This weekend’s Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty will throw a brand-new challenge at the leading Kiwi rally drivers in the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship.




For the first time in over two decades, the national championship will visit some iconic stages in the Matahina Forest that were made internationally famous in the 1990s and early 2000s.


“We haven’t been in there for a long time,” rally organiser Dave Loughlin explained.


“We are in the Matahina Forest, where rally hasn’t been for 20 years.


“Very few of the top drivers will have experienced this forest.”


Loughlin said drivers can expect a traditional forestry test but on roads that will hold up well to being used twice.


“The roads are well drained, hard based in most cases,” he said.


“We are using a mix of major forestry roads and some smaller roads to join them together. It is soft rolling country – not too steep.


“They are generally well-maintained. Like all forest, it is reasonably fast.


“The Nursery Rd stage has an amazing surface on it that has good metal grip, that has had lots of traffic.”


Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty begins with a ceremonial start at Mitre 10 Mega in downtown Tauranga on Friday evening before a full day of action on Saturdaycovering 165 kilometres in 10 high speed special stages. 

New Zealand rally stars Hayden Paddon and John Kennard notched up another rally win in their bid to win their first 2025 EROAD Australian Rally Championship (ARC) title.  




The pair won both days of the Adelaide Hills Rally in their Hyundai i20 Rally 2 car, 3 to 5 October in South Australia, earning the maximum 50 points per day to take their respective drivers’ and co-drivers’ championship points total to 470, 85 points ahead of closest rivals Lewis Bates and Anthony Mcloughlin.  


“All in all, a pretty good weekend,” says Paddon. “It’s always about managing things, trying to build a gap in the mornings on the first loop, then manage things like tyres in the afternoons. A weekend of management is what I’ve called this one in terms of tyres and strategy, and we did what we needed to do to secure the win.”  


Saturday’s competition on the rolling roads through the Adelaide Hills saw Paddon and Harry Bates take three stage wins apiece in the first six stages, with Paddon holding the lead by just 4.4 seconds. Then, Harry crashed out of the first of four early evening stages. Paddon took one more stage win while Lewis Bates took the other three to finish the day 20.7 seconds adrift of Paddon.  


Winning the Saturday Heat extended Paddon and Kennard’s lead at the top of the standings to 81 points over Lewis and McLoughlin.  


“Obviously mission accomplished in the respect of winning Heat 1 and extending the championship lead, but it was a real shame that Harry had his little off road excursion today,” Paddon said. “It was obviously a close fight, and I think we would have been pushing each other right to the end. With Harry on the side of the road, we sort of backed off a bit in the evening just to look after tyres. But in saying that, Louis has not been far away all day as well, so it’s close.”  


Sunday’s itinerary featured eight stages, with Paddon winning five to secure another Heat win, 31.6 seconds ahead of Lewis Bates who secured maximum bonus points by winning the power stage. Fellow Hyundai driver Alex Rullo took third place in both heats.  


Of Sunday’s stages, Paddon said: “Every time we go to new stages, we seem to find a bit more performance, so we always said that the 15km stage (SS12 and SS14) was our target and winning that one really did the damage (in terms of tyres) for us.  


“It’s a very fast stage where I think everyone was in tyre management mode, including Clayton Hoy who won. When rallies are like this and require a lot of strategy, it brings in a lot of unknowns, and that’s good for everyone and good for the sport.”  


The Adelaide Hills Rally was the fifth round of the ARC’s six round championship which will conclude in Tasmania in early November, with an Endurance style event with no Heats. 100 Points for the Winner of the whole event and 10 Points for fastest on the Power Stage. So still 110 Points up for grabs.


“Being 85 points in front isn’t really a position you like to be in. I’d have preferred to either be closer or have the title wrapped up, because then you can go to Tassie and just push. But now, being in this position, we have to finish seventh or better. You’ll probably hear every little rattle and bang in the car all weekend. It makes it a lot more stressful than it probably should be.”  


Keep up with all PRG’s news and results via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/paddonracinggroup.   


