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2006
Hella International Rally of Rotorua
26th - 28th May 2006
MEDIA
RELEASE 2 – For immediate release
INTERNATIONAL
COMPETITION HOTS UP
The
international field for May’s running of the Hella International Rally
of Rotorua looks set to be the strongest ever as entries for the Asia
Pacific Rally Championship begin to be confirmed.
The
big announcement is a two-car Subaru team headed by current Australian
Champion Cody Crocker to contest five rounds of the APRC series. Crocker
will be making his first attempt at both the APRC series and Rally
of Rotorua, however he has previously competed on New Zealand roads
during the World Championship Propecia Rally New Zealand, winning
the Production class title in 2005. Crocker has a strong pedigree,
being the protégé to Kiwi rally legend, the late Possum Bourne, and
is currently on top form following his third consecutive Australian
Rally Championship victory in 2005.
Joining
Crocker in the two-car Les Walkden Rallying Team will be Australian
Eli Evans, winner of the 2005 Subaru RS Challenge, a one make series
designed to discover younger rallying talent.
Further
strengthening the Subaru presence will be Japanese driver Hiroshi
Yanigisawa, in a Cusco Racing Impreza, who will contest the APRC series
in 06. A spectator favourite with his hard charging style, Yanigasawa
competed at Rotorua previously in 2004 and 2005, finishing in the
top ten both times.
Last
years championship winning MRF Tyres Mitsubishi Team have announced
their drivers for 2006, with Japans Katsuhiko Taguchi being joined
by young Finnish star Jarkko Miettinen. Taguchi is a past APRC champion
and was one of the pace setters during 05. Finnish driver Miettinen
is an unknown quantity with this being his first attempt at the APRC,
but he has wealth of experience from events in Europe and Scandinavia.
The MRF team will again campaign a pair of Mitsubishi Lancer Evo’s
in the championship, and hope to debut two new Evo 9 Lancers at Rotorua.
The
Hella International Rally of Rotorua is also the second round of the
NZ National Rally Championship, and the overseas entries will face
strong competition from local drivers. These are expected to include
current National Champion Richard Mason from Masterton, who finished
second overall at Rotorua last year. The Subaru New Zealand Rally
Team will be present with Chris West behind the wheel of the latest
model Subaru Impreza, while Auckland’s Mark Tapper will head the Mitsubishi
challenge.
Event Chairman Laurie Brenssell is
excited at the prospect of increased international competition at
Rotorua. “The quality of the international drivers looks set to be
the best in the events history. Drivers of the calibre of Crocker
and Taguchi will provide great competition for the other international
entrants and also the leading New Zealand drivers in the Hella International
Rally of Rotorua. Each year the level of competition is raised for
all.”
The Hella International Rally of
Rotorua, round three of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship, starts
from City Focus in the heart of Rotorua with a ceremonial start on
the evening of Friday 26th May, and comprises two legs
of competition in the Rotorua and greater Bay of Plenty Region followed
by the ceremonial finish back at the new location of the Village Green
on the afternoon of Sunday 28th May.
For further information contact:
Keith Williams
Hella International Rally of Rotorua
Phone: 09 276 0882
Website: www.rallyrotorua.co.nz
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