CHANGES APLENTY FOR BNT MASON MOTORSPORT AT NZRC RALLY OTAGO
By Chris Grant
8th April, 2010
A new Car, a new Co-Driver and new Roads mean plenty of changes for double New Zealand Rally Champion Richard Mason as he prepares to begin his assault on the New Zealand Rally Championship [NZRC] at the opening round - Rally Otago - this weekend - April 9 - 11.BNT Mason Motorsport's brand new Prodrive-built Subaru impreza will make it's debut when Mason drives over the start ramp outside the Dunedin Railway Station this Friday evening, to lead away the 85 car field for the 16 stage event.
"It's always been our goal to run a 'works' car, and when we heard that this Prodrive-built N2009 model was available - and had only done 10k of testing - we decided it was too good an opportunity to miss," said Richard.
"It's probably the most sophisticated Group N [rally] car ever seen in the NZRC and we can't wait to 'let it loose' on those fantastic Otago roads.
"It's left-hand-drive, so that will take a bit of getting used to, but we have now also got a left-hand-drive recce car, so that will speed up the process and ensure we get our [pace] notes right."
With Richard and Sara having recently welcomed the arrival of their new son Khalid, brother-in-law Hamish Fenemor returns to co-drive for Richard for Otago, where they will look to backup from their last outing at Nelson at the end of last season. On that occasion they piloted Murray Huband’s PC Factory/BNT Subaru to a fine 2nd place and, in so doing, secured the runner-up position in the 2009 NZRC.
And, just to add another twist, this year's Rally Otago will differ significantly from recent editions by venturing much further north of Dunedin - as far as Oamaru - and will use classic rally roads such as Danseys Pass, roads that have not seen NZRC cars for nearly 10 years.
"It will be great to drive some of these 'new' stages and mix them with our regular favourites like Kuri Bush and Waipori Gorge, and it should all make for quite a challenge," said Richard.
"However, although our natural instinct is to go to every rally looking to win, this year our absolute priority for Otago has to be to get as much time in our new BNT Subaru as possible, so we are totally familiar with every aspect of it as we head off for another shot at the PWRC [Production World Rally Championship] at Rally New Zealand next month [May 6 - 9]."
· Full LIVE Results available from the website - www.chrissport.co.nz
· For further information on the 2010 New Zealand Rally Championship - www.nzrallychamps.co.nz
· For further information on WRC Rally New Zealand - www.rallynz.org.nz
Next.... Photo Album
More Items
1st September, 2010: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT BACK ON FORM AT NZRC RALLY NELSON - More
22nd August, 2010: MASON SOLID SECOND AFTER DAY ONE OF NZRC RALLY NELSON - More
21st August, 2010: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT ALL SET FOR NZRC RALLY NELSON - More
1st July, 2010: MASONS DETERMINED TO BEAT NORTHLAND 'HOO-DOO' AT RALLY WHANGAREI - More
7th June, 2010: MASON 'Does it for Stace' BY WINNING DUNLOP TARGA ROTORUA - More
6th June, 2010: MASON DOMINATES FIRST DAY OF DUNLOP TARGA ROTORUA - More
5th May, 2010: MASON TO JOIN WORLD CHAMPIONS FOR WRC RALLY NEW ZEALAND PRESS CONFERENCE - More
16th April, 2010: NEW BNT SUBARU A WINNER ON DEBUT AT NZRC RALLY OTAGO - More
8th April, 2010: CHANGES APLENTY FOR BNT MASON MOTORSPORT AT NZRC RALLY OTAGO - More
10th November, 2009: BNT Mason Motorsport segment in New Weekly Motorsport Show - More
10th November, 2009: End of Season - More
14th September, 2009: Coverage of Rally Oz - More
9th September, 2009: MORE HISTORY MADE BY BNT MASON MOTORSPORT AT WRC RALLY AUSTRALIA - More
6th September, 2009: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT FIGHTING HARD AT WRC RALLY AUSTRALIA - More
5th September, 2009: BNT MASON MOTORSPORT LEAD AFTER DAY ONE OF WRC RALLY AUSTRALIA - More
©2010 BNT Mason Motorsport. Website by Bev Randall