Scott Simpson can literally claim some stages of this weekend's Rally of Otago as taking place on home soil.
One of tomorrow's stages goes past his Dansey's Pass driveway. Local advantage has helped in the past when he smashed the stage record on one of the northern tests three years ago in his Mitsubishi Evo 4.
Simpson (30), a baleage and silage contractor, has accelerated his car purchase programme in the past five years since he got the gravel bug. He started out in a Toyota Starlet, then stepped up from a 2WD to a 4WD Evo 4 and two years ago added some extra technology in the form of an Evo 8.
The ex-Regan Ross machine's advantages are ''not a huge difference in power but in cornering and traction'', Simpson said.
He has quietly been moving up the ranks, scoring a few podium finishes around the region and then registering a surprise sixth overall in Rally Wairarapa three years ago, driving with no pace notes.
Co-driver James Bee, of Oamaru, will be calling the corners this weekend when Simpson makes his next step up into the Challenge Rally category. This new section of the New Zealand Rally Championship caters to all those with rally schedule-compliant cars that would like to compete in some or all championship rounds. Covering one day of the multileg events, it dovetails in with the rest of the championship field without teams needing to partake in prior reconnaissance.
Simpson said it provided a chance to ''pit yourself against the big boys'', referring to the top national championship class contenders such as defending champion Richard Mason (Masterton), top international export Hayden Paddon (Geraldine) and Timaru's Chris West.
In the International Classic Rally, Italian Miki Biasion, the 1988 and 1989 world champion, is the headline act. He will be chased hard by Gore's Derek Ayson, who has former co-driver Andrew Graves back in the passenger seat of his Ford Escort FJ2000.
They will all be vying for outright honours in this weekend's opener of the six-round New Zealand Rally Championship. The action begins tomorrow morning with crews and cars leaving Dunedin and journeying north to the first of eight special stages for the day.
The day ends with a blast through Dunedin's industrial quarter, as teams tackle the 2.15km tarmac super special stage, starting at 3.20pm.
Sunday's programme comprises a further eight special stages held closer to the city centre, with the 10.94km Whare Flat stage the climax.
Rally of Otago
History: Twenty consecutive years as a round of the New Zealand Rally Championship.
Starts: Tonight, with an autograph session and opening ceremony in Dunedin's Octagon from 5.30pm.
Weekend: The action begins tomorrow morning, departing from outside the Southern Cross Hotel from 7am. The field of 81 cars will cover eight special stages for the day. The second and final day of eight special stages, again held largely to the north of the city, returns the teams to the Dunedin Railway Station for a 3.25pm finishing ceremony on Sunday.
Top three seeds: Richard Mason, Hayden Paddon and Chris West.
Viewing: Go to www.otagorally.net and in the spectator section, you can download an event map and entry list.
