Rally NZ Rising Stars Scholarship programme

Media statement from Rally New Zealand
Re: Rally New Zealand Rising Stars Scholarship programme
23 February 2009

Twelve talented young drivers confirmed for rally’s rising stars scholarship

Twelve young drivers have been selected as candidates for Rally New Zealand’s inaugural Rising Stars Scholarship programme.

Between 18 and 25 years of age, the twelve young men will now compete in a shootout weekend MaramaruaForeston 7 and 8 March to decide who will earn the support package from Rally New Zealandworth $50,000. The career-focussed scholarship includes professional mentoring and the use of a professionally-prepared rally car to contest the N3 category, or two-wheel-drive production car class, of the 2009 New Zealand Rally Championship, as well as Rally New Zealand 2009 from 21-23 August.

Rally New Zealandchairman Chris Carr says the judging panel was delighted with the calibre of the 16 young men who applied for the Rising Stars Scholarship. “The depth of talent amongst aspiring rally and circuit drivers is considerable, based on the experience and enthusiasm for making a career from rallying we saw in the applications,” says Carr.

An extensive programme of consultation was carried out before the twelve scholarship candidates were selected. “The choice was difficult, and the competition was very close. We regret that four candidates were unsuccessful in attaining a place in this year’s Rising Star Scholarship, but we’ll be watching their progress with keen interest and look for them to prove us wrong during the rally season this year.”

The twelve Rally New Zealand Rising Star Scholarship candidates are:
 Stephen Barker, age 20 from Hamilton, a sign-writer with four years’ competitive motorsport experience, which includes being named the junior champion in the 2004 Top Half Rally Series;
 Adam Bligh, age 25 from Petone, Wellington, a builder with five years’ competitive experience in auto-cross, rally sprints and regional rallies with a best result of third overall in the 2008 Daybreaker Rally in Manawatu;
 Brad Harris, age 24 from Rangiora, a vineyard employee with five years’ competitive experience in the South Island where he has won several rally sprints and placed in the top three of several regional rallies;
 Daniel Harris, age 18 from Nelson, a student from a motorsport-oriented family who competed in his first hill-climb at age 14 and made an impressive debut in the 2008 Rally Xtreme series with many stage wins and top ten finishes on several events;
 Ben Hunt, age 20 from Nelson, a tourism management student with a year’s competitive experience in speedway production saloons, rally sprints, hill climbs and rallies with a best result of tenth overall in a rally sprint;
 Lyndon Galbraith, age 24 from Timaru, a storeroom manager with three years’ competitive experience in the South Island where he has had several class wins and top three finishes in hill-climbs and regional rallies;
 Piran Pigneguy, age 23 from Lower Hutt, a retail assistant manager with four years’ competitive experience starting in gravel sprints and progressing to international events such as NAC Insurance International Rally of Whangarei and Rally New Zealand where he finished 51st in his first attempt in 2007;
 Michael Pittams, age 24 from Tauranga, a motorsport engineer and qualified service technician with competitive experience in hill climbs, rally sprints and local club rallies with a best result of fifth overall in the 2007 Tauranga Rally;
 David Scoles, age 22 from Foxton, a farm manager originally from Invercargill with three years’competitive experience in hill-climbs, rally sprints and regional rallies with several first in class finishes to his credit;
 Dominick Unterberger, age 24 from Nelson, a commerce student with four years’ competitive experience in South Island rallies with a best result to date of first in class in the 2008 Nelson Rally;
 Peter Weir, age 20 from Pahiatua, an automotive technician who has competed in club motorsport events since the age of nine and more recently rally sprints and hill-climbs;
 Henry Wong, age 24 from Mt Eden in Auckland, a key account executive with two years’ competitive experience in club level gravel and tarmac rallies in the North Islandwith his own rally team.

The twelve Rising Stars Scholarship candidates, who had to be under 26 years of age on 1 January 2009 to enter, attend a shootout weekend in the Maramarua Forest on 7 and 8 March where they will undertake a series of tests to determine the best candidate with the range of talents required to succeed in rallying at a high level.

Candidates will drive on actual rally stages with a judge alongside to assess their driving and times, be interviewed by a media panel and present a scholarship proposal they have written themselves to a judging panel from Rally New Zealand.

“Candidates are also assessed on their physical and mental abilities, so it’s a comprehensive assessment across the two days to ensure the best possible candidate is awarded the significant opportunities of the Rally New Zealand Rising Stars Scholarship,” says Carr. “We feel sure the entire weekend and all its experiences will be of great value to all candidates, regardless of whether or not they are selected as this year’s Rising Stars Scholarship winner.”

Rally New Zealandwill announce which of these twelve candidates is the 2009 Rising Stars Scholarship winner by 6pmon Sunday 8 March. The winner’s first event with the fully-funded two-wheel-drive production car will be Rally Hawke’s Bay on 4 and 5 May, the first round of the 2009 New Zealand Rally Championship, and Rally New Zealandmentors will support their pre-season preparation.

ENDS

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