Internationally rated Hayden Paddon will be in Hawke's Bay for the Kennedy Park Resort Rally Hawke's Bay. Photo File
Internationally rated Hayden Paddon will be in Hawke's Bay for the Kennedy Park Resort Rally Hawke's Bay. Photo File
Hundreds of motorsports enthusiasts have gathered in Napier for the Kennedy Park Resort Rally Hawke's Bay which will be raced through forestry and rural roads north and northwest of Napier on Saturday.
It's the 4th leg of the New Zealand Rally Championship, with 68 cars entered and drivers including internationally-ratedHayden Paddon.
A ceremonial start was taking place late Friday afternoon near the Soundshell on Napier's Marine Parade, where the cars had been on display, and racing over more than 7 hours was due for a staggered start in Napier from 6.30am on Saturday.
The rally includes 6 special stages, starting with 33km from the western end of Waitara Rd, through Pohokura Rd towards Tutira.
Next is the 26.2km Cricklewood stage, regarded as an "old favourite" for rally drivers, followed by the 34.5km Waihi stage on State Highway 38 between the Taupo-Rotorua highway and Wairoa, the Mohaka coach road stage of 16.8km and then the 19.2km of the Waipunga stage, including Darkies Spur.
Road closures have been granted by the Hastings and Wairoa district councillors on the mainly-gravelled stretches where racing will take place. Cars are due back in Napier just after 4pm.
