Maungatapere's Patrick Malley is touted as having the best shot of the Northlanders to knock off one of the top guys in tomorrow's penultimate round of the Northern Rallysprint Series.
The 30-year-old has just bought a brand new Peugeot 208 with a difference and will be putting it to thetest when the event starts on Ruarangi Rd, Mangapai, at 10am.
Malley's Peugeot is powered by Mitsubishi Evo running gear and has already proven to be one of the fastest four-wheel-drive vehicles in Northland - winning the Northland Car Club's Hartnell Rd Hill Climb last month.
Aside from Malley, fellow Northlanders Carl Adnitt, Brendan Oakden, Barry Armige, and Alan Strong are confirmed as racing tomorrow's event.
For the Northland Car Club the event, which is a North Island series of races, serves as a good chance for locals to test themselves.
Several Northland drivers will take part in the event purely for the challenge of seeing where they sit next to their counterparts from around the North Island.
Northland Car Club publicity officer Alan Strong said while no Northlanders were in the running to win the Rallysprint series title, it was always good for them to test themselves against others and their cars.
"It sort of keeps us involved and gives our members a rallysprint to compete in and compete against other cars from further down country." Spectators can watch the event on Ruarangi Rd, which was a popular viewing spot for the recent International Rally of Whangarei.
"The best place is at Graham Rd because you can drive up and walk up to the paddock," he said, adding that spectators needed to listen to marshals' instructions to keep them safe.
Strong said there would be pits set up at the corner of Mangapai and Paparoa Rd and people were welcome to come along and check out the cars.
The Rallysprint Series has already been to South Auckland, Pukekohe and Thames Valley Car Club hosted events.
The final round will be an event hosted by the Hibiscus Coast Car Club.
