Vertex Oil International Rally of Whangarei preview
The 2025 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship concludes this weekend with the final event on the calendar – the Vertex Oil International Rally of Whangarei.
The week started with controversy with news championship protagonist Robbie Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Skoda Fabia Rally 2) had been excluded from the previous round – Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty – due to checking into a service park twice. After an on-the-day punishment was overturned by a MotorSport New Zealand hearing, Stokes saw his win and four power stage points evaporate and that has had a major impact on the championship showdown at Whangarei.
Defending national champion Ben Hunt (Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally 2) holds a 41-point lead heading into the event with 44 points up for grabs. Hunt can nab a fourth career title if he was to finish third in the power stage on Saturday or finish the first leg in a podium spot.
Stokes can mathematically win a maiden championship if Hunt were to have major issues but even then, the Cantabrian would likely need to sweep the weekend to come out on top.
Jack Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4), Jack Hawkeswood (Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris AP4), and Kingsley Jones (Auckland Denture Clinic Skoda Fabia R5) are all capable of pushing for a rally win, particularly with Hunt needing only to finish essentially to wrap up the title.
The younger Stokes has been close to a maiden round win all season while Hawkeswood will (finally) farewell the AP4 Yaris. Jones should not be discounted on roads he will have some knowledge of either, though lack of seat time might see him be more of a podium threat than an outright threat.
Up and down the field we see a final battle for championships. Bryn Jones (Ford Fiesta Rally 4) and Tim Mackersy (Ford Fiesta Rally 4) continue their season long battle. Jones has had the edge, albeit slightly, at each event so far. He carries a 20-point advantage into the final round, knowing a finish will be enough.
Japanese driver Fuyuhiko Takahashi has entered his Ford Fiesta Rally 4 car for the event too.
Dave Strong (Honda Jazz) will effectively become the Open 2WD champion the moment the event starts, with his only class rival not heading north.
Deane Buist (Ford Escort) has dominated the Historic 2WD class all season with some head-turning performances but he will still need to finish to ensure the title is his.
Tim McIver (Ford Escort) joins the class this weekend to keep second-placed Stephen Gill (Ford Escort) honest. Mike Cameron (Mitsubishi Lancer) can secure third in the standings if he is able to finish.
Caleb Macdonald will aim to close out the Rally Challenge 4WD class after borrowing a Subaru H6 Impreza off title rival Ben Huband in an astonishing show of sportsmanship. With his car wrecked at Bay of Plenty, Northland-based Huband offered up a spare car so Macdonald can have a crack at winning. The South Islander will take a 10-point lead into the event.
Haydn Mackenzie (Toyota Yaris Proto) and Julien Lenglet (Subaru Impreza) will both be contenders for the class win this weekend and can take points from the championship contenders.
Josh Keighley (Subaru Impreza H6) holds second place, 10 points behind Macdonald, while Huband and Gavin Feast (Subaru WRX) are both still in the title battle as well.
Ian Warren (Nissan Pulsar) is set to become the Rally Challenge 2WD champion once the event starts, with Thomas Paul not entering. Kyle Percival (Ford Escort) will keep him honest.
Keighley holds a narrow six point advantage in the Group A Challenge class but Kevin Laird (Subaru Impreza H6) is right there in what shapes as a great finale.
The new layout. Event organisers have made the biggest change to the layout in years, which will see competitors enjoying roads in the Kaipara Regional down around Dargaville. It will also see crews having to do more remote servicing, which adds to the complexities of the opening day at least.
You can see the cars up close at the ceremonial opening in downtown Whangarei on Friday night, while the Pohe Island Super Special stage is run twice on Saturday afternoon, and is always an easy place to see the cars in action.
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