Paddon is still working on plans for next year's season.
He's been talking to teams and sponsors with the aim of stepping up a class from the production spec cars he's driven for the past two seasons to contest the World Rally Championship again next year.
Driven grabbed a few minutes with Paddon before he left on his trip to chat about the roadshow and what he might be up to next year.
Driven: What's going to be happening on the roadshow?
Paddon: We'll have Subaru posters and driver cards to be signed or people can bring along something of their own they want autographed.
We have merchandise to give away and we've been able to create a fantastic prize pack with the support of PlaceMakers and Rally New Zealand.
To enter to win two rally rides with me, team clothing, a $250 PlaceMakers voucher and two spectator passes to WRC Rally New Zealand in June next year, come along to see me at any of the locations listed below and fill in an entry form. It's free to enter and all the entries from all our locations around the country go in to win this great prize.
D: Getting back to winning a world title, when are you getting the trophy?
P: Good question. We head off to India in two weeks for the FIA prize gala and it'll be a special event to be at. Sebastien Loeb, Sebastian Vettel and all winners of FIA world championships will be there as well. It's not quite Monaco, but I reckon it'll be a real big black-tie event. It'll be all a bit new for us.
D: Other than the roadshow, what else will you be doing while you're back in New Zealand?
P: It'll be a busy time and we don't really have much time. The rally season starts in January because the Monte Carlo Rally is back on the calendar and it's always the first rally. We have to get our entry off to the FIA in the next month, so it's a mad dash to get everything organised.
D: I take it the same old problem is still there - show me the money?
P: That's right. Getting the budget sorted is the hardest thing and we have only three to four weeks to get as much of that sorted as possible. We're fighting the clock at the moment, but we're working really hard to get into the Super2000 World Rally Championship class where we need to be.
We're trying to work through exactly what car, what team and what budget we need.
D: There must be a few teams interested in signing you up for next year. I know you have to bring a big fat cheque, but who's keen to have you on board and, as Mikko Hirvonen has left Ford, have you called them?
P: We'll put our hands up for anything. We've been chatting to VW to try to put our name in the mix - and all the other manufacturers, to be honest. We don't know where we're going yet, but we have options with Mini, Skoda, Ford and Subaru for next year, but all require a budget. Gone are the days when talent was your calling card, but you have to work your way through it, so that's what we're doing.
D: You drove in a Subaru R4, which is a stepping stone to S2000 at the Wales Rally GB. In an ideal world, which class would you want to move to?
P: It's an option we have and something we're exploring.
We have a really good relationship with Subaru and we had a trip to Japan to see them last week and everyone there is really, really enthusiastic and there is a very good opportunity to carry on with them, but we have weigh up our options.
We are in S2000 at the moment in an R4 car that cannot keep up with the S2000 cars. The gap is still too big. Therefore from a career point of view, we still need to be winning and comparing ourselves to the other young guys.
Dates and times
Saturday, November 26, Paraparaumu
PlaceMakers, Kapiti Rd, 8am-9.30am
Saturday, November 26, Wellington
Armstrong Subaru, Cambridge Terrace, 1pm-2pm
Monday, November 28, Nelson
PlaceMakers, 52 Saxton Rd, 8am-10am
Tuesday, November 29, Christchurch
Showgate Lounge at Riccarton Raceway, 7.30am-9am
Tuesday, November 29, Timaru
PlaceMakers, Hilton Highway, 2pm-4pm
Wednesday, November 30, Dunedin
PlaceMakers, 86 Portsmouth Rd, 9am-11am
