Seven international rally drivers will take on New Zealand’s best, setting the scene for a great battle at this weekend’s Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty, the final round of the 2026 New Zealand Rally Championship.

Eastern Bay fans will get a chance to meet the drivers and view the cars at the rally show and ceremonial start, on Whakatāne’s Strand from 4.30pm on Friday.

On Saturday, there are nine special stages across the Bay of Plenty.

The best way to follow the rally and see the cars in action is to scan the code that will take you to a Spectator App that has directions to all official spectator spots, estimates travel times and avoids closed rally roads.

Another good option is to head to Kawerau and the Ron Hardie Centre, where the rally cars each have three 20-minute service breaks from 8.30am and 2.30pm. The finish celebrations will back in Whakatāne’s Strand at about 5.30pm.

Clerk of the course David Louglin said it was great to have New Zealand’s best drivers and seven international entrants from Australia, Japan and the Pacific Islands.

“The top end of the field will no doubt be a contest between world rally driver Hayden Paddon, new NZ Rally champion Jack Hawkeswood (both driving Rally2 machinery) and Ōpōtiki’s Mike Young (AP4 Toyota Yaris),” Loughlin said.

Young’s car is on display at Ōpōtiki Tyre Service today and at Pacific Toyota in Whakatāne on Friday.

Chasing the big names will be North Island Series leader Quentin Palmer in his Skoda Fabia Rally2; Stewart Reid from Australia in his Mirage AP4; William Menzies in a new Yaris Cup car, the spectacular Grant Blackberry from the Hawkes Bay, Tauranga driver Gavin Feast (Subaru Impreza) and Carter Strang making the trip from the deep south.

The two-wheel-drive competition will be equally closely fought, with the amazing sounding Mazda RX8 of Marcus van Klink leading a mixed field that includes Ford Fiesta R4s, Escorts, older RX7s and Toyotas.

Australian drivers Richie Dalton driving an Escort Mk11, and rising star Taylor Gill in a Suzuki Swift, are looking forward to the event.

“I’ve always dreamed of driving on the famed New Zealand gravel roads, so this is a chance that was too good to pass up’, said Gill.

”I’ve had a hectic year contesting WRC2 rounds in Sweden, Croatia, Finland, Paraguay and Chile, so to finish the season in the Suzuki will be great fun”.