Gold Coast driver Chris Atkinson has rallied all over the globe, but reckons the roads used in the Brother International Rally of Whangarei are the world's best.
The 32-year-old returned to Whangarei to take part in this year's rally, and at yesterday's Shakedown at Pohe Island, he said he had the most fun in years when he claimed the Rally of Whangarei title in 2011, as part of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship.
"We've competed here for the last two years. The roads here are some of the best in the world - if not the best. Ask any driver and they will tell you that - it's such a great rally to compete in," Atkinson said.
The accomplished Australian driver has been rallying since 2001. He drove in the World Rally Championship for the Subaru World Rally Team from 2004-2008, where his best finish on an individual WRC event was second, at the 2008 Rally Mexico and Rally Argentina. Other podium placings included third place finishes at the 2005 Rally Japan and the 2008 Monte Carlo Rally.
In 2010, Atkinson began a partnership with the Proton R3 Rally Team, competing in the APRC. He drove a Proton Satria Neo Super 2000, alongside co-driver Stephane Prevot from Belgium, and it was in this car the pair claimed the 2011 Rally of Whangarei crown.
Atkinson's Whangarei win was the first of three APRC rally victories last season driving for Proton. Countering these successes were two DNFs, leaving Atkinson to finish second in the championship to then teammate Alister McRae.
However, Atkinson and Prevot have recently changed teams, and will line up today for the start of the Rally of Whangarei in their Skoda Fabia, racing for Team MRF, with aims to repeat last year's success at Whangarei, and go one better in the six-round APRC.
"Our preparation seems to be going good and we're happy with the car, although we haven't raced it yet - we will see how it goes," Atkinson said.
The 49 entrants across all the grades in this year's 2012 Brother International Rally of Whangarei is down on last year's 72 drivers.
However, the rally has promised plenty of action with high calibre drivers taking part. The rally gets underway today , leaving Quayside Town Basin at 7am for special stage one at Parahi, at 8.30am.
The cars return to Whangarei at 11.19am for special stage four, before heading back to the districts, and finishing the day with special stage eight, again at Pohe Island, at 4.34pm.
Tomorrow , the cars leave Quayside Town Basin at 6.45am for more racing. The cars will return to the Town Basin for the ceremonial finish at 3pm.