KEY POINTS:
The world's top rally drivers are heading to this year's Repco Rally New Zealand, the 11th round of the 2008 FIA World Rally Championship, with a confirmed 65 entries.
Last year's down-to-the-wire battle between defending and four-time world rally champion Sebastien Loeb and former world rally champion Marcus Gronholm on the last day of the rally resulted in the closest finish in world rally history, Gronholm just pipping Loeb by 0.03s.
This season, the Citroën-Ford tussle continues with Ford's Mikko Hirvonen replacing Gronholm as Loeb's challenger.
Other world-class drivers entered for the 39th running of New Zealand's international rally include Loeb's Citroën teammate Dani Sordo and Hirvonen's teammate Jari-Matti Latvala.
The youngest driver to win a WRC round, Latvala, is looking to get his campaign back on track after a couple of less than impressive rallies recently. The former Production World Rally Championship (P-WRC) class winner in New Zealand in 2006 won his first WRC event in Sweden this year.
As well as the Fords of Hirvonen and Latvala, four more WRC Fords arrive for Francois Duval, who is replacing the injured Gigi Galli, Matthew Wilson, Frederico Villagra and Henning Solberg.
The Subaru World Rally Team fields regular drivers Petter Solberg and Chris Atkinson in the new-shape Subaru Impreza WRC2008 car - the first time Kiwi rally fans have seen the hatchback in WRC form.
The Subaru team is targeting New Zealand for their first win since Mexico, 2005.
The 14-strong WRC field is rounded out by Suzuki's first WRC appearance in New Zealand with Finn Toni Gardemeister and Swede Per-Gunnar Andersson who thinks the new SX4 WRC will do well here.
"If the weather is good, New Zealand is one of my favourites," said Andersson.
"I have not competed there since 2005 when I participated in my Suzuki Ignis, so I am looking forward to it. The roads are in good condition, and the mix of fast flowing and very twisty stages makes the event very interesting."
Following the WRC cars throughout the three days of rallying on Waikato and Franklin roads will be 24 Production World Rally Championship competitors, including three New Zealanders.
Chris West and Hayden Paddon are in this class, courtesy of winning a Rally New Zealand scholarship, while Hawkes Bay's Stewart Taylor takes over the P-WRC entry of Amjad Farrah and the Orion World Rally Team for this event using his usual Mitsubishi.
Another 27 competitors, classed "non-priority" under WRC rules, complete the field. Of these, 14 are vying for points in the Vantage Aluminium Joinery New Zealand Rally Championship. This "all comers" entry list is led by Richard Mason, with his wife Sara as co-driver, the current holder of the John Woolf and Grant Whittaker Memorial Trophy for first New Zealander home in last year's event.
Other notable entries in this group include Andrew Hawkeswood, as well as former Chinese rally champion Cao Liu Dong in a Possum Bourne Motorsport-run Subaru and New Zealander Tony Green competing in his first-ever rally on home soil. Green, who won the last round of the Chinese championship, is relatively unknown in New Zealand, but has competed in a Subaru in Britain and China with some success.
Also amongst the all comers field, five Ford Fiestas participate in the Ford Fiesta Sporting Trophy, with two cars from the same family.
Dermott Malley and wife Linzi take on son Patrick with experienced co-driver Raymond "Crunch" Bennett alongside.
Young Australian Brendon Reeves returns to New Zealand after enjoying his first rally here in the NAC Insurance Hella International Rally of Whangarei in a Fiesta this year.
The student mechanics from Japan's Takayama College, an automotive technical institute, return to New Zealand to gain hands-on WRC experience, with their teacher Tomoki Ohashi driving their car.
STAGE DESCRIPTIONS
SS1 AND 3
* Pirongia West - length 24.22km - last used in 2007.
* Was 18.31km in 2006 and 2007. Extended 5.91km.
* Start to 4.86km is tight, winding uphill, then opens out for 4km before narrowing, downhill, and opens to a flowing finish.
SS2 AND 4
* Waitomo - length 43.98km - last used in 2007.
* New start point 0.09km before last year's start point.
* This stage is wide, fast and flowing mixed with winding, narrow and tight sections with grass growing in the middle of the road. While technically difficult, it is a great road for drivers where car control skills count.
SS5, 9, 16
* Mystery Creek - length 3.14km - last used in 2007.
* This includes a jump and water splash.
* It provides great spectator appeal both live and on television.
SS6
* Port Waikato - length 17.22km - last used in 2007.
* This stage is narrow at the start but it opens up past Limestone Downs and has a flowing finish.
* A variety of conditions makes this a technical stage.
SS7
* Possum - length 13.78km - last used 2007.
* A tight and narrow 5km uphill climb opens up to winding and flowing roads, tight in places. Similar to the Te Akau stages.
* Traditionally used by local clubs, this is a great stage for drivers.
SS8
* Franklin - length 31.58km - last used in 2007.
* Wide road at the start leads to a variety of road widths, some fast, others tight and winding. Rock surface in places. Similar to the Te Akau stages. This is a technical stage which has caught out many drivers.
SS10
* Te Akau South - length 31.92km - last used in 2007.
* A traditional stage with good, flowing roads.
* A variety of road surfaces provides some opportunities for drivers to attack.
SS11
* Te Akau North - length 32.36km - last used 2007.
* Another traditional stage similar to SS10 with a tricky downhill section about halfway through.
* One kilometre of tarmac on Dixon Road.
* Continuing road realignment makes this a more open stage.
SS12 AND 14
* Te Hutewai - length 11.23km - last used in 2007.
* These are more abrasive gravel roads than in the north but still flow well with a fast finish.
SS13 AND 15
* Whaanga Coast - length 29.72km - last used in 2007.
* This could be the most photographed stage on the WRC circuit. Starting inland, the stage moves out to the coast with spectacular ocean backdrops before going around the Te Toto Gorge to the finish.
* A hard surface but, as shown over the last few years, a driver can win or lose the event over this stage.
