnt to drive on. Victory has eluded us on this event on 2 attempts when we got close, but it was almost a relieve to win it this year as it was almost starting to feel like a monkey on my back. A huge thanks to our team who were very busy all day making changes to the car, and to all our supporters who were out there. Also a huge thanks to the car club and volunteers who poured on a excellent event.

Now back at home, the car is going through a extensive check over, over the next week in preparation for Otago on the 10-11 May. I am confident that we can make another good step up in our pace from Wairarapa down south and hopefully challenge for the victory. But the proof is always in the pudding, so we will soon see in a couple of weeks.

Many Thanks all and will keep you updated. Also remember TV coverage of round 1 of the New Zealand Championship screens next Sunday (4th May) on TV1 between 3-6pm.

Thanks,

Hayden

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Paddon Pleased With Podium Finish, Despite Tough Weekend

The weekends opening round of the 2008 Vantage Aluminium New Zealand Rally Championship, Trust House Racetech Rally Wairarapa, didn’t get Paddon Direct Team Green off to the start they’d hoped, with driver Hayden Paddon ending the opening competitive stage of the rally back in 26th position.

In very dry, dusty conditions, Hayden admits to making a small mistake only 3kms into the stage resulting in damage that caused a loss of engine power, plus time penalties while repairs were made.

“I simply cut a slow speed corner that I shouldn’t have.  It was a really silly mistake and it crushed an intercooler pipe, losing most of the turbo boost.  We made road side repairs at the end of the stage, getting the pipe half open, but with our slow stage time and the penalties, we lost the best part of a minute and a half.”

From there Hayden spent the rest of day 1 clawing back places, and valuable championship points, ending the day in 6th, helped in part by dramas that also befell other teams during an action packed day of rallying.

“It wasn’t what we’d hoped for, but we got some points, and as we found out last year every point is crucial.  Personally I felt my performance behind the wheel was below par and overnight I had a hard look at how I could adapt my driving style to the slippery conditions.”

Running 6th on the road for day 2, Hayden described the roads as even more slippery than they were when he negotiated them as first car on the road last year, but didn’t let this hold him back, winning one stage and setting a further 6 top 3 times, to end the day in a creditable 2nd overall, just 28 seconds behind local crew Richard and Sara Mason.

“I found the roads extremely slippery, and that was from 6th on the road!  I can only imagine how slippery it would have been for the first cars.  I tried driving a lot neater and smoother on the second day and it seemed to work. After the disappointment of our lack of speed on leg 1, it was promising to be a lot more competitive on the second day’s stages.”

During the second leg there was controversy over the team allegedly taking a 2 minute gap on one of the morning’s stages, to avoid the heavy dust kicked up by each previous car.  However this was dispelled after all of the evidence had been viewed by officials.

“We were simply following the instructions of the start marshals after some confusion over the start times of earlier competitors.  It was difficult over the final two stages with the penalty still hanging over our head, but it was good that sense prevailed in the final outcome.”

The team left Rally Wairarapa 3rd in the Championship on 44 points, 18 behind leader Mason.  Hayden was also ecstatic with the faultless run from their new car on its debut rally and is confident that they will only get quicker with more time behind the wheel.

“Our goal heading into this event was a podium, and we achieved that, which is a great way to start the campaign.  Thanks must go to our sponsors and supporters for their great backing, and to the whole team for the fantastic work they put in.  For a new car to come out of the box and perform as ours did is a huge credit to them and the countless hours they put into building and testing it.  After the weekend however, I’ve come to realize that it will take a bit more seat time to become as confident with the new Mitsubishi Evo 9 as I’d become with the old Evo 8, as everything with the set-up has been updated in this car.”

The outright rally was won by non-championship contender, Auckland’s Andrew Hawkswood driving a Mitsubishi Evo 7.
The team are now looking forward to contesting their local rally, South Canterbury Car Club’s Timaru Rally, followed 2 weeks later by the second round of the New Zealand Rally Championship, Rally Otago.

