NZME sports journalist Nathan Limm was thrilled to get the chance to ride along in a rally car.
Video / NZ Herald
Two of the country's most prominent drivers are alerting Kiwis to the enormity of Aotearoa's rally presence in 2022.
The World Rally Championship returns to Auckland later this year for the first time in a decade, running from 29 September to 2 October.
Five-time New Zealand Rally Championship winner HaydenPaddon is headlining the Kiwi contingent for the event. Paddon claimed all 18 stages at the Rally of Whangarei last month for his second round win of the season to go with the Rally of Otago in April.
Paddon says the prospect of Rally New Zealand in September has sent the sport's popularity skyrocketing.
"Even in the national championship, there are a lot of people excited. In the media, there are a lot of people talking about it and reporting on it and that's just creating a great profile for the sport," said Paddon. "It's in the best place it's ever been and Rally New Zealand will be the cherry on top."
Even so, Paddon says the average New Zealander is clueless about the magnitude of the WRC.
Paddon expects between 80,000 and 100,000 spectators to turn out over the four days.
"It's big for a New Zealand sporting event, but in a lot of places in Europe, you'll get half a million spectators. The size of the sport and how popular it is over there is very hard to understand in this part of the world. In places like Scandinavia, rallying to them is what rugby is to us."
The Race Torque driver made his Australian Rally Championship debut in Canberra last month. Van Gisbergen was never lower than fourth across the 13 stages, winning special stage 12 and the rally-ending power stage.
Van Gisbergen has confirmed his intention to compete in the NZRC's Rally Hawke's Bay next month alongside co-driver and former Australian champion Glen Weston.
Paddon said the Kiwi star was equipped to handle the switch to rallying.
"He knows how to drive cars. With rallying the biggest thing is notes and how you use those. He's been doing an awesome job and it'll be cool to see him do some rallies over here as well."
Team Online Racing's Todd Bawden has been on the New Zealand rallying scene for decades, and says competition between teams is cutthroat.
"Anything could happen between the top 10 cars and the money being spent on cars in New Zealand is phenomenal. These cars are not cheap, they're $400,000 plus everything else. You're looking at $600,000."
Bawden and co-driver Paul Burburough were last year's Group NZ winners and placed fifth overall in Category 1. He says the sport has grown immensely.
"It went through a flat period when we lost the world championship. I came back last year and I was blown away by the strength and value of the cars. This year is the pinnacle of where it's ever been."
NZME journalist Nathan Limm with Kiwi rally driver Todd Bawden at the Rally of Whangarei. Photo / Supplied
Rally New Zealand is expected to attract the biggest names in the sport.
Among those are nine-time WRC champion Sebastian Loeb and fellow Frenchman and eight-time winner Sebastian Ogier.
Bawden says the international drivers will be keenly anticipating their trip downunder.
"They'll be fizzing to get to New Zealand, 'cause they're the best roads in the world, besides Finland. It's going to be a spectacle."
Bawden says this will likely be his last opportunity to be part of the event and is encouraging as many Kiwis as possible to get behind the rally.
"It's Formula 1 on gravel. We can't go overseas as easily as we could so let's support what's on our back doorstep."
Bawden says the next few months will be about fine-tuning as they build towards the pinnacle of his career.
"Our goal is to finish every event. Without the miles, you've got nothing so you've got to be patient. You want to also push hard but find your limits."
'Rainbow's End on steroids'
Rallying is often described as "Formula 1 on gravel". As someone with zero experience of sitting in the passenger seat alongside Lewis Hamilton, I would adjust the simile: "Rainbow's End on steroids."
Just getting into Todd Bawden and Phil Burburough's brand new Ford Fiesta R5 MkII was akin to preparing to blast off into space.
I'm wedged hard into my seat - the various belts cutting into my flesh to the point I can barely breathe. Unwisely, I mention the tightness to the man strapping me in. "Hmmm," he says when he hears me squeak. "It mustn't be tight enough." He grunts as he wrenches the straps at my shoulder to collarbone-breaking point.
NZME journalist Nathan Limm at the Rally of Whangarei. Photo / Supplied
My anguish at the tautness quickly dissipates into gratitude once Bawden slams the accelerator and my body becomes a sack of jelly.
It feels like we're flying - and at many points these cars are in flight - while the Italian tyres grip and spit dust and shards of rock behind us. Barriers whip past, just inches from my pale yet exhilarated face as adrenaline surges through my veins.
My frail flesh-and-blood frame is soon powerless to the anger of the cold steel frame, as the 320 horsepower engine roars.
And then, as if we emerging from hyperspace, the ride is over. In just 52.6sec the Ford has chewed up and spat out a 1km winding, gritty gravel stretch.
