Shane van Gisbergen sends off Pukekohe in style, Blackcaps struggle with the bat and things don't get much better in the sevens - Cheree Kinnear gives the highs and lows of the weekend's sport all in 90 seconds. Video / Sky Sport / Spark Sport
The World Rally Championship title looks set to be decided at Rally New Zealand.
Series leader Kalle Rovanpera is within touching distance of becoming the youngest ever WRC champion at just 21 years of age.
The Finnish prodigy needs to beat nearest rival Estonian Ott Tanak by eight points atRally New Zealand to secure the Driver's Championship with two rounds to go.
Rovanpera failed to wrap up the title at Rally Greece over the weekend, finishing 15th with Tanak stealing second.
The youngster leads the WRC standings by 53 points, with three rounds to go.
With 30 points total on offer per rally, a lead of over 60 points at the conclusion of Rally NZ would assure him the title.
WRC series leader Kalle Rovanpera. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand's top driver Hayden Paddon says Rovenpera will put the spotlight on Aotearoa.
"He's had a couple of tougher rallies in a row now, so I'm sure that'll probably fire him up more. He's going to try to take the championship whenever he can. Anything can happen."
Paddon has had his own dramas in the lead up to New Zealand's first WRC event in over a decade.
The five time national champion has finally managed to get his new Hyundai i20 home after financial complications threatened to leave it stranded overseas.
Hayden Paddon of New Zealand. Photo / Photosport
Paddon says they'll put the Hyundai through its paces before heading to Tauranga for two weeks of testing and development work.
"We'll rebuild it and re-prep it and then we'll do another test there before Rally New Zealand. Two weeks is quite a quick turnaround, not necessarily for the preparation but because we also want to try to develop it, make some setup changes and get it dialed in."
Paddon has stayed true to form on the track however, winning the latest Tour European Rally event in Wales, putting him up to second with one round to go.
It was the Kiwi's first rally win on tarmac and he says they exceeded expectations.
"At the end of the day, seat time is seat time. It doesn't really matter what surface or what car. The more you drive, the better. We're doing a lot of driving at the moment obviously leading up to Rally New Zealand and it puts us in a good place also in this new Tour European championship."
Paddon will be joined in Rally NZ's WRC2 lineup by Supercars champion Shane van Gisbergen, who is hot off consecutive victories at the Auckland SuperSprint.
Shane van Gisbergen after winning the Auckland SuperSprint. Photo / Photosport
The Red Bull Racing driver also claimed the Jason Richards Memorial Trophy at Pukekohe Park's swansong, awarded to the driver scoring the most points across the weekend.
Van Gisbergen now switches focus to rallying, but will transition back to circuit racing for Bathurst the following week.
Paddon says Van Gisbergen can drive anything.
"The beauty of rallying nowadays is it's become a lot more refined and it has very similar driving styles in terms of the inputs behind the wheel. I think the turnaround between Pukekohe and Rally New Zealand's not too bad for him, he's got a few weeks. But the big challenge for him will be Bathurst the weekend after Rally New Zealand."
Rally New Zealand runs from September 29 to October 2.
