Motorsport: Now or never for Hawkeswood

The Mazda AP4 of Andrew Hawkeswood in action during Rally Coromandel. Photo / Geoff Ridder

Veteran Kiwi rally driver Andrew Hawkeswood moved to the top of the standings and is daring to dream of a break-through New Zealand Rally Championship in the twilight of his career.

The Aucklander finished a comfortable second at the Goldrush Rally Coromandel at the weekend while his title rivals ran into problems, bumping the Mazda driver to the top of the standings with two rounds remaining.

Hawkeswood, who has played an instrumental role in bring the AP4 cars into the category, has run close before but knows that his time in the sport is nearing an end and this could be his final chance of capturing a title.

"I need to. I am 49 years old now - I have to win something," Hawkeswood told The Herald.

"I have come close a few times. I have never really taken the championship seriously - over all the years I have been rallying I have only done the full championship a few times - I think this is my sixth time.

"I just want to win it and then I am out.

"I have got a son. I will still be rallying but I have so many other things I want to achieve."

The championship has been an up and down one in 2017 with defending champ David Holder grabbing the early initiative before Matt Summerfield scored back to back wins in Whangarei and Canterbury. But Summerfield crashed out in Coromandel to allow the likes of Hawkeswood and 2015 champion Ben Hunt back in the mix.

Despite now leading the championship Hawkeswood has endured a few dramas himself this year.

"All year we have only had small problems and they have turned into big problems," he said.

"We had a few small problems [at Coromandel] but luckily we didn't have them turn into bigger issues.

"We put a few of these boys under pressure and they all cracked."

The penultimate event is Rally Waikato in October before the showpiece Rally New Zealand in November.