Taranaki Tarmac Rally: Thrills and spills during North Island Rally Series

From left: Mike Goldsbury and Kerry Bell (third place), Phil Campbell and Brianna Little (first place) and Brooklyn Horan and Michael Connor (second place). Photo / Ian Thornton

Over 30 rally car drivers raced into town for the SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac Rally late last month.

The SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac Rally was the second round of the North Island Rally Series. It was the first time the rally took place since 2016, says South Taranaki Car Club secretary Helen Cameron.

She says the Taranaki Car Club and South Taranaki Car Club joined together to run the event, which ran as a Clubmans Rally, meaning a maximum of 50 cars could enter and making it manageable for the two clubs to run.

While 34 cars sped off from the starting flag at Stratford Park to contest the four-stage rally, only 27 finished, she says.

Brooklyn Horan, 14, with navigator Michael Connor. Photo / Ian Thornton

Phil Campbell and navigator Brianna Little from Tauranga came first in their Ford Fiesta AP with a time of 45 minutes and 23 seconds.

Following close behind in second place were Brooklyn Horan, 14, from Auckland and his navigator Michael Connor, from Taupō. While Brooklyn is too young to legally drive on open roads, thanks to the rally organisers having successfully applied road closures on some parts of the route, Brooklyn was able to drive on those roads during the event while Michael drove on the open road sections.

Their time of 46 minutes and 06.9 seconds in their Ford Fiesta didn’t just earn them second place overall, but also first in their class.

Coming third with a time of 47 minutes and 00.2 seconds in a Toyota Corolla DX were Mike Goldsbury and Kerry Bell from Taumarunui.

A good number of spectators were out watching the stages, with many visiting Stratford Park, where the cars were serviced during the day, Helen says. All profits from the day went to the Stratford Park project.

She says with many experienced officials coming from outside of the region, teamwork was the key to the “successful resurrection” of the Taranaki Tarmac Rally and discussions are already taking place for next year’s planning.

Results:

First - Phil Campbell/Brianna Little, Ford Fiesta AP4, 45mins 23 seconds.

Second - Brooklyn Horan/Michael Connor, Ford Fiesta, 46mins 06.9 seconds.

Third - Mike Goldsbury/Kerry Bell, Toyota Corolla DX, 47mins 00.2 seconds.