A host of top level Australian rally drivers will head across the Tasman next April to contest the Dunlop International Classic Rally of Otago when Dunedin once again hosts the southern hemisphere’s premier classic rally.

Brad Goldsbrough, Jeff David and Ross Dunkerton finished second, third and fourth in the 2009 event, and all are expected to return to try to take home the winner’s prize.

2009 Queensland Rally Champion Matt van Tuinen is embarking on a new challenge across the Tasman, competing in the Drivesouth Rally of Otago from 8-10 April. This is the first round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship.

The event marks a change for the VTRacing team, which has achieved top 5 results in the Australian Rally Championship over the last few years. It will be the first overseas event for Matt and his co-driver Nathan Long.

Keep up to date with news from the Rally of Otago on our Facebook page, which we're updating during the event.

New Zealand's leading rally driver, Hayden Paddon has finished the first day of the DriveSouth Rally of Otago with a commanding 1m33.4 second lead in his Subaru Impreza.

1981 World Rally Champion, Ari Vatanen, has shown that he's still got it by leading the DriveSouth Rally of Otago after the event's first nine stages in New Zealand.

Geraldine’s Hayden Paddon has a commanding lead after nine stages of the 2011 DriveSouth Rally of Otago, the Subaru STI driver finishing 1 minute 33.4 seconds ahead of the Mitsubishi of Rotorua’s Dean Sumner.

Hayden Paddon has won day two of the DriveSouth Rally of Otago by the slender margin of 3.5 seconds, giving him two wins in two days in his Subaru Impreza WRX.

The Stadium Cars International Classic Rally of Otago has received a major boost, with newly-signed Hyundai World Rally Championship driver, Hayden Paddon, confirming his entry in the May 10 and 11 event.
 
Paddon will be back behind the wheel of the Stadium Finance Ford Escort RS1800 that he last drove on the event two years ago.

Competitors, officials and spectators at this year’s Rally of Otago, to be held on May 10 and 11, will once again rest easy with Dunedin’s Scenic Hotel Southern Cross being the hotel of choice.