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2006
Hella International Rally of Rotorua
26th - 28th May 2006
MEDIA
RELEASE 5 – For immediate release
INTERNATIONAL
ENTRIES BOOST ROTORUA RALLY FIELD
The 2006 Hella International Rally of Rotorua is shaping
up to be one of the most closely contested yet, with a number
of top international rally crews entering the event. Drivers from
Australia, China, New Caledonia, Japan, and Indonesia will compete
against the best local drivers in the two-day event, round 3 of
the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.
Leading the international field is three times Australian
Rally Champion Cody Crocker. The Australian rally ace has been
a regular visitor to New Zealand in the past, competing in the
World Championship Rally of New Zealand including a win in the
production class last year. Crocker will be making his first appearance
on the Rotorua roads with fellow Australian Ben Atkinson, brother
of World Rally competitor Chris Atkinson, in the co-drivers seat
of a Les Walkden Motorsport prepared Subaru Impreza.
Joining Crocker as part of a two car Subaru team, is rising
Australian rally star, Eli Evans. A past winner of the Australian
Subaru RS Rally Challenge, Evans is contesting the Asia Pacific
Rally Championship as teammate to Crocker and will be looking
to gain further experience of international rallying on his first
event outside Australia.
New Caledonian rallying legend Jean Louis Leyraud who first
competed in New Zealand as far back as the 1972, will contest
the event in a Subaru Impreza with Kiwi Rob Scott as co-driver.
A multiple national champion in his homeland, Leyraud also has
vast international rallying experience. Further strengthening
the Subaru presence will be Japanese driver Hiroshi Yanigisawa,
in a Cusco Racing Impreza, who is also contesting 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.
Indonesian APRC competitors Rifat Sungkar and Subhan Aska
will contest the event in a two-car team of Mitsubishi Lancer
Evolution 8’s. Also driving Mitsubishi Evo 8’s will be Chinese
competitor Fan Fan, and New Caledonian’s Daniel Palau and Patrick
Christian, all previous visitors to the Hella International Rally
of Rotorua.
The international entrants will face strong competition from
the best local drivers competing in round 2 of the New Zealand
National Rally Championship with the leading entrants being current
National Champion Richard Mason of Masterton and Subaru NZ Rally
Team driver Chris West.
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.
Australian Champion Cody Crocker will lead the International challenge
in the Hella International Rally of Rotorua
Photo: Macspeed Photography
For further
information contact:
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