Countdown to Rally Whangarei

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Brendo and Rhianon have just under three weeks until they tackle the fast stages of New Zealand's north island in Rally Whangarei.  The event is part of the popular Asia Pacific Rally Championship and also forms Round 1 of the Pacific Cup Championship which Brendo and Rhianon will contest.


After finishing third outright in a leased car in the event last year, Brendo is again hoping for a good showing in the event.  With Rhianon co-driving for Emma Gilmour in last year's Rally Whangarei (the pair competed together in APRC events), she will return to the co-driver's seat next to Brendo this year and the brother-sister duo are looking forward to their first gravel rally together in almost twelve months.

Once again Brendo has leased a car for the event and he'll take the wheel of a Subaru Impreza WRX STi similar to his own, albeit a right hand drive car.  The car was previously owned and driven by NZ front-runner, Richard Mason, so it has a great pedigree.

Also contesting the Pacific Cup at Rally Whangarei will be last year's rally winner, Haydon Paddon,  Kiwi young-guns Sloan Cox and Ben Jagger, New Zealand's most experienced rally driver, Brian Green, and Jean-Louis Leyraud from New Caledonia.

Brendo expects his greatest challenge for the Pacific Cup honours to come from Paddon who was the man to beat on last year's event and has plenty of experience on the rounds around Whangarei.

Rally Whangarei starts on July 2.