Bid for a ride at the Otago Rally tarmac Super stage with British Rally Champion, Gwyndaf Evans, in a legendary Ford Escort BDA.  This will be at high speed, four laps of a city block, 2.15km distance, in front of a big crowd.
 

Dunedin’s Emma Gilmour plans to stamp her authority on this year’s Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, powered by Brother, when the championship’s third round, Drivesouth Rally Otago, takes place in her home town this weekend.
 
But Gilmour will be facing significant challenges to her title bid from current championship leader Coromandel’s Alex Kelsey, defending champion Masterton’s Richard Mason and former champion Timaru’s Chris West as the 25 to 27 May event takes place on gravel roads around Dunedin city.
 

The 2012 DriveSouth Rally of Otago starts in Dunedin tonight with three special stages to the south and west of the city. Competitor will face 57 kilometres of stages on the first night.

The weather is currently overcast, but fine, with little likelihood of rain. Rain on Thursday night should have settled the dust, and competitors are eager to get the event underway.

Follow the 2012 DriveSouth Rally of Otago as it happens with our results service.

New Zealand's leading rally driver, Hayden Paddon, leads the Stadium Cars / Nichibo International Classic Rally of Otago by almost a minute after the first three night stages of the event.

Multiple New Zealand Champion, Richard Mason, holds a commanding 35.5 second lead after the opening three stages of the 2012 DriveSouth Rally of Otago.

A punctured tyre has ended Hayden Paddon's hopes of winning the Stadium Cars / Nichibo International Classic Rally of Otago for 2012.

Paddon was dominating the event in a brand new Ford Escort RS1800 and held a one minute and 20 second lead after eight special stages, but his victory hopes were dashed on the very next test.

Multiple New Zealand Rally Champion, Richard Mason, holds a commanding 53.2 second lead after the second day of the DriveSouth Rally of Otago.

Mason and his co-driving wife, Sara, put their Subaru into a clear lead over Chris West's Mitsubishi, as Sloan Cox slipped to third.

Organisers of the Rally of Otago are expecting an April date for the 2012 event, although confirmation is still some way off.

Planning for next year’s rally is already well advance, however the final date is subject to official confirmation, and will be confirmed once the date for the Hamilton V8 Supercar round is locked in.

We've added more in-car videos from the 2010 Otago Rally, including some fantastic driving and some big crashes.

Watch them now!

The 2010 Otago Rally has had a route plotted that will provide a fantastic challenge for all competitors, and will draw together all the factors that have made rallying in New Zealand world class.  

The 2010 Otago Rally will include a number of changes, including brand new stages, when the event kicks off in central Dunedin on Friday, April 9.