What is the event?
Round two of the New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC). The Rally of Otago is running as an NZRC round for the 20th consecutive year.
It features three classes: national, allcomers and classics.
Two days, comprising 15 special stages, which cover about 280km. They are all run on gravel and forestry roads to the south and southwest of Dunedin, except for the sole tarmac stage on Anzac Ave from 3pm tomorrow.
Where can I see the cars/drivers while they are stationary?
All 88 teams will be in Dunedin's Octagon today at 5pm and will be waved across the start ramp from 6.15pm.
There are also the service parks, which are great spots to see the rally teams in action, as they change tyres, refuel the cars and repair any damage.
Day one: Tuapeka Transport yard at 6 Irvine St, Lawrence. The teams visit this service park twice, with the first car expected at 10.25am for service A and then again at 1.10pm for service B. Service C is in Dunedin's Fryatt St and first car is expected at 3.07pm.
Day two: Cars start the day at the Fryatt St service D at 8am and then have services E and F at Waihola in the domain by the lake.
Best places to watch (from clerk of the course Norman Oakley)
- Special stage 5, Reserve Rd. Head down Tuapeka Flat Rd to where it meets Four Mile Creek Rd.
- Special stage 8, Taieri Beach. Drive up Finlayson Rd from Waihola to where it meets Taieri Beach Rd.
- Special stage 10. Turn off SH1 up Law Rd, before Allanton. Turn right along Scroggs Hill Rd.
Top NZRC drivers
Richard Mason (Masterton)
Matt Summerfield (Rangiora)
Lance Williams (Te Aroha)
Top allcomers drivers
Carter Strang (Wallacetown)
Richard Bateman (Blenheim)
Jeff Judd (Christchurch)
Top classic drivers
Didier Auriol (France)
Hayden Paddon (Geraldine)
Neal Bates (Australia)
What's new this year?
The first four special stages to the south of Dunedin have not been in the rally before.
Two leading national competitors, Dunedin's Emma Gilmour (Suzuki Swift Maxi) and Auckland's Andrew Hawkeswood (Mazda 2 Maxi), are driving their Maxi-style rally cars on Otago roads for the first time.
The allcomers competitors will be seeded, on merit, among those crews contesting the rally's NZRC component.
