Truly International Entry Set For Catlins

MEDIA RELEASE
31 JULY 2007

Truly International Entry Set For Catlins

The popularity of the Catlins Coast Rally has attracted entries from all corners of New Zealand over the past few years as well as enticing several Australian entries across the Tasman. However the 2007 event which takes place on Saturday will feature one entrant who is truly an international competitor.

Jason Keach of Townsville is the thirty-third seed for the event in his Ford Escort Mk1. However the Australian reveals he was actually born in Balclutha, the finishing point of the rally. To add even more international flavour he say's he is currently working working in Ghana in North-West Africa. "I am a mechanical engineer in the drilling industry and I work five month's on and one off and I have timed it right for Catlins. I should be on my way back to Ghana on Thursday but I have managed to stretch it out so I can compete. I leave first thing on the Monday morning after the rally for Brisbane, Dubai and then Africa again."

Keach has been in Australia since 1988 after spending his early years in the South Otago, Taieri and Central Otago regions of New Zealand. Ironically his co-driver, Peter McMillan from Cairns, originally comes from Southland but has spent the last twenty-five years in Australia. Keach and McMillan did not know each other before they moved to Australia, Keach meeting McMillan through his mother-in-law. In another ironic twist McMillan is the brother of Brian McMillan of Te Anau who is also competing in the rally driving a Subaru Legacy while Brian's son Shaun is seeded at number ten in the event in his Subaru Impreza.

While McMillan has not taken part in a lot of motorsport Keach has experience in both Off Road racing and rallying. "I won the Queensland Championship for buggy's and 4-wheel-drives and I have rallied an ex-works, Group 1 Subaru RX Turbo. I have just built up the Escort. I bought it as a wreck after it was rolled and gave it a complete rebuild. It's a 2 litre Mk 1 RS2000."

Keach decided to make the trip to New Zealand to compete after hearing that the roads in the Catlins were really good. Of this weekend's event he says, "it is the first run with the new car so we will use the rally to iron out a few problems and have fun. I don't know the roads so I'm going in blind so I am here to have some fun."

Ends

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