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EXCITING COMBINATION DESTINED FOR CATLINS COAST RALLY

One of New Zealand's best rally drivers, Andrew Hawkeswood, is the top seed for this Saturday's Catlins Coast Rally. Not only has the rally attracted a driver of Hawkeswood's ability but he will be armed with one of the most exciting cars to ever compete in the popular event, an Audi Quattro replica.

The former Aucklander who is currently living in Alexandra is making just his third appearance in the Audi. "It's a great car to drive- awesome! It handles fantastic and it's good to watch. I love driving it."

The car features an Audi chassis with a Subaru engine and diff and Hawkeswood laughs that the car is, "about 50/50."

The Audi Quattro was one of the dominant marques of world rallying in the 1980's - the cars being extremely fast and spectacular. Few were seen in this country outside of the annual visit of the world's best drivers for the annual international rally.

This is Hawkeswood's second Catlins appearance after he drove a local Nissan Bluebird Turbo in the event four year's ago. "I crashed it, then I broke it he laughs." The then Auckland domiciled driver fell in love with the event on his first acquaintance with it. "The roads are just awesome and the people down here very friendly," he say's.

Hawkeswood was a regular frontrunner in the New Zealand Rally Championship over a number of seasons up until 2004. In his final full year in the championship he finished runner-up in the series. Since then he has competed in various motorsport events including campaigns at the Race To The Sky at Cardrona and the infamous Pikes Peak Hillclimb in America.

This season he has had limited outings in the New Zealand Rally Championship, demonstrating undiminished speed.

Although the top seed Hawkeswood say's he would be stunned if he won. However he say's, "it will be good fun and good to watch."

The Catlins Coast Rally is a bi-annual event organised by the Eastern Southland Car Club. This year's event starts from Owaka Motors in Owaka at 9am and features eight Special Stages with many changes to past year's.

An exciting new Super Special Stage at the Riverside Reserve in the heart of Balclutha is the final stage of the rally, providing excellent spectator viewing. The first car is expected to cross the finish line in Glasgow Street, Balclutha just after 3.40pm.

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.

The event is supported by the Rosebank Lodge in Balclutha, MWH, SouthRoads, the Clutha Licensing Trust and Allied Petroleum Owaka Motors while support from Century Batteries will allow the rally to be televised in the near future.

on behalf of the Laird Motorsport Southern Rally Series

For further comment: Roger Laird - 03 208 5247/0274 368 876