“I’m looking forward to Otago, as I’ve no doubt we’ll be able to take another step up in speed, as we did between Legs 1 and 2 this weekend.”

Bring it on!

 *Results after day two (top-ten): Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship round one – Trusthouse Racetech Rally Wairarapa.

1. R Mason (Masterton) – Subaru
2. H Paddon (South Canterbury) – Mitsubishi +28.4s
3. B Martin (Masterton) – Mitsubishi +51.2s
4. C West (Auckland) – Mitsubishi +1m21.1s
5. M Tapper (Auckland) – Mitsubishi +1m21.6s
6. C McInnes (Tauranga) – Subaru +1m37.1s
7. S Taylor (Hawkes Bay) – Mitsubishi +1m39.7s
8. E Gilmour (Rotorua) - Subaru +2m51.4s
9. S Cox (Rotorua) – Mitsubishi +2m51.7s
10. G Barber (Foxton) – Subaru +2m52.5s

*Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship - points: round one

1. R Mason 62
2. S Taylor 48
3. H Paddon 44
4. M Tapper 41
5 C West 40

*Results provisional pending technical clearance and hearings

Team Green Prepare To Go One Better

A new car – new sponsors – and an even stronger desire to win!  As the 2008 Vantage Aluminium New Zealand Rally Championship nears, the wait to get back under way seems almost unbearable for Team Green driver Hayden Paddon.  And he has good reason to be excited – with a brand new left-hand drive Mitsubishi Evo 9 as the weapon of choice in the team’s pursuit of their first outright national championship title.

After missing out on last years top slot by the smallest of margins, Hayden and co-driver John Kennard believe they have the recipe to go one better this year.

“Right at the outset, when we debuted in the championship in 2006, we had a 3 year goal to win the championship. We came as close as you can get in our second season, so there are no excuses if we can’t do it in our third!”

“As always however, the competition will be fierce and it’ll take a massive team effort for us to come out on top, but there’s nothing like a challenge and the team and I are all well up for it.”

Competing in all 6 rounds of the championship, including New Zealand’s round of the World Rally Championship which doubles as an NZ title round, Hayden also hopes to impress enough to secure some extra funding to contest some more overseas events.

“My main priority for the year is to win the NZ title and the local PWRC (Production World Rally Championship) round.  We also want to get overseas again, especially to the UK, as now that we’ve some experience there it would be good to put it to full use. It’s expensive though and still a little up in the air at the moment, but we’ll see.”

Paddon has already completed some pre-season testing, with further sessions to come, but his initial impression is very good.

“It’s always hard to know where you are in comparison to everyone else until you get to the first round of the championship.  Our new car has a whole new set-up compared to the old car. Suspension, diffs, computers; everything!  So it’s been a lot to get our heads around, but I feel we’re already ahead of where we were at this time last year, with more improvements to come. So far, so good, but the proof of all the off season work is always your first competition of the new one!”

Team Green is also excited to confirm liaisons with several new sponsors, and the continuation of some current support.

“We’re lucky to have very good backing from local and national companies.  Paddon Direct, Vogal, Sitrex, Willett, BF Goodrich Tyres, FMG, Teng Tools, Timaru Signs, Vicarage Lane Wines, Northend Ford, Pope Print, Wayne Murdoch Motors and Ralliart have all continued their support, which is fantastic, especially as some of these businesses have been with us from the word go.  We’re pleased too to announce the addition of EDL Fasteners, Automotive Components Ltd, Outlaw industries, Resene Automotive paints, The front store and Castrol, all of whose valuable input will also help us toward our goal.”

The team’s new website, www.hayden-paddon.com has just been launched and throughout the year will feature event details, team insights, news, results and photos. Also on the site is info and a free sign up for the Team Green Supporters Club, which provides newsletters, prize draws, email and text updates during and between events, plus the chance to win the ride of a lifetime alongside Hayden in the Green Machine!

Hayden’s focus is now on putting the finishing touches to campaign preparations and a last test session before the opening round, Rally Wairarapa on April 12-13.