PRG appreciates the support of their partners including Hyundai New Zealand, Caltex Havoline Oil, Mitre 10 Trade, Winmax Brake Pads, Bar’s Bugs, EROAD, Ben Nevis Station, Wipertech, Design Windows, MITO, Repco, Machinery House, King Gee, KiwiFibre, TrailLite, Hankook, Z Energy, Blaster and Signbiz.

Kiwi rally stars Hayden Paddon and John Kennard are staying focused on learning new stages and delivering the best result they can when they contest the Adelaide Hills Rally in their Hyundai i20 Rally2 car. Running 3 to 5 October in South Australia, this event is the fifth and penultimate round of the 2025 EROAD Australian Rally Championship (ARC).  




Paddon says despite leading their respective drivers’ and co-drivers’ championships by 71 points, he and Kennard will take the same approach they always do.  


“We’ll push as hard as we can and try to deliver a good result,” says Paddon, who won the Ashley Forest Rallysprint in North Canterbury last weekend in his Hyundai i20 AP4++ car.


“Until the last round, it’s all about collecting as many points as we can. No one gets to put the championship hat on until the last rally.”  


Paddon says he’s heard a lot of good things about this rally. “The stages look a lot smoother and more flowing, similar to New Zealand. That’s where we are comfortable and should work well with our car. We will have a small pre-event test to dial the car in, and use the lessons from the last rally to continue that momentum.  


“Like most events this year, many of the stages are the same for the local competitors, but we are enjoying the challenge of pushing ourselves on unfamiliar roads.”  


Hosted in the scenic Adelaide Hills regions, around the town of Mt Barker, the rally comprises 18 stages and 160.5 competitive kilometres split across Saturday and Sunday. Local crews have a couple of new stages to learn, while Paddon and Kennard will be competing on all stages for the first time. The Adelaide Hills Rally is the only council/shire road-based event in the 2025 ARC calendar, the other events typically using forestry roads.  


Teams can participate on a test stage on Thursday with reconnaissance of all 18 stages on Friday before a rally show in Mt Barker on Friday evening, including the ballot draw for the top three starting positions for Saturday’s Leg 1. Paddon and Kennard are seeded number two, with their closest competitors Harry Bates/Coral Taylor and Lewis Bates/Anthony Mcloughlin seeded first and third respectively.  


Like the first three ARC events of the 2025 championship, this is a sprint round where points are available based on finishing position on each day. The standings going into this weekend’s event are Paddon with 366 points, Lewis Bates 295 and Harry Bates 278. Each day’s winner earns 50 points and the fastest through the Power Stage on Sunday a bonus 10 points.  


Keep up with all PRG’s news and results via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/paddonracinggroup.   


PRG appreciates the support of their partners including Hyundai New Zealand, Caltex Havoline Oil, Mitre 10 Trade, Winmax Brake Pads, Bar’s Bugs, EROAD, Ben Nevis Station, Wipertech, Design Windows, MITO, Repco, Machinery House, King Gee, KiwiFibre, TrailLite, Hankook, Z Energy, Blaster and Signbiz.

Robbie Stokes (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) was too good for his Mainland Rally Championship rivals winning both the Sadlers Garage Hanmer Memorial Rally and the 2025 Mainland Rally Championship (MRC) overall title on Saturday.  Stokes, along with co-driver Matt Summerfield, were the first MRC competitor home in all seven Special Stages in the Hanmer Forests beating second placed Deane Buist/Richard Fairhall (Subaru Impreza) and Tim Smith/Ben Trevelyan (Subaru Magnum H6).




“It’s been a good day,” commented Stokes who won his first MRC title in 2021. 


“It hasn’t quite sunk in yet.  Matt (Summerfield) did an incredible job sitting beside me so thanks to him and the whole team.”


Heading into the final MRC round and with a maximum of 30-points on offer, it was Caleb Macdonald holding a slim three-point lead over Stokes with Deane Buist (Subaru Impreza) and Josh Marston (Holden Barina AP4) also in mathematical contention. 


MacDonald chose to sit out the rally to focus on the national championship (NZRC), so it was Marston who took up the challenge finishing second in the first two Special Stages on Saturday morning.  His attack came to an abrupt halt retiring at the first service with a mechanical issue.


Buist was always in contention across the whole day but ended up 1 min 13 seconds behind Stokes at the finish.


