Motorsport: Rally championship changes points system

Alister McRae in action during the 2011 International Rally of Whangarei. Photo / John Stone - Northern Advocate

All competitors in next year's New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) have the opportunity to earn points towards the championship title following changes made to the structure by Rally New Zealand.

During the previous few seasons, the title of New Zealand rally champion could only be won by competitors in the top-tier category for Group N four-wheel-drive and Super 2000 cars.

The New Zealand Rally Championship is run by Rally New Zealand, which also runs three of the five events.

As Rally New Zealand chairman, Peter Johnston has been keen to see the championship grow and evolve since Rally New Zealand re-started running the series again in 2010.

"For our first year back running the championship, we had a very competitive and exciting season last year with Masterton's Richard Mason taking the Gold Star drivers' championship and the overall title of New Zealand rally champion for the third time,'' Johnston said.

"While we have had a regrettable delay in confirming the portfolio for the 2012 New Zealand Rally Championship, as an organisation we felt it was critical to get the regulations specified in the portfolio right.

"We are very conscious of the difficulties in putting together a professional rally campaign in the current economy, so with worldwide regulations on eligible car categories changing, we have essentially opened up the championship to a much wider range of eligible cars. For the Open 4WD and 2WD classes, in particular, many more existing rally cars are able to be entered in the championship.''

Johnston added: "We have also introduced three new classes of production category two-wheel-drive car for the 2012 NZRC. These are the FIA classes R1, R2 and R3 and examples are the Suzuki Swift 1600 R1, the Ford Fiesta R2 as built by M-Sport in the UK for this year's FIA WRC Academy, and the Citroën DS3 R3.''

The categories for the 2012 NZRC are: Group N 4WD and Super 2000, Group N 2WD plus FIA classes R1, R2 and R3, Open 4WD, Open 2WD including Kiwi 2 (subject to numbers), Historic rally cars.

"The Open 4WD class has some provisions, such as current specification Group N 4WD cars, such as Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 and 10 models and equivalent Subaru STI models, will be required to compete in the Group N field and comply with the relevant FIA regulations,'' Johnston said.

In 2012, it will also be possible for previous junior rally champions to win the title again up to the age limit of 25 on January 1, 2012. Also competitors can carry two spare tyres at all events if they choose and a `power stage' - as now features in World Rally Championship events - will be introduced to offer the chance of bonus points.

All events comprise two legs, or days, except Rally New Zealand which includes three days of competitive stages and Rally Otago where the first leg starts on Friday evening and continues on Saturday.

Calendar for next year:
Round 1: March 30-April 1, International Rally of Whangarei (NZRC / APRC)
Round 2: Apirl 27-29, Rally Wairarapa (NZRC)
Round 3: May 25-27, Rally Otago (NZRC)
Round 4: June 21-24, Rally New Zealand (NZRC / WRC and incorporating Possum Bourne Memorial Rally)
Round 5: August 25-26, Rally Gisborne (NZRC)