KEY POINTS:
Three drivers spearhead the New Zealand challenge in the motor Rally of New Zealand, beginning tomorrow in the Waikato.
One is fizzing to win the production class, another is making his world championship debut and the thirdis hoping to recover her con-fidence.
Masterton's Richard Mason, who beat the odds to finish second in the production cars class of the World Rally Championship last year, is seeking the knockout punch to go one better in his Subaru this time.
"We have a brand new car and we are probably in the best position we have ever been," said Mason, whose second placing also gave him 10th spot overall in the world championship round.
"So far, the car has proven to be faster than the one we used last year," said the national rally champion.
After using an unfamiliar brand of tyres last year, his car will be shod with his favoured Dunlops.
Geraldine's Hayden Paddon, 20, who leads the national championship series in his Mitsubishi Lancer, sees his WRC debut as a golden opportunity to impress the international teams.
Paddon burst into national prominence with a brilliant win in the International Rally Whangarei in May, a round of the FIA Asia-Pacific championship. In the process, he became the youngest driver to win a round of the New Zealand championship.
"It's my first world championship event and I can't wait to get going," he said. "My form is as good as ever and the car is in pretty good nick. It is a massive opportunity and I want to make the most of it."
It was a matter of being quick the whole rally, not just a couple of stages, he said. "You are only remembered for the result at the end of the rally."
With Paddon, Dunedin's Emma Gilmour was granted one of two Rally New Zealand scholarships to compete in this year's event.
Mason and Chris West were last year's recipients.
Gilmour, 27, said she had underestimated how long it would take to recapture her form after a crash in the Whangarei rally that left her badly concussed and wrecked her car.
"It'll probably be too much to expect me to be competitive in the first stages because I think I am still getting the confidence back after that big accident," said Gilmour, who is seventh in the national championship on 81 points.
"It is just taking longer than I thought to regain confidence ... You can tell yourself that it's fine but subconsciously it just takes more kilometres and Rally NZ will be a good opportunity for that because it's a three-day event.
"I hope to increase my pace over the weekend and be on the pace by the third day with the frontrunners."
- NZPA
