Rally NZ this w/e

[B1NZ]

maybe throw Sebastian Ogier in the mix there somewhere as well

[XS1V]

I will be there Friday night, its my birthday celebrations too Then everywhere else in the weekend, two more years and maybe the Celica will be ready for the Possum Bourne next time

Solberg for top honors, Paddon should be first kiwi and I look forward to a good showing from Ogier

Brad

[Malcolm]

Just spend about an hour watching the shakedown in the domain, the super special stage is going to be awesome. They've made a pretty sweet track, and the cars are pretty loose on the gravel tyres! I made a quick map of the circuit for the benefit of those intending to go (since I couldn't find anything decent on the Rally NZ website).



Heaps of good spots to watch, the corner leading on to the Crescent is pretty sweet (coming downhill at speed into a very sharp right hander), and the temporary chicane going from the crescent to lower domain drive will be pretty awesome when they're really pushing (I'm predicting at least one crash on the exit of the second corner), the right hander on lower domain drive before the left hander into lovers lane is pretty good too, and the run up lovers lane is very narrow and twisty. Even the first left hander after the start looks pretty good.

[xsspeed]

I reckon lovers lane will be awesome, like you say pretty narrow.

I can't decide where to watch from!

[XS1V]

We are just going to have to move around to get a bit of each

Brad

[Malcolm]

my map is better.

[XS1V]

my map is better.

Ahhhhhh, the age old "my map is better" debate

Brad

[TRD Man]

I see that everything climaxes in Lover's Lane.

[Mr Revhead]

Oh dear

[TRD Man]

Corny, I know!

[Mr Revhead]

For those of you stuck at work:
http://www.chrissport.co.nz/resultsDeta ... d_event=90

[Mr Revhead]

Well after 2 stages it's Tapper, Mason then Paddon quite close.
No one picked Tapper! Is that because no one expects him to finish?

[XS1V]

Actually, fastest kiwi in stage 1 is Geoff Argyle sitting 12th overall!! Very impressive drive in the Possum field

Also of note, according to the site Tapper is in an A8 class Evo 7, possibly an ex works car??

Brad

[Mr Revhead]

Oh missed him.... Was looking at WRC results
Yeah, after stage 2 its Tapper, Argyle, Mason then Paddon. All covered by 5.7s. Which at this stage may as well be even!
Is Argyle running a group N car?

[XS1V]

He normally does yes I would expect Tapper to have the edge on the other as he is driving a group A car but its good to see the main group of kiwis right up there

Brad

[Mr Revhead]

Actually I think Argyle's in a Group A.
Him and Tapper listed as running class 4.
However I can't find a list of what the classes are....

[XS1V]

Sebastian just posted a time 1:23 slower than Petter over stage 4...... Something happened in there, puncture possibly

Brad

[TRD Man]

Class 4 is the NZRC Open 4WD category - essentially Group A.
The difference between is not so much these days with GrpN moving to a 33mm restrictor.
Argyle has always run this car.
I must admit I overlooked Tapper and notice that Hawkeswood's not there. I wonder he had to pull out and Tapper took over his entry.
Good placings by all the top Kiwis at the moment.

[TRD Man]

Heard Loeb hit a bridge.

[gurutasker]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/motorsport ... ew-Zealand