Rally Xtreme Challenge Confirms Major Sponsors and Events

Rally Xtreme Challenge Confirms Major Sponsors and Events

As the countdown to the 2012 rally season continues, the preparations for the inaugural Rally Xtreme Challenge are gaining pace. As a result, series co-ordinator Geof Argyle is pleased to announce two significant developments, the naming of key sponsors and confirmation of the events that will form the 5 round challenge in 2012.

“We’re delighted that Total and Go Pro have come on board”, say Argyle. “The addition of these sponsors will provide a great foundation for the challenge”.

Total Lubricants have been long time supporters of motorsport, both internationally and locally, so to step up as the naming sponsor for the Total Lubricants Rally Xtreme Challenge is a great addition to their New Zealand activities.

Racetech have been suppliers of the GoPro range of cameras for some time and with the introduction of the GoPro HD Hero 2, professional quality in-car video is now affordable for the average competitor. Partnering GoPro with this challenge is therefore a natural environment to promote this technology.

Argyle is also pleased to be able to confirm the 5 rounds that will make up the challenge series. The Daybreaker Rally has advised of a change in their date, with the event now running on 14th July. The other significant change being the decision by the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally to withdraw from the Rally Xtreme Challenge, and the resulting inclusion of the Tomoana Warehousing Hawkes Bay Rally on 9th June.

Starting in Waipukurau, the Hawkes Bay Car Club is planning 9 special stages around the southern Hawkes Bay. “We are very pleased to welcome the Hawkes Bay rally into the challenge”, says Argyle. “It has been a while since they’ve used the roads around Waipukurau, so it will be great to be able to compete there again”.

The final calendar of events for the Total Lubricants Rally Xtreme Challenge is:

Shakedown - 24 - 25 March - Whariti Hillclimb, Woodville
Round 1 - 28 April - Trusthouse Racetech Rally Wairarapa (Saturday only)
Round 2 - 9 June - Tomoana Warehousing Hawkes Bay Rally
Round 3 - 14 July - Daybreaker Rally, Manawatu
Round 4 - 8 September - Maramarua Forest
Round 5 - 13 October - Pahia Rally, Rally of the North.

With each event having its own unique character the Rally Xtreme Challenge looks set to provide a highly competitive inaugural series. “It’s exciting to get this far and the support we have received has been very positive”, adds Argyle.

With registrations rolling in, it is clear that the concept of a high level competition series, that is affordable in both time and money, is inclusive, and has television coverage, is attractive.

After nine years competing in the country’s top level rally championship, the 2010 NZ Rally Champion Dean Sumner has decided to contest the Total Lubricants Rally Xtreme Challenge. In a recent interview with Speedstuff.co.nz he commented “The NZRC just isn’t really that attractive any more due to the cost of competing at that level”. For Dean the costs of having to run at international events are a major expense.

“The Rally Xtreme just looks a lot more competitor friendly from a cost and time perspective.” Sumner said. “It suits me really well with all of the events being in the North Island and only one day events”.........“It’s a shame to see things go down this path with the NZRC field reducing but the stepping stone currently from club level to NZRC is absolutely huge, and basically no-one is coming through.......I see Rally Xtreme as providing that stepping stone.”

Geof Argyle agrees. “We aren’t wanting to detract from the NZRC or the regional series, we want to complement them to get more people competing all round. Over the last few years I’ve noticed the decline in [competitor] numbers and rather than just grumbling we’re doing something to try and entice them back out”.

There are many reasons why competitors don’t have the time and dollar budget to undertake a full NZ Rally Championship season, but who still want to compete at a national level. Whether they be stepping up from regional competitions or looking to use the machinery and skills they already have, this challenge provides them with a reason to get out in front of the motorsport fans, to show how exciting rallying in NZ is.

Registrations for the Total Lubricants Rally Xtreme Challenge are open now and can be completed on-line at www.rallyxtreme.co.nz

Calendar: Total Lubricants RALLY XTREME Challenge
Shakedown - 24 - 25 March - Whariti Hillclimb, Woodville
Round 1 - 28 April - Trusthouse Racetech Rally Wairarapa
Round 2 - 9 June - Tomoana Warehousing Hawkes Bay Rally
Round 3 - 14 July - Daybreaker Rally, Manawatu
Round 4 - 8 September - Maramarua Forest
Round 5 - 13 October - Pahia Rally, Rally of the North

© Scoop Media