“Last year we finished on the podium, so this year we’re just aiming to be a little higher up it to open our 2008 campaign.”

“And as usual, I cannot wait to get back behind the wheel and mix it up!!”

For more information contact
Hayden Paddon
PO Box 21
Geraldine
Ph: +64 027 318 1748
hayden@paddonrallysport.co.nz

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Paddon Aims For Rally Win

This weekend’s sixth and final round of the Vantage Aluminium New Zealand Rally Championship, Rally Nelson, brings a long and very close championship to a climax. This season has seen one of the closest fought championships for many years, with most teams having been in the heat of the battle at some stage.  The chase for the 2007 title is now down to a 3 team race; Sam Murray, who leads newly crowned Junior Champion Hayden Paddon by 20 points, with reigning champion Richard Mason, just a further 4 points adrift.

Team Green and driver Hayden Paddon have had a season of highs and lows, with the first half of the season a ‘dream start’.  The team have led the championship twice, but their recent non finish at Rally New Zealand means they’re on the back foot heading into Hayden’s favourite event of the year.

Despite the large point deficit, Hayden refuses to give up on the title chase and plans an all out assault on a Rally Nelson victory, which will give the team its best chance at the title.

“Yes it’s a large deficit, but it’s not over until it’s over and, as we’ve seen at previous rounds, things can change very quickly.  Rallying is a funny sport sometimes, very unpredictable, so anything can still happen. A victory would be the best way to finish off what’s been a good season for us and it’s the best we can do for our championship hopes.  From there it’s up to Sam, so the pressure is all on him.”

This will be Hayden’s fifth visit to the Golden Downs forest complex, so he has a lot more experience on the roads and of local conditions than some of his rivals, something he plans to make the most of.  At the same time he is still very aware of the challenge from behind by Richard Mason.

“I’ve always really enjoyed the fast flowing nature of the Nelson roads. They’re very different to anything else in the championship and the abrasive surface chews up tyres like no tomorrow.  Richard will be quick, so it will be no easy task to hold him, and the others, at bay.  The championship has been so incredibly close this year, so anyone in the top 10 is a threat and not to be taken lightly.”

This being Hayden’s second year in the championship, his goals at the start of the season were top 3 finishes and a good championship result. Those goals went out the window with a podium at the first round, then a win at the International Rally Whangarei in May and since then the goal has been to win the championship, something that, despite the set back at Rally NZ, Hayden is still 100% focused on.

“Being the last rally of the season and given our position in the championship, we have nothing to lose, so we’ll be going flat out straight off the blocks.  Being a single day event it’s crucial not to be caught napping on stage one, something, to be honest, I’ve suffered from on several occasions this year.  We put that right at the last round, so will have the same mindset for the start of this one.”

The rally kicks off with a ceremonial start at the Nelson WOW complex on Saturday afternoon, before the teams tackle 9 gruelling fast forestry stages on Sunday.

Hayden,

Rally GB Leg 1 (Press Release)

NEW Zealand rally driver Hayden Paddon was forced to retire from Wales Rally GB overnight after sustaining damage to his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 in the opening stage.

The Geraldine, South Canterbury, driver was sidelined from the final round of the FIA World Rally Championship by steering damage. He will rejoin for Leg Two on Saturday.

"We took our normal line after crossing a ford but a huge hole had been opened up by the cars running ahead of us,’’ said Paddon.

"We hit it square on and it bent the steering and broke the left front hub.’’

Paddon and co-driver John Kennard (Blenheim) completed the stage at low speed with the front wheel knocked 45-degrees from straight ahead.

"We tried to make roadside repairs but we didn’t have enough tools on board with us,’’ he said.

The car has been repaired and Paddon will rejoin for Saturday’s second leg under the SuperRally format.

"The plan is to go hard and see what sort of stage times we can set,’’ Paddon said.

The British round of the FIA World Rally Championship is the first offshore event for 20-year-old Paddon who finished runner-up in the 2007 NZ Rally Championship. He’s campaigning a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 prepared by New Zealand team Reece Jones Rallysport with main sponsors for this event being Paddon Direct and Vicarage Lane wines.

