The Rally New Zealand crews who drove over the start ramp at The Strand in Tauranga on Friday evening will return to the Bay of Plenty later today.
The 54-car rally field, headed by Hyundai World Rally Championship driver Hayden Paddon, is contesting Saturday's first leg of high-speed gravel competition on Raglan Coast roads with six stages providing 145km of competition.
The itinerary brings the rally cars and their support crews back to Tauranga this evening.The speedway pit area at ASB Baypark Stadium becomes a rally car service area with teams allowed 45 minutes to complete repairs and ready the cars ahead of Sunday's rallying.
The long return trip from the finish of the Te Akau South stage will bring the first car to Baypark soon after 6pm for a 6.25pm check-in time. Following the service halt the cars will be held in an overnight parc ferme at Baypark.
Tomorrow'srestart from Baypark sees the first car on the road at 8.20am and heading south towards Matata where the opening test runs through the 24.45km McIvor Rd and Manawahe Rd special stage that featured in Rally New Zealand during the 1980s and 1990s.