“The car has been good all day,” said Stokes.  “Everything went really well which gives me confidence for the rest of the NZRC season.  I’ve been comfortable all day and really enjoyed the rally.  It’s great to have it back on the calendar and it has been a surprising amount of fun.”


While Stokes won the overall title, Christchurch’s Ben Trevelyan won the overall Co-Drivers title for 2025, six-points clear of Larisa Biggar with Shane Reynolds in third.


Seven separate Class titles for both drivers and co-drivers were confirmed by Saturday evening.


Josh Silcock (Toyota Starlet) finished the event ninth overall adding to his perfect season finishing first in Class A (2WD 0-1300cc) in each of the five rounds.  Thirty-six points behind in second was Mike Matheson with Jak Elliott in third.  Silcock’s co-driver, Ben Leech won the Class A Co-drivers title 30-points clear of Gordon Legge.


In Class B (2WD 1601cc and over), Ian Warren (Nissan Pulsar) sat out the Hanmer Rally having earned enough points to claim the title after the last round.  Mark Greenwood picks up the Class B Co-Drivers title.


Deane Buist had also wrapped up the Class C (2WD 1601cc and over) title after round four and chose to compete in Class D (4WD) at Hanmer.  While Andrew Sim (Ford Escort Mk2) finished first in Class C at Hanmer, he finishes third overall with Richard Galley (Ford Escort Mk2) in second.  Galley’s co-driver Claire Buccini picks up the Class C Co-Drivers title.


The Class D title goes to Stokes with Macdonald second ahead of Josh Marston.  Larisa Biggar won the Co-Drivers title from Shane Reynolds with Andrew Graves in third.


Hayden Shakespeare (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3) finished first in Class E (4WD Classic) and takes the Class title from Nathan Fraser with Mark Grimmer picking up the Co-Drivers title.


The close Class F (Classic 2WD) battle over the 2025 season was resolved with Steve Gill (Ford Escort Mk2) beating Paul Cross (Toyota Corolla AE86) by 18-points with Ally Mackay (Ford Escort Mk1) in third.  The Co-Drivers Class F title goes to Gill’s co-driver Grant Molloy with Janey Blair in second.


Tim Smith/Ben Trevelyan (Subaru Magnum H6) won both the Driver and Co-Drivers Class H6 titles.


The 2025 Mainland Rally Championship has the support of RDL Performance, Brita Safety Ltd, Palmside NZ Ltd, Christchurch Building and Decorating Ltd, Thomson Rust and Repair Services Ltd, Rally Drive NZ.              

Kiwi rally star Zeal Jones is once again aiming to secure a place in Toyota’s world rally programme as a stepping stone to becoming one of the top-level competitors in the FIA World Rally Championship.




Jones has made the final ‘cut’ of just five drivers for the final of the 2025 TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program – securing a place from 100 drivers initially assessed.  


The first selection at Koda Circuit in Aichi, Nagoya, used Toyota’s GR86 model and narrowed the field of contenders down over several days of one practice lap and two time attack laps, with the top three from each session advancing to the semi-final.  


In the semi-final, drivers were evaluated less on lap times and more on car handling, pressure management and driving skill over a slightly altered course.  


Zeal and the other drivers completed one practice and two timed laps with both instructors, Mikko Hirvonen and Jouni Ampuja, who then hand-selected five finalists to advance to the Toyota Gazoo Racing WRC Challenge Program Generation 5 final in Finland, come December.  


Jones’ name was on the final list – as it was in last year’s competition. "If anything, I’m relieved,” he said.  


“Having gone through this last year, there was that added expectation to make it again, and we did. It was stressful, but I wanted to put my best foot forward, which it seems we did.”  


Jones has scored numerous podium finishes and stage wins during his debut Japanese rallying season - competing in the Morizo Challenge Cup along with a large number of potential young rally stars. A win has eluded him but he says he’s learned a lot.  


“We’ve learned a lot from last year’s experience and also from our year in Japan this season, where driving on the tarmac helped improve our smoothness, calmness, and overall understanding of what the instructors are looking for.  


