The uniqueness of Rally Otago is something for a rally fan to experience. While drivers wax lyrical about its fast stunning roads, spectators get to see some great action throughout the field from modern through to classic machinery in some stunning countryside. There is something special about rising early, driving over an hour as the day dawns, walking into a great corner which guarantees spectacular action and finding that you are one of over 200 people who have made the journey. Moreover, this is just one corner of one of 17 Special Stages!
The featured photo is of Dylan Thomson, hard on the brakes going straight ahead when he should have been going left! This particular corner on Stage 13 caught out a number of drivers that in turn were caught by a myriad of photographers lined up on the bank.
Terry Marshall captured this shot of Thomson, who pulled up three feet away from him. Josh Marston also managed not to take the corner and spun the car. This time Terry had to get out of the way very quickly.
Thomson won the 2017 NZ Rally Championship Two-wheel drive class (for front-wheel drive cars up to two-litre) as well as the outright Motorsport NZ Two-wheel drive championship and the junior championship. This is his last year in that category so we should expect him to move up to a 4wd car in 2019, following in the footsteps of Ben Hunt who campaigned this same car to a title win back in 2012. Hunt (Subaru) currently lies second overall behind Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 AP4+) in the NZ RC after completion of Rally Otago.
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