4x4 Trials: Two rounds of national series this weekend at Rangiwahia

Dan Cowper, seen here co-driving for Palmerston North's Stuart Earle, leads the C Class section coming into the second and third rounds of the National 4x4 Trials this weekend.

The second and third rounds of the 2019-20 National 4x4 Trials will be held at Rangiwahia this weekend.

Manawatu's Mike Gee-Taylor, who is a member of the Wanganui 4WD club, is hosting the Northern Zone Trial tomorrow on the 2247 Rangiwahia Rd property, while Sunday will be the Central Zone Trial at 434 Marshall Rd.

The first round of the series was the 4x4 Rampage, held in early November at Downard Rd near Whakatane.

Turakina's former national champion, truck builder and Extreme 4x4 organiser Dan Cowper won the C Class grade against seven other drivers.

The headline unlimited power D Class grade is missing the presence of Whanganui's former national champion Hamish Auret, who for the second year in a row suffered a serious leg injury right before the season began.

However, while Auret and co-driver Paul Barnes only missed the first round in 2018-19, Auret is stepping away for the full season this time after his leg took a hard hit to a post while he was breaking in a young horse.

The injury required surgery and a long rehabilitation, giving Auret a chance to strip his chev-engine truck right down to get it ready for next season.

Of the other Wanganui 4WD club members taking part this year, Kevin Hermansen is in D Class and finished eighth in Whakatane.

Grant Harrison made his comeback to the sport and finished 24th of the 32 trucks in the class.

Leading the series once again is Auckland's Scott Biggs, who has "done the double" by winning both the national series and the Extreme challenge in the last two years.

Second at Whakatane was Taupiri's Greg McDell, while Biggs' brother Jarred Biggs was third.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Dargaville' Aaron Guest and Taupiri's Dave McKie.

The trucks will take to the course tomorrow from 8.30am.