Paddon shines in Southland

Only one point separates the two leading drivers at the halfway stage of the 2024 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) after the competition’s first visit to Southland in two decades.

Hayden Paddon, driving his Hyundai New Zealand i20 AP4, won all 10 special stages of the Southern Lights Rally held on June 21 and 22 to finish the event in first place ahead of Ben Hunt.

Paddon, pictured, missed the opening round of the 2024 season and now sits 24 points behind championship leader Robbie Stokes, who finished third in the Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4 in Southland.

The results leave Stokes on 84 points at the top of the drivers’ standings with a one-point advantage over Hunt, who drives a Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2, after three of the competition’s six rounds.

As for the other major placegetters in Southland, Jack Hawkeswood brought his Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris home in fourth place and Emma Gilmour took out fifth spot in her Vantage NZ Citroen C3.

Dylan Thomson overcame early troubles in his Ford Fiesta to win the NZRC 2WD class for the third-straight event, while Dave Strong prevailed as he steered his Honda Jazz to success in the open 2WD class.

Paul Fraser is dominating the historic 2WD section in a Ford Escort and took maximum points, Andrew Graves won the Rally Challenge 4WD class in his Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3 and Jared Parker guided his Toyota Corolla to victory in the Rally Challenge 2WD class.

The NZRC returns in mid-September with the Daybreaker Rally based out of Manawatu.

Drivers’ standings

1. Robbie Stokes, 84 points
2. Ben Hunt, 83pts
3. Jack Hawkeswood, 63pts
4. Hayden Paddon, 60pts
5. Emma Gilmour, 59pts