Motorsport: Turakina’s Extreme 4x4 Challenge celebrates decade of daring drivers

The Extreme 4x4 Challenge in Turakina celebrates its 10th year in 2025, with the event growing year by year.

The Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge is set to celebrate a decade of entertainment in 2025 with harder courses than ever.

Held at organiser Dan Cowper’s property off State Highway 3 at Turakina near Whanganui, the Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge will welcome 12 competitors to tackle 15 courses on Sunday, April 27.

Two wildcards will join the 10 top-placed competitors from the 2025 NZ 4x4 Trials series to battle it out against the clock.

Cowper said he was excited to entertain the spectators and intrigued to see how the drivers managed the challenge.

“There’s some big horsepower, there’s a couple of supercharged V8s and it’s always a battle between the trucks,” Cowper said.

“Right from the start, they will be under pressure and they are all here to put on a show for the crowd.”

Cowper said there should be a good deal of mud despite the weather looking promising, making the course difficult to navigate.

“Each year, coming into the last few courses, it is real tight and anyone can take it out,” he said.

“We’ve made the last few courses pretty hard so hopefully people can jump spots and there will be lots of rollovers.”

There are 10 gates for each course worth 100 points - drivers must try to get through as many gates as possible in 60 seconds.

Drivers may choose to skip a gate to give themselves the best score but if they go through the red pegs laid out, they will be deducted 50 points.

Each course is estimated to take 30 minutes to get through all 12 competitors.

Organiser Dan Cowper believes the viewing quality, accessibility and TV coverage have kept the event sustainable and thriving. Photo / Cam Neil Photography

Cowper believed the event’s 10 years of success were due to its uniqueness, viewing opportunities and accessibility.

“The way a lot of these sports are going, it is hard to have spectators involved when they are often in rural places which are hard to get to, whereas this place is off the state highway,” he said.

“It is easy to get to and the best thing about it is the spectators’ viewing. It is basically a natural amphitheatre, you don’t have to move far.”

While the Extreme 4x4 Challenge event occurred once a year, in contrast to the national competition’s six times a year, Cowper believed his event offered a unique “less is more” opportunity.

“It’s a great family event - bring the kids along, they love the mud, it is safe and it is really good spectatorship. You can’t beat it, what more can you ask for?” Cowper said.

The action will be filmed and televised for the CRC Motorsport show on TV3 in the coming weeks.

The Suzuki Extreme 4x4 Challenge starts at 9am at 2278 SH3, Turakina.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $60 families, with cash or Eftpos entry available at the gate.