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.

Social networking is the current trend, and the Otago Rally is moving with the times and now has a dedicated page on Facebook.

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.

New Zealand rally fans have been offered a once in a lifetime chance, with the opportunity to enjoy dinner with rallying legends Ari Vatanen and Fabrizia Pons.

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.

Finland's Ari Vatanen heads the entry list for April's DriveSouth Rally of Otago, with a high quality field ready to assemble in Dunedin.

Vatanen will take on last year's Classic Rally winner, Derek Ayson, while reigning champion Dean Sumner will lead off the field in the opening round of the New Zealand Rally Championship.

CLICK HERE for the full DriveSouth Rally of Otago entry list.

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.

Rally fans are being given the opportunity of a lifetime, with the chance to ride in a Ford Escort RS1800 driven by 1981 World Rally Champion, Ari Vatanen.

The Rally of Otago, in conjunction with Rossendale Wines, are auctioning two rides with Vatanen, one in Christchurch, and the other around the tarmac street stage during the Rally of Otago in Dunedin.

The opening round of the 2011 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship has seen top rally driver Hayden Paddon secure a comprehensive win at the DriveSouth Rally of Otago.