Metalman Possum Bourne Memorial Rally

Metalman Possum Bourne Memorial Rally                                           22 August 2009
 

Pukekohe Car Club / Rally New Zealand

Media Statement

23 June 2009

New Zealand Champion to lead the field for Possum Bourne Memorial Rally

With regulations and entries only just opening for the 2009 Metalman Possum Bourne Memorial Rally, the Pukekohe car club have already received their first entry for the event from none other than Hayden Paddon the reigning New Zealand rally champion.

This is a great boost for the event organisers, who are hoping for a bumper entry list for the 4th running of the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally.  Again this year the event is being run in the greater Waikatoregion and is using some of the WRC roads that Paddon is familiar with from his past attacks on New Zealand's round of the World Rally Championship. 

While Paddon is familiar with the world famous WhaangaCoaststage he will have a new challenge this year as the stage is being run in the opposite direction to that which Paddon is familiar with.  The world famous stage, which is renowned as one of the most challenging and visually spectacular roads in the world will start from Raglan and travel south along the coastline which is a configuration that has not been used for several years and is sure to provide a great test.

Paddon is without doubt one of the brightest young talents to emerge from the New Zealandrally scene for quite some time.  At 21 he is the youngest ever New ZealandRally Champion and certainly has a bright future. He has come a long way since starting his motorsport career at the tender age of 6 in karts.  His introduction into rallying came at the age of 13 via the co-drivers seat in his father's corolla. Then at the age of 15 he pushed his father aside to compete in the AshleyForestrallysprint, and is now history.  His father Chris is now the team manager of the “Team Green” rally team which is supported by the family business Paddon Direct.

Hayden has entered the rally in pursuit of the Rally New Zealand Rising Stars International Award which he is currently leading as the Metalman Possum Bourne Memorial Rally is a compulsory round of the qualification process for the $50,000 award.  The event is also a compulsory round for the $50,000 Rally New Zealand Rising Stars Development Award.

The event is also round 4 of the Te Rapa Automotive Repairs Top Half Rally Series which is currently being led by Craig Stevens, closely followed by Glenn Smith who is the defending event winner.

Organisers are expecting that all of the Rally New Zealand Rising Stars competitors will enter the event in addition to those contesting the Top Half Series, as well as local competitors looking to take the chance to compete on these iconic stages in a club event.  This should provide some great action for spectators.
The event runs on Saturday 22 August starting and finishing at the Hamilton Workingmen's Club where the prizegiving will also be held.  A total of 500km will be covered by competitors, of which 201km will be competitive stages on the testing and demanding gravel roads of the Waikato. Regular updates and press releases can be found at www.pbmrally.co.nz

ENDS/

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