CATLINS RALLY OFFERS SUPERB SPECTACLE
The presence of rally ace Andrew Hawkeswood in an awesome Audi Quattro replica along with the introduction of an exciting Super Special Stage in the heart of Balclutha are just two of the major attractions of this year's Catlins Coast Rally.
A top class entry of eighty-two competitors will line up for the start at Owaka Motors in Campbell Street, Owaka at 9am on Saturday morning. The best news for spectators is the introduction of a Super Special Stage in the heart of Balclutha at the Riverside Reserve. The Super Special Stage is the last of the rally with the cars expected to cross the finish line in Glasgow Street, Balclutha shortly afterwards at 3.40pm. In total there are eight Special Stages consisting of over 157 kilometres.
Hawkeswood, a former National Rally Championship frontrunner, will be the top seed in his impressive Audi Quattro replica. This will
be his second tilt at the Catlins event and both he and the Audi are sure to be huge drawcards.
One of his major rivals will be second seed, Glenn Inkster. Like Hawkeswood who is a former Aucklander now living in Alexandra, Inkster has made the move south, the former Pukekohe driver now settled in Timaru. Inkster is currently second in the Open Class of the New Zealand Rally Championship and will be at the wheel of his Mitsubishi EVO 6.5. At the most recent round of the
championship, Rally Wairarapa, he won three Special Stages - an achievement he describes as a career highlight.
Regan Ross of Kaikoura, one of the South Island's best drivers in recent times is seeded at three in his EVO 9 ahead of Dunedin driver Blair Sutherland in a Mitsubishi EVO 5. A successful circuit racer, Sutherland has been impressive in his newly acquired car.
The fifth and sixth seeds, Dean Bond of Balclutha and Paul Cross of Gore, are locked in a tight battle for Laird Motorsport Southern Rally Series honours.
Next up is a crowd favourite, Derek Ayson of Clinton, in his Ford Escort RS FJ20. Ayson, a past two-time Mainland Rally Series Champion and also a former Southern Rally Series Champion, finished a superb third in his old Nissan powered 2-wheel-drive Escort two year's ago.
Former Catlins Rally winner, Deane Buist of Christchurch, is next in his EVO powered Toyota Corolla while Christchurch driver Robert McCallum in another Nissan powered Ford Escort and 2007 Laird Motorsport Southern Rally Series Champion Andrew Graves in a Mitsubishi EVO 3 round out a powerful top ten.
This year's event is Round 3 of the Mainland Rally Championship and the third and final round of the Laird Motorsport Southern Rally Series. Marcus Van Klink of Christchurch, the sixteenth seed in his Mitsubishi EVO 8, leads the Mainland Series point standings from Paul Dickson of Timaru and 2007 Catlins Rally winner, Kieran Hall who will not compete this weekend.
Support for the 2009 Catlins Coast Rally comes from the Rosebank Lodge in Balclutha, MWH, Southroads, Allied Petroleum Owaka Motors, the Clutha Licensing Trust and Century Batteries, who provide the support to allow the event to gain television coverage.
Lindsay Beer
Publicity Officer
Catlins Coast Rally
021 351 499
For further comment: Roger Laird - 03 208 5247/0274 368 876
Second seed Glenn Inkster of Timaru in his Mitsubishi Lancer EVO 6.5 at the recent Otago Rally
RSport Photography
