Event History

The History of Rally Whangarei

Rally New Zealand successfully lobbied the FIA in 1988 to create the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship which is an FIA Regional Championship run annually in seven countries within the region. In the early years our event was run as part of the New Zealand round of the World Rally Championship.

In 2000 the New Zealand round was run for the first time as a stand alone event based in Rotorua using the Motu special stages with an auxiliary service park at Matawai. This format was used for seven years.

2007 was the first year that the event was moved north to the fabulous roads previously used many times by New Zealand's World Rally Championship event. With the Rally HQ, Start, Finish and Service Park at the Quayside Town Basin in the heart of Whangarei, competitors, officials and spectators are able to enjoy the great hospitality and facilities at the Basin.

The inaugural event was a great success with Hayden Paddon of New Zealand beating reigning APRC champion Cody Crocker of Australia. 

In 2008 the event was the final round of the new Pacific Cup and also the Pacific Region Qualitying Event for the Pirelli Star Driver competition. Former NZ Champion Chris West and Garry Cowan won the event beating 2007 Hayden Padon and reigning APRC Champion Cody Crocker.

In 2009 Hayden Paddon came back to dominate the podium, taking out awards for Overall Winner, the Pacific Cup, qualifying for the Asia Pacific Pirelli Star Driver competition and overall for the Rally New Zealand Championship. Cody Crocker from Australia took the Overall postiton for the Asia Pacific title. Winner of the Clubmans event was Brendan Oakden from Whangarei.

Amid contesting the 2010 Production-World Rally Championship (P-WRC) Paddon and Kennard won the Whangarei event for the third time, again taking all the silverware for the Pacific Cup title and the NZRC round victory.  Followed by Emma Gilmour and Ben Atkinson in a Subaru, Australian pairing Brendan Reeves and Rhianon Smyth were third with Scot Alister McRae and Bill Hayes fourth in the Proton Satria Neo.  Leading a decimated clubmans field to the finish line was Coromandel's Alex Kelsey and Raymond Bennett.

The organising team has enjoyed great stability over many years and continues to receive great support from the Whangarei and Kaipara Council and the Northland Car Club. The organising committee also enjoys positive working relationships with local community groups such as the Maungaturoto Cooperative, which provides many
field marshals and volunteers. Our grateful thanks to you all.

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