Trans-Tasman line-up for New Zealand Rally Championship
Rally of New Zealand Ltd
Media release
Re:
2013 New Zealand Rally Championship
22
March 2013
Trans-Tasman line-up for New Zealand Rally Championship
Joining the growing contingent of hopefuls vying for the overall Goldstar title by contesting the 2013 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship are a Queensland team, committing to the six-round series.
Matt van Tuinen, a 2009 Queensland Rally Champion, will campaign a Subaru STi with co-driver Erin Kelly. Returning for a full tilt this year having done a part season in 2011, the 33-year-old says the lure of the New Zealand series was too much to resist.
“We had so much fun in 2011 with the roads, events and people we met that we’ve been planning ever since to come back – it’s just so much fun to rally in New Zealand.”
Competing in the overall Super Rally field, supported by Auto Finance Direct, van Tuninen says the additional incentive of prize money added to his decision to again challenge the Kiwi’s on their home turf. While the car is being shipped to New Zealand for the opening round it will be based at a Hamilton workshop for the first half of the season.
“Then we are going to do the Pacific Cup so our car will travel out to New Caledonia and on to Australia, so we’ll look to source another car in New Zealand for the last few rounds – locally.”
Another lure was the cost to compete:
Van Tuninen says the outlay is about the same to ship his
car and crew trans-Tasman to competing on home soil: “And
it is much much closer than going to Perth, for example,”
he adds.”
“From that point of view it makes a lot of
sense to look at New Zealand events. We hold no illusions
that we’re not going to be blowing everyone away. We know
New Zealand drivers are very very fast and they have an
advantage knowing the roads but we’ll be doing the best
job we can and be there to have fun at the end of the day.
Plus with the rule changes there are going to be some
interesting cars and it’s going to be interesting to see
who the front runners will be. We just have to do the best
job we can and see where we end up at the end of the day.”
Among an entry list of current and past rally champions nudging past 28 with a week until entries close, the opening round starts with the Drivesouth Rally of Otago from 6 to 7 April. The series then heads north for the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship round at the International Rally of Whangarei in association with the Brian Green Property Group (17-19 May). The rest of the season is then one day events: Daybreaker Rally (Manawatu, 29 June), Canterbury Rally (10 August), 10th Anniversary Possum Bourne Memorial Rally, sponsored by Vantage (7 September) with the final being held at the Trusthouse Racetech Rally Wairarapa (5 October).
News and information about the championship – including driver profiles and team news – can be found on the website www.nzrallychampionship.co.nz, or follow New Zealand Rally Championship on Facebook.
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Attached photo is free for editorial use: Queensland’s Matt van Tuninen and co-driver Erin Kelly will contest the 2013 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship beginning 6 April with the two day Drivesouth Rally of Otago. Credit: Charles Brincat
Calendar: 2013 New Zealand Rally Championship
Round 1
– 5 to 7 April – Rally of Otago (NZRC)
Round 2 – 18
to 19 May – International Rally of Whangarei (NZRC,
APRC)
Round 3 – 29 June – Daybreaker Rally, Manawatu
(NZRC)
Round 4 – 10 August – Rally
Canterbury
Round 5 – 7 September – 10th Anniversary
Vantage Possum Bourne Memorial Rally, South Auckland
(NZRC)
Round 6 – 5 October – Rally Wairarapa
(NZRC)
ENDS