Paddon said it was only the second event in two years he had failed to finish. The other was Rally New Zealand earlier this year when a jammed gearbox similarly ended his run early on the first day.

"This is a better situation than at Rally New Zealand because we had to rejoin there with a standard gearbox. This time the car is fully repaired.’’

Leg two of the Swansea-based WRC event features six stages on forestry roads and military property and the super special stage in Cardiff’s Millennium stadium.

Hayden,

First Rally GB Press Release

YOUNG Kiwi rally driver Hayden Paddon has enjoyed his first taste of the Welsh forest roads which will test him in this weekend's final round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The Geraldine (South Canterbury) 20-year-old tested the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 he's campaigning in Wales Rally GB on Monday and then completed the first day of reconnaissance yesterday. "The test was valuable because the Evo9 is a bit different to my Evo8 we rallied this year. I get another chance to drive it before the rally at the official shakedown on Thursday,'' said Paddon. Before then Paddon and Blenheim co-driver John Kennard will complete the second day of the recce on Wednesday. "The roads are really slippery with a lot of mud around and they look like
they'll cut up quite a lot,'' Paddon said. "It's going to be a fine line between going fast and staying on the road.''

The nature of the roads have surprised Paddon a little. "The roads are really fast, quite a lot faster than at Rally New Zealand. There are tight corners but they tend to be after a really fast section and then followed by another fast section. There isn't the sequences of tight corners like we get in New Zealand.'' Paddon, the runner-up in the 2007 NZ Rally Championship, has been in the UK for more than a week to prepare for the first offshore event of his career. "I've spent a bit of time acclimatising and getting rid of the jet-lag. I was very lucky to attend a Subaru World Rally Team test session which was mind-boggling.''

It will be Paddon's second start in a WRC event after his first taste of the top level in Rally New Zealand earlier this year. ``The main goal is to finish and the second is to finish well. My aim is the top-five in Production WRC field but that will be very tough.'' Paddon's opportunity to contest the event came when the Team Jordan PWRC driver Amjad Farrah decided not to complete the championship. He's running under the Team Jordan banner to fulfil the teams commitment to the PWRC. The Mitsubishi Lancer Evo9 is prepared and run by former NZ rally champion Reece Jones with main sponsors for this event being Paddon Direct, Reece Jones Rallysport and Vicarage Lane wines.

The rally has a ceremonial start in Cardiff on Thursday evening with the competition beginning on Friday morning. The central service park is in Swansea and along with the forestry stages the event also includes a super special stage in Cardiff's Millennium stadium on Saturday evening. It finishes on Sunday.

Hayden,

Paddon To Take On Worlds Best Overseas

Following a successful New Zealand Rally Championship campaign, which culminated in a second overall placing by the narrowest of margins, plus victories at Rally Whangarei and last weekend's championship final, Rally Nelson, 20 year old Geraldine driver Hayden Paddon is taking the next step, rallying overseas.

The team has just confirmed Hayden and co-driver John Kennard's participation in November's Rally Great Britain, driving a Reece Jones Rallysport (RJR) Mitsubishi Evo 9 entered in the Production World Rally Championship (PWRC).  The 3 day event, which starts in Cardiff on November 30, is the final round of the 2007 World Rally Championship and will give Hayden his first taste of overseas rallying.

"It's a fantastic opportunity and gives us a good chance to make up for the mechanical problems we had when running well in the PWRC class at our own WRC round, Rally New Zealand.  It will certainly be something different; around the other side of the world for the first time, rallying in a foreign country with a different culture, weather and surroundings."

The opportunity has been made possible through one of Hayden's mentors, two times New Zealand Rally Champion, Reece Jones.  Jones and his team have a wealth of international experience, running teams in a variety of international championships.  Paddon will take over the Team Jordan PWRC entry of regular RJR driver Amjad Farah.

