New Zealand Rally Championship
The New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC) is New Zealand's leading off-road motor rally competition. A multi-event national championship has been held each year since 1975. Today the championship is held for a variety of classes based on engine capacity and further split by four or two wheel drive. The top class for a number of years has been the international Group N technical regulations and has been dominated by drivers of turbo-charged four wheel drive Mitsubishi Lancers and Subaru Imprezas.
| Category | Rallying |
|---|---|
| Country | New Zealand |
| Inaugural season | 1975 |
| Drivers' champion |  |
| Official website | nzrallychampionship.co.nz |
The New Zealand Rally Championship has been a launching pad for the career of many New Zealand drivers. Rod Millen and Possum Bourne being the most notable. Recently Hayden Paddon has used the series as a springboard to international competition, competing in the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship before moving on to the Production and Super 2000 World Rally Championships.
The championship was formed around the then newly created Rally New Zealand when it joined the World Rally Championship in 1977. Since then Rally New Zealand has frequently been the starring event of the NZRC and the event is current based in Auckland. The International Rally of Whangarei is also a round of the NZRC as well as being a round of the Asia-Pacific Rally Championship. The current six round championship also takes in events based in Otago and Canterbury regions with two events based at Wairarapa.
Champions
Sourced from:[1]
| Wins | Driver | Vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | Rod Millen | Mazda RX-3 |
| 1976 | Rod Millen | Mazda RX-3 |
| 1977 | Rod Millen | Mazda RX-3 |
| 1978 | Blair Robson | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 1979 | Paul Adams | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 1980 | Jim Donald | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 1981 | Jim Donald | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 1982 | Tony Teesdale | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 1983 | Malcolm Stewart | Ford Escort RS1800 |
| 1984 | Tony Teesdale | Nissan 240RS |
| 1985 | Brian Stokes | Ford Escort RS |
| 1986 | Neil Allport | Mazda RX-7 |
| 1987 | Tony Teesdale | MG Metro 6R4 |
| 1988 | Brian Stokes | Ford Sierra 4x4 |
| 1989 | Neil Allport | Mazda 323 4WD |
| 1990 | David Ayling | Mazda 323 4WD |
| 1991 | Possum Bourne | Subaru Legacy |
| 1992 | Neil Allport | Mazda 323 GTX |
| 1993 | Joe McAndrew | Subaru Legacy |
| 1994 | Joe McAndrew | Subaru Legacy |
| 1995 | Reece Jones | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1996 | Joe McAndrew | Subaru Legacy |
| 1997 | Reece Jones | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1998 | Geoff Argyle | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 1999 | Geoff Argyle | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 2000 | Bruce Herbert | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 2001 | Bruce Herbert | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2002 | Bruce Herbert | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2003 | Bruce Herbert | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2004 | Chris West | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2005 | Richard Mason | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2006 | Richard Mason | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2007 | Sam Murray | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2008 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 2009 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 2010 | Dean Sumner | Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution |
| 2011 | Richard Mason | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2012 | Richard Mason | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2013 | Hayden Paddon | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 2014 | Richard Mason | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2015 | Ben Hunt | Subaru Impreza WRX |
| 2016 | David Holder | Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX |
| 2017 | Andrew Hawkeswood | Mazda 2 AP4+ |
| 2018 | Hayden Paddon | Hyundai i20 AP4+ |
| 2019 | Ben Hunt | Subaru Impreza WRX STI |
| 2020 | No 2020 Championship | |