Tail End of 2022 Series

We’re leading into the final round of the Northern Rallysprint Series. SACC providing a slightly different final round format in Maramarua Forest, steering away from their usual dual stage spread. 9kms of forest action, no WOF or rego rqd, easy. Bolt on a set of your best treads and prepare to race. The event is still fundamentally the James Allen Memorial Rallysprint with a well-attended prizegiving at the end of the day at the Red Fox, a refreshing way to wash away the dust.

Competitors will be looking to pin their ears back and bring home the bacon with a good result at the event contributing to the final points tallies. Whether you’re out there blowing off the cobwebs or in full race mode, its serious business when the start clock shines green. Chocolate fish racing at its best, the silver foxes, the accomplished drivers, the weekend warriors and those just set on finishing the day, all of you make up this excellent series.

 

Get ready to crown the series winner, Charlie Evans has set a blistering pace all year round. Hard to swallow, a 2WD trumping the field. Do take note on the overall series trophy being awarded at prizegiving, just how many 2WD drivers have accomplished this feat. Dave Strong, Colin Gibson and Derek Payne are all front runners for 2nd & 3rd overall placings, a cat’s whisker, or should I say minuet engine clearance, between them.

In class tiers, there’s nothing better than benchmarking yourself against your closest rivals. Classes A & E proving the closest of margins, also where you might end up if you push your luck too far in the forest and connect with a tree. Congratulations to Nastassia Subritzki being the only other female driver, other than our favourite Emma Gilmour, competing in the series. Competition is equally tight looking at the co-driver standings, co-drivers positioning pivoted on how well their drivers perform.

Don’t take the limelight off these guys and gals, it’s serious business. Last time I had my driver call notes to me we got to the 4th corner, some cussing then ‘go, go, go’ or ‘careful here’ replacing the intricate notes system.

 

The paddock pits banter, the competitor comradery, mate’s vs mate’s in clubsport’s finest racing. The northern rallysprint series has offered up a good hearty 6-round series this year with all of your favourite roads and favourite people.

It’s been a positive 2022 year, with inflation nipping at people’s heels and a variety of events to compete in, the NRSS series remains strong and has had a good following despite absences of some of the top drivers. Thus, in turn has allowed others to rise in the ranks which is enlightening to see new faces walk away with top honours. The series attendance is testament to good wholesome, cost-effective rally events, the bridging level to our clubman’s or national events.

A big thank you to series sponsors CPS & Suspension Tech. To Neil Allport for his valuable pace notes, Grant Liston for points collation and points queries. Jason Byrne for impeccable photography and website admin – on that note please support Jason with his Little Bit Sideways publications, if you like it, subscribe to it!!  There’s also Geoff Ridder and Matt Smith dotted in there on precarious corners providing fine imagery of your finest and worst moments. The convenors Dont Brunt, Wayne Sim and Grant Liston. The bread-and-butter staples for a good rallysprint recipe.

The series wraps up with prizegiving, set for October 15th, at the South Auckland Car Clubrooms. Kicking off at 5pm, catch up with mates before we roll into the night hosted by Steve Goodare and Stumpy Holmes. A recap of the 22 series sets the scene before we move into prizegiving, thanking our very loyal sponsors for their support throughout the season then general banter and competitor feedback. Join us for an evening where the timekeeping isn’t quite as critical as on raceday.