"Reece and his team have been a huge plus for our New Zealand Rally Championship campaign, helping us find some of our extra speed this year. It's very heartening that someone of Reece's calibre and experience is prepared to help us to the extent that he is offering me my first chance to compete overseas and to take the next step toward achieving my goals."

Rally GB will be a big challenge for the team.  Held in wintry conditions in the forests of south Wales, its stages are often blanketed in layers of fog, ice and sometimes even snow.  Throw in the night stages that will conclude each day's competition and the event promises to be a real eye opener for Hayden.

"To be honest, I'm not really too sure what to expect, as the character of the roads will definitely be different to those I'm used to.  But at the end of the day they're still gravel roads and we're going over there to challenge the PWRC front runners.  The biggest key will be our pace notes, but I'm confident that the experience I've gained writing my own notes for the first time with John this year has been invaluable and will see me right on a new event like this."

The rally is also aimed at being a stepping stone for next year, as the team try to put plans together to contest more PWRC events.

"Reece has expressed an interest in running us in some of the other events on the PWRC calendar, but, being spread all around the world, the money required to compete in them is huge.  We'd like to contest the complete championship, but in the end how many events we do will obviously come down to the funding we can put in place.  Our aim is to win the PWRC within 3 years, then progress from there."

Hayden has already shown great promise, in only his second year in the New Zealand Rally Championship and, although lacking some of the experience of his fellow competitors, he considers getting overseas early to be the best way to further his experience and to chase his dreams of a career in rallying.

"Sure, there's still a long way to go, and a lot to learn, but the best way to further develop my driving is to get as much experience and seat time as possible.  We can't expect to set the world alight straight out of the blocks, but with time my goal is to win the PWRC title."

Paddon Direct Team Green are also still committed to winning the New Zealand Rally Championship, which they missed by solitary point this season. To achieve this they will debut a new left hand drive Mitsubishi Evo 9 in the 6 round series starting April next year.

"The whole purpose of going to left hand drive is to get experience on the other side of the car, as the majority of PWRC and WRC teams use left-hand drive cars.  So by learning now, it means when we get further opportunities offshore, we can get straight into a left hand drive car without having to spend too much time adjusting to it."

Ever since Hayden was a toddler he has always had dreams and goals to make it into the world rally championship and to win a world title.  It now seems at the age of just 20 his goals and aspirations are becoming a reality, an opportunity he promises to make the most of.

"A couple of years ago, after we'd had a big accident on a South Island rally, I'd never have thought we'd be where we are today.  It's a testament to how much help and support I've had from family, friends, our dedicated team, sponsors and supporters.  I feel we do have what it takes to go all the way and with any opportunities like this that I'm lucky enough to get, I will make the most of them. Sometimes there just isn't a second chance!"

Wales Rally GB starts with shakedown on November the 29th, and tackles 17 stages over 3 days in the forests to the north of Swansea, where the events central service park is based.

For further information contact Hayden, +64 273181748 or hayden@paddonrallysport.co.nz.

Paddon Takes Second Victory

South Canterbury’s Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard in their Team Green Mitsubishi secured victory in this weekend’s International Rally Nelson, the final round of this year’s Vantage New Zealand Rally Championship, winning 7 of the 9 high speed stages in a dominant performance.

Heading into the event Hayden trailed championship leader Sam Murray by 20 points, with a championship victory requiring a rally win and Murray to finish 7th or below.

Having won his first rally in Whangarei in May, Hayden always felt his part in the drama was achievable and in the end it came down to a nail biter, Murray finishing 6th, beating Paddon to the title by a single point.

“You couldn’t have written a better script.  We did all we could to achieve our championship aims by winning the rally and right from the word go that was all we were focused on.  At the end of the day the championship was a bit out of our control, and Sam did a great job, deserving the title for his consistency.”

Despite the close run championship, Hayden was still upbeat about the season, learning a huge amount that will help in future championships.

“All in all we’ve had a great year.  We’ve totally exceeded our expectations.  We’d never have thought at the start of the year that we’d be in this position.  It’s a credit to our team who’ve put in a lot of hard yards, developing the car to a point where it’s made my job very easy.  I can’t thank the guys enough.”

