Motorsport: Six internationals in Whangarei field

Gaurav Gill from India in his Skoda on Special Stage during Rally Whangarei 2013. Photo / Photosport

Six international drivers will compete in next week's International Rally Whangarei while a record number of the new generation cars will make the start line.

Auckland's Dylan Turner will line-up in the international field in what will be the debut event for his Audi S1.

Former winner Gaurav Gill of India returns in Skoda Fabia F5 while teammate Ole Christian Veiby of Norway will drive the second Skoda. WRC regular Jari Ketoma and Robert Blomberg will drive the two Mpart Mitsubishi Mirages while India's PG Abhilash and Japan's Fuyuhiko Takahashi complete the international field in Subaru WRXs.

Defending series champion and Rally Otago winner David Holder headlines the Brian Green Property New Zealand Rally Championship entries in his Hyundai New Zealand i20.

Former Supercars star Greg Murphy will get his first NZRC action in his new Holden Barina and will line-up alongside teammate Josh Marston, who is hoping to have a better run in the North. His Rally Otago ended abruptly with a spark plug issue.

Andrew Hawkeswood, who impressed with his second place finish at Rally Otago, will be a serious contender in his Mazda 2 AP4 car while regulars like Ben Hunt (Subaru), Glenn Inkster (Skoda), Emma Gilmour (Suzuki), Matt Summerfield (Subaru), Graham Featherstone (Mitsubishi) and Sloan Cox (Mitsubishi) will also be in action.

The event gets underway with a run through the famous Pohe Island stage in down town Whangarei before heading north of the city on Saturday and south on Sunday.