The popular Australian husband and wife team of Keith and Mary-Anne Callinan will return to New Zealand in May for another shot at the Dunlop International Classic Rally of Otago.

With last year’s Otago Rally winning Ford Escort RS1800 sold to Bryce Biggs, Deane Buist will attempt to defend his title in an unfamiliar car this weekend.

The official entry list for the 2009 Rally of Otago has been released. The rally has attracted 88 entries, in the following categories:

New Zealand Rally Championship: 22 entries

Allcomers Rally: 27 entries

Dunlop Classic Rally: 39 entries

VIEW THE 2009 ENTRY LIST HERE

The world’s greatest female rally driver, Michele Mouton, will drive an ex-works Audi Quattro at this year’s Otago Rally in Dunedin, New Zealand.

A huge crowd has tonight turned out at Dunedin's Edgar Centre to take in the inaugural Rally of Otago Rally Show.

The field for the Dunlop International Classic Rally of Otago may be a little thinner in terms of overseas drivers than in past years, but the form guide hints that the battle for victory could be just as intense as always.

Last year’s winner, Finnish star Pasi Hagstrom, is not competing this year, but his place in the field has been taken by one of the legendary McRae clan – Alister.

This year’s Rally of Otago will see two lady drivers at the pointy end of the field, proving that you don’t have to be a man to be successful in the dirty and dusty world of rallying.

French lady, Michele Mouton, is widely regarded as the greatest female rally driver of all time, but a local Kiwi girl will also be challenging the boys for victory when the event gets under way on May 10.

Finland’s Pasi Hagstrom is on target to end the Ford Escort RS1800 domination of the Dunlop International Otago Classic Rally, and holds a commanding lead at the end of the first day of the event.

Former champion, and round one winner, Richard Mason, will start the Rally of Otago eager to build on his points haul in this year’s New Zealand Rally Championship.

Mason delivered the first blow in his battle with 2008 NZ Champion, Hayden Paddon, in the Hawke’s Bay Rally, taking victory ahead of former Dunedin girl Emma Gilmour, and the experienced Geof Argyle.

Rally fans are being given the opportunity to take part in an exclusive dinner, to be hosted by former World Rally Championship star, Michele Mouton, in the week leading up to the Otago Rally.

Mouton, a former works driver for the Audi factory team in the famed Group B era of the WRC, will be in New Zealand to drive a Ford Escort RS1800 in the southern hemisphere’s best classic gravel rally.