Though rally conditions were changeable, making tyre and setup choices difficult, the team had a trouble free run over the 9 special stages.

“Our notes were spot on, which allowed us to push for the result and our Michelin tyres were incredible in the conditions, both on the dry morning stages and the wet, foggy afternoon ones.  The fog on the closing stages was certainly something very different and it was a challenge just to get through the stages in one piece, let alone set good times.”

“The support of our sponsors and fans this year has been fantastic and the results wouldn’t have been possible without them.  I can’t wait until next April when the 2008 New Zealand Rally Championship gets back under way and we start the challenge of going one better!”

The team will now sell there ever reliable Mitsubishi Evo 8, and will debut a new left-hand drive Mitsubishi Evo 9 for the 2008 season.  For updates on the team’s progress visit www.paddonrallysport.co.nz.

The team would like to thank their sponsors for their continued support; Paddon Direct, BNT Automotive, Michelin, Willett, Sitrex and Vogal Farm Machinery, Vicarage Lane Wines, FMG, Reece Jones Rallysport, Timaru Signs, Pope Print, ZM, Caroline Motors Mitsubishi, Century Batteries, Wayne Murdoch Motors, Teng Tools, North End Ford Geraldine, Pro-Adapt, Proflex Shock Absorbers, Talbot Forest Cheese, Speedtech, and Bluebridge Ferries.

Paddon Aims For Rally Win

This weekend’s sixth and final round of the Vantage Aluminium New Zealand Rally Championship, Rally Nelson, brings a long and very close championship to a climax. This season has seen one of the closest fought championships for many years, with most teams having been in the heat of the battle at some stage.  The chase for the 2007 title is now down to a 3 team race; Sam Murray, who leads newly crowned Junior Champion Hayden Paddon by 20 points, with reigning champion Richard Mason, just a further 4 points adrift.

Team Green and driver Hayden Paddon have had a season of highs and lows, with the first half of the season a ‘dream start’.  The team have led the championship twice, but their recent non finish at Rally New Zealand means they’re on the back foot heading into Hayden’s favourite event of the year.

Despite the large point deficit, Hayden refuses to give up on the title chase and plans an all out assault on a Rally Nelson victory, which will give the team its best chance at the title.

“Yes it’s a large deficit, but it’s not over until it’s over and, as we’ve seen at previous rounds, things can change very quickly.  Rallying is a funny sport sometimes, very unpredictable, so anything can still happen. A victory would be the best way to finish off what’s been a good season for us and it’s the best we can do for our championship hopes.  From there it’s up to Sam, so the pressure is all on him.”

This will be Hayden’s fifth visit to the Golden Downs forest complex, so he has a lot more experience on the roads and of local conditions than some of his rivals, something he plans to make the most of.  At the same time he is still very aware of the challenge from behind by Richard Mason.

“I’ve always really enjoyed the fast flowing nature of the Nelson roads. They’re very different to anything else in the championship and the abrasive surface chews up tyres like no tomorrow.  Richard will be quick, so it will be no easy task to hold him, and the others, at bay.  The championship has been so incredibly close this year, so anyone in the top 10 is a threat and not to be taken lightly.”

This being Hayden’s second year in the championship, his goals at the start of the season were top 3 finishes and a good championship result. Those goals went out the window with a podium at the first round, then a win at the International Rally Whangarei in May and since then the goal has been to win the championship, something that, despite the set back at Rally NZ, Hayden is still 100% focused on.

“Being the last rally of the season and given our position in the championship, we have nothing to lose, so we’ll be going flat out straight off the blocks.  Being a single day event it’s crucial not to be caught napping on stage one, something, to be honest, I’ve suffered from on several occasions this year.  We put that right at the last round, so will have the same mindset for the start of this one.”

The rally kicks off with a ceremonial start at the Nelson WOW complex on Saturday afternoon, before the teams tackle 9 gruelling fast forestry stages on Sunday.

Results can be found at www.chrissport.co.nz and www.paddonrallysport.co.nz.