MOTORSPORT - Rallying around for scholarships

In these tough economic times, it helps to have a carrot to chase after - especially if you're involved in an expensive sport like rally driving.
Whangarei's Ben Jagger and his co-driver, Ben Hawkins, will compete in the national two-wheel drive championship once again this year - a decision made much easier with the announcement of two new Rally NZ driving scholarships.
Ralley NZ will offer one $50,000 scholarship in the four-wheel drive class and another in the two-wheel drive class. The four-wheel drive class is likely to go to drivers like current champion Hayden Paddon but, in the two-wheel drive class, the scholarship is much more attainable for a driver like Jagger who is rising through the ranks.
"So we're going to try and go for that one and still chase the Ford Fiesta Scholarship as well, so we're targeting both of them this year," Jagger said.
The 19-year-old was the runner-up in the national two-wheel drive competition last year behind Auckland driver Patrick Malley. The pair went toe to toe throughout most of the series with the result only really decided when the Northlander crashed out during the Repco Rally of New Zealand in Waikato last year.
To kick-start his 2009 season, Jagger had a close encounter with former British Rally champion, Alister McRae, in the Waitangi forest.
McRae arranged to give Kerikeri driver Kingsley Thompson and Aucklander Mark Tapper instruction one day, before giving Jagger and Kirsty Nelson some pointers the next day.
The McRae family name is synonymous with world rallying, Alister's late brother, Colin, was the 1995 World Rally champion, while his father, Jimmy, was a five-time British champion.
"Alister was the British two-wheel drive champion a few years ago and is obviously good at what he does. It was pretty good to have him sitting beside me," Jagger said.
McRae sat beside him, in the co-drivers seat, for about 10 runs in the Waitangi forest.
"He mainly just gave me some pointers and did a bit of fine tuning with me and Kirsty Nelson and I learned heaps," he said.
"The session was mainly on car control and focusing on setting up the car before the corner."
Jagger will compete in the first round of the national championship in Napier on April 4/5 and is hoping that McRae's lessons will move him closer to some prize money at the end of the season.