“I’m really excited to go back to Finland, the rallying capital of the world. It’s a lifetime opportunity to drive on ice and snow in different cars and to be coached by WRC drivers across a week, which is truly world-class.  


“To be part of Toyota Gazoo Racing would be a dream. They are the reigning world manufacturers’ champions and are having a great season this year, practically dominating, so representing and earning a contract with a team like that would be an honour.  


“This year, nothing will be a surprise, and we can prepare better, knowing what to expect. My focus is on consistency, strong physical preparation, and proving that I’m an all-around driver capable of ultimately reaching the WRC team.”  


The TOYOTA GAZOO Racing WRC Challenge Program was established in 2015 with the ambition to identify and develop rally drivers from Japan who can compete on the world stage. Jones qualifies as his mother is Japanese.

The return of the Sadlers Garage Hanmer Memorial Rally 2025 to the Mainland Rally Championship has been welcomed by a fantastic 63 car entry for the final round of the series.  The one-day event this Saturday, 27 September 2025, will decide both overall and Class titles for the season. 




Heading into the rally with a maximum of 30-points on offer, Caleb Macdonald has a slim three-point lead over Robbie Stokes (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) with Deane Buist (Subaru Impreza) and Josh Marston (Holden Barina AP4) also in mathematical contention. 


However, Macdonald has opted not to enter with his focus on the upcoming NZ Rally Championship round at Bay of Plenty in two weeks’ time.


With Macdonald’s no show, it opens the way for Stokes to grab the title to be fought over seven Special Stages. 


He has a nice 17-point buffer over incumbent champion Deane Buist, with Marston a further five-points back. Marston won the last running of the event in 2018, winning seven of the eight completed stages. 


This year the rally will again be run in the Hanmer Forest Estate, in North Canterbury with approximately 76kms over seven Special Stages plus approximately 48 kms of Touring. All Special Stages are on good gravel roads with Stage Notes not permitted for this event.


Seven separate Class titles will be confirmed by Saturday evening with a maximum of 20-points available for first home in each Class. 


Although Josh Silcock/Ben Leech (Toyota Starlet) have affectively won Class A (2WD 0-1300cc), they will still line up for the final round along with rival Mike Matheson (Toyota Vitz) who should consolidate second in Class.


It’s a similar situation in In Class B (2WD 1601cc and over) with Ian Warren/Brody Cattermole (Nissan Pulsar) with an unbeatable 34-point lead over second placed Thomas Paul/Bridget Airey (Honda Civic).  Neither of the top two have entered the Hanmer Rally which gives the opportunity for James McIver (Ford Escort Mk2) to move into second in Class.


Having wrapped up the Class C (2WD 1601cc and over) title, Deane Buist will compete in the final round in a Class D Subaru Impreza. Currently third in Class C is Andrew Sim (Ford Escort Mk2) who has the opportunity to move up into second.


With Macdonald not on the start list, this hands the Class D title to Stokes who has a 25-point lead over Josh Marston.


With rival Nathan Fraser having not entered, Hayden Shakespeare (Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 3), who sits four-points behind, should win the Class E (4WD Classic) title.


The closest Class battle over the 2025 season has been in Class F (Classic 2WD) with just two points separating the top two.  With second-place Paul Cross (Toyota Corolla AE86) not having entered, this effectively hands the title to Stephen Gill (Ford Escort Mk2) while the fight will be between Pat Norris (Toyota Corolla) and Ally Mackay (Ford Escort Mk1) for third.


Tim Smith/Ben Trevelyan (Subaru Magnum H6) continue to lead Class H6 with an eight-point lead over second place Kevin Laird.


Details including spectator points can be found at autosport.org.nz. 


The first car leaves from Rally HQ at the Hanmer Springs Gateway Lodge, 35 Hanmer Springs Rd at 10:15am, finishing 4:00pm at the Final Control, which is also situated at the Hanmer Springs Gateway Lodge. 


The Service Park is on Jollies Pass Road.


The 2025 Mainland Rally Championship has the support of RDL Performance, Brita Safety Ltd, Palmside NZ Ltd, Christchurch Building and Decorating Ltd, Thomson Rust and Repair Services Ltd, Rally Drive NZ.