World rally driver Hayden Paddon takes a commanding lead into day two of the Dunedin Isuzu Otago Rally after a dominant opening day of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship.

The annual New Zealand versus the rest of the world battle resumes again this weekend with the running of the International Otago Classic Rally in Dunedin.

With the opening round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship now just one week away, we thought we’d check out each of the classes before the crews hit the gravel in Otago.

An impressive field of 115 cars and drivers will converge on Dunedin from April 13 to 15 for the 2018 DriveSouth / Dunedin Isuzu Otago Rally.

The 2018 Otago Rally poster is now available for you to download, and features photos of last year's Classic Rally and NZRC winners, Markko Martin and David Holder.

Legendary co-driver, Lofty Drews, will be a special guest at the 2018 Drivesouth/Dunedin Isuzu Otago Rally, and will speak at the rally's popular pre-event dinner.

Three-time Welsh Rally Champion, Meirion Evans, is the latest international entry for the 2018 Otago Classic Rally.

Popular Norwegian rally star Mads Østberg will be the star driver at this year's Otago Classic Rally in New Zealand.

25-year old Dunedin panel beater, Ian Warren, has been selected as the Otago Rally Scholarship winner for 2018.