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Aug 17, 2007 |
The Rally of Otago is the second round of the New Zealand Rally Championship. This component of the event features New Zealand’s leading competitors in modern, state-of-the-art Group N rally cars, together with the exciting ‘Kiwi 2’ 2WD cars.
The event also incorporates the Dunlop International Classic Rally of Otago, for pre-1982, 2WD cars. This event has grown in leaps and bounds since its inception in 1997, to the point where it is the leading event of its type in New Zealand.
In recent years it has attracted former World Rally Champions Juha Kankkunen and Hannu Mikkola from Finland, and Bjorn Waldegard from Sweden, as well as regular visitor, the legendary Ross Dunkerton from Australia.
In 2005 the event was won by Jimmy McRae from Scotland, who just pipped 2004 winner Pasi Hagstrom from Finland for the title. In 2006 Hagstrom had his revenge and won the event for the second time after McRae succumbed to the tricky public roads, rolling his Ford Escort into retirement.
In 2007 it was the turn of talented Christchurch (NZ) driver, Deane Buist, to taste success. After showing plenty of speed in recent years, Buist put it all together to comprehensively beat former Lancia and Ford WRC driver, Alex Fiorio.
The Rally of Otago also incorporates the ‘Allcomers Rally of Otago’. This is a separate event targeted at locals who have cars that are not eligible for either the Classic or NZRC events. This event forms a round of the popular “Laird Motorsport Southern Rally Series”.
All competitors, including those in the Dunlop Classic Rally, have the option of purchasing organiser provided ‘computer generated’ pacenotes (using the Swedish “Jemba” system). For those that purchase the notes a one pass convoy reconnaissance is available on Friday, May 9.
Features of the Otago Rally include:
* Pre event motorshow.
* 2 day rally, 13 special stages covering approximately 240km – all in daylight.
* All stages are gravel surface on both public and forestry roads, except for the tarmac “Super Special” stage, run in front of a large crowd in central Dunedin.
* The rally runs to the south of Dunedin with a central service park based on the lakeside village of Waihola.
* Favorite stages include ‘ Kuri Bush’, ‘Whare Flat’, ‘Macintosh Rd’, and ‘Waipori Gorge’ (described by former British Rally Champion, Russell Brookes, as one of the best stages he had ever competed on).
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Last Updated ( Dec 03, 2007 )
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About the Otago Rally 
