Hayden Paddon powers out of a bend in his Hyundai i20 AP4 during the Winmax Brake Pads Motorsport NZ Goldstar Hillclimb Championships in Reserve Rd near Lawrence over the weekend.
South Otago Car Club spokeswoman Jane Blair said the event had exceeded expectations, attracting a strong field of 44 drivers.
Paddon returned from his recent victory in the opening round of the 2023 FIA European Rally Championship in Portugal to compete in the single-round grassroots event against an enthusiastic local contingent, peppered with big name drivers.
The six-times New Zealand Rally champion could only manage the third-fastest run on the tarmac of day one’s Tuapeka West Rd, but overcame a blown turbo on day two’s gravel to emerge victorious overall.
PHOTO: PADDON RACING GROUP
"We had one roll into a paddock on day one, but no injuries, and some highly competitive racing as you can see from the results.
Once again we’ve shown that South Otago has some of the best roads anywhere for hosting top motorsport events like this."
