Campbell wins NIRS round at Bay of Plenty Rally

Tauranga driver Phil Campbell dominated the field of 22 entrants at Round 4 of the Winmax Brake Pads North Island Rally Series (NIRS). Held on roads around Whakatane and Matata, this was the first time in 2023 that NIRS drivers had competed alongside the New Zealand Rally Championship, in the Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty on Sunday.

Campbell, who is sitting out the NZRC for 2023, excelled at his home rally with a top 5 finish overall in the Letts Construction Ford Fiesta AP4, and a round win in the NIRS standings. That puts him well clear of Clinton Cunningham. The RCK Asphalt and Concrete Skoda R5 driver was 1 min 51 adrift in 2nd, and just 4.7 seconds ahead of Zeal Jones in his WRX.

The Winmax Brakes Drive of the Rally Trophy went to Mason Grimmer, outstanding in fourth place in his Mazda 323 BFMR, just 22 seconds shy of Jones. It’s a result that has been coming all season for Grimmer, after mechanical issues have spoiled his performance on recent events.

The fifth and final round of the Winmax Brakes North Island Rally Series will be the Hamilton Car Club Newstead Lodge Rally of Waitomo, 29 October 2023.

The season will end in a prizegiving on 25 November in Auckland where the Allan Woolf Memorial NIRS trophy will be presented to the winning crew.

Results, round 4 – Winmax Brake Pads North Island Rally Series (Position, Driver 1, Driver 2, Car, Class)