Memorial rally returns to Southland roads in August
The rally, named after the Mokoreta farmer who was a very successful rally driver, including finishing runner-up in the 1983 New Zealand Rally Championship, was established by the Eastern Southland Car Club in 2023.
In addition to remembering Robinson, this year's event will also mark 50 years since the club held its first special stage rally, a Gore-based event in March 1975.
There are slight changes to the route this year with an extra special stage increasing the length of high-speed competition to 137.15km.
Many of the stages will be contested in a different sequence this year.
As usual, the rally is based around the township of Wyndham, 45km east of Invercargill and 25km south of Gore. It will start at the MLT Three Rivers Hotel in Redan St, Wyndham at 9am on Saturday, August 2, with the first special stage at Tuturau over 21.15km.
Wyndham Valley, over 17.49km, is the second stage before the 28.12km Waikawa Valley stage.
Pine Bush, over 25.99km is next with a new stage, the 13.95km Graham Rd, next before the final 30.45km Fortification stage.
"Having driven the route twice with clerk of the course Craig Jessop, as we did checks and alterations for the Rally Safe system, the new formation of stages drive really well and I am sure competitors will enjoy it," assistant course clerk Roger Laird said.
"Craig has done a huge amount of work in creating the new route."
The first car is expected to cross the finish line back at the MLT Three Rivers Hotel in Wyndham just before 3.30pm. During the day there will be three service parks — the first in Wyndham after stage one and two in Tokanui, about 44km from Wyndham, the first after stage three and then again after stage five.
The event will be round four of the Mainland Rally Championship, round four of the H6 Cup Rally Series and the opening round of the 2025-26 Eastern Southland Car Club Rally Championship Cup.
Sponsors this year include Traffic Management Services and Yuasa Batteries, with support from the Southland District Council, Gore District Council and the landowners on the rally route.
The event prizegiving will take place in Gore at the MLT Croydon Lodge and the winning crew will be awarded the Barry Robinson Memorial Trophy.
The leading Otago Sports Car Club driver in the event receives the Glen Shirlaw Memorial Trophy, while the best crew in class from the Central Otago Motorsport Club win the Barry Robinson Trophy. If no crew finishes, it will go to the top driver from the club. —APL
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