Palmer wins second consecutive Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series title

Defending Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series champion Quentin Palmer (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) has won the title after finishing first NIRS entrant home at the Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty on Saturday. Second NIRS competitors were William Menzies/Doug Dolan (Toyota GR Yaris Rally Cup) with Gavin Feast & Noel Moloney (Subaru Impreza WRX Sti), who won the overall Co-Drivers’ title, third after an all-day long battle.

“It’s been a good day,” commented Palmer. “The roads were great, dry and dusty with some slippery and others quite grippy. We had a great run and are happy to have finished every rally this season, thanks to the team and the reliability of the Skoda.”

The event was also the final round of the 2026 NZ Rally Championship which saw Palmer finish second overall to Jack Hawkeswood. WRC driver Hayden Paddon, competing in the Allcomers category, won the event in his Hyundai WRC2.

Palmer was the first NIRS competitor home in all eight Special Stages with the final SS9 having been cancelled due to technical issues.

“We’re thrilled to win the title for a second time matching Phil Campbell’s record, so have ticked that off the bucket list,” said Palmer.

Eight NIRS Class titles were decided for both drivers and co-drivers.

Darryl McManus (Toyota Vitz) was first home in Class A (2WD:0-1300cc) and took the title from rival Blair Richardson. Nikki Sim won the Co-Drivers’ title from Madeline Buhr.

Andrew Lowe (Toyota AE101) secured the Class B (2WD 1301-1600cc) title from Sam Broadbent (Toyota Corolla FXGT) with Matt Priest in third. Lowe’s co-driver, Ian Barr, wrapped up the Co-Drivers’ title from Matthew Broadbent.

While Khalid Mason (Ford Fiesta ST150) was first home in Class C (1601-2000cc 2WD), Stephen Dill (Nissan Pulsar Gti) finished second and took the title by just five-points. Mason finished second in Class ahead of Dale James. Sara Mason won the Co-Drivers’ title from Adrian Sutton with Kim Raggett in third.

Dave Strong’s (Honda Jazz RS) retirement with a mechanical in SS5 handed the Class D (2WD 2000cc and over) title to Tony Differ (Mitsubishi Lance EX Turbo) who had the advantage heading into the event. Strong took second ahead of Phillip Broadbent. Jayson Stringer won the Co-Drivers’ title from Rob Scott and Phillip’s son, Sam Broadbent.

Three of the four Class E (Classic 2WD) entrants retired from the rally with Chris Alexander (Ford Cortina) suffering driveline issues heading to SS4, Nick Flanagan (Peugeot 205) with a mechanical in SS6 as well as Glenn Cameron (Mazda RX7) in SS5. Andrew Keighley (Ford Escort RS1600 came through the carnage and took the title from Alexander with Brent Taylor in third. Jackson Foster wins the Co-Drivers’ title from Dave Neill and Madeline Buhr.

Quentin Palmer (Skoda Fabia Rally2 Evo) had already won the Class F (4WD: 1601-1999cc) title heading into the rally from William Menzies (Toyota Yaris) who also won the NIRS Drive of the Day and Mason Grimmer (Mazda 323) third. Noel Moloney takes the Co-Drivers’ title from Doug Dolan and Leighton Spurdle.

Gavin Feast (Subaru Impreza) was first home in Class G (4WD 2001 and over) with Vanuatu’s Julien Lenglet (Subaru Impreza WRX) second and Carlin Leong (Subaru Impreza WRX) third. This left Leong and Feast tied on 57-points for the season; however, Leong takes the Drivers’ title on countback over the five round series. Third was Lenglet and his co-driver, Fleur Pedersen wrapped up the Co-Drivers’ title ahead of Nathan Roa with Gavin’s son Hamish Feast in third.

Shaun Wade (Mitsubishi Mirage 4WD) was first home in Class I (4WD: Pre 1996). However, Chris Burke (Toyota Celica GT) had an unbeatable 25-point lead heading into the rally and wins the Drivers’ title by five-points back to Wade with Kingsley Jones third. Stephen Taylor takes the Co-Drivers’ title by ten-points back to Shaun’s daughter Haylee Wade. Hamilton 13-year-old Mere Smith in her first ever rally picked up third co-driving for Burke.

The NIRS Masters title goes to Dave Strong with Dale Perry second and Peter Farrell third. The Masters Co-Drivers’ title was won by Jackson Foster.

The Blind Drivers’ title was won by Shaun Wade from Andrew Lowe and Andrew Keighley. Haylee Wade wins the Blind Co-Drivers’ title from Ian Barr and Jackson Foster.

Rising star Mitch Pilcher wins the Rookie title from Darryl McManus in second and Khalid Mason third. Malisse Bertelsen picked up the Co-Drivers Rookie title from promising youngster Mere Smith.

Saturdays’ rally was the fifth event across the season which started back in the early autumn. The penultimate round, the BP Rally Taumarunui won the best NIRS Round of the 2026 season for outstanding marketing and community engagement.

‘It has been an exciting and very successful Series this year” said coordinator Marty Roestenburg “We are looking forward to the 2027 rally season and lifting the bar even higher with the support of our wonderful organisers and competitors”

The 2026 North Island Rally Series acknowledges and thanks these partners for their support: Hawkeswood Mining, Semog, Pure Quality Construction, Paddon Racing Group, iSignit, Ngatea Panelbeaters and Online Contractors.