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Malley and Marston selected as Rising Stars wildcards

Aucklander Patrick Malley and Christchurch’s Josh Marston have been selected as the wildcard entries for Rally New Zealand’s two Rising Stars awards being decided at a special shootout weekend in November.

The International Award will provide the winner, who has already competed in a Group N-spec car in the New Zealand Rally Championship, with professional mentoring and cash to the value of $50,000 to compete in a major international rally in 2010. Five young drivers registered for the award earlier this season and after completing all their nominated events, Hayden Paddon, from Geraldine, and Kieran Hall, from Nelson, went through to the shootout based on points earned.

After reviewing applications, Rally New Zealand’s Rising Stars judging panel awarded the International Award wildcard entry to Marston, who is excited about the chance to participate in the shootout competition.

“I’m really looking forward to the great opportunity and challenge that it will be,” says 24-year-old Marston who in his first year of national level rally competition. “It is a brilliant initiative from Rally New Zealand which gives the assistance to place Kiwis on the world stage of rallying.”

The Development Award is for drivers currently competing in the two-wheel-drive production car class, or the N3 category and provides the winner with $50,000 and expert assistance towards their 2010 rally campaign in a Group N 4WD car. Whangarei’s Ben Jagger and Nelson’s Ben Hunt went through to the shootout based on points earned with Malley selected as the wildcard entrant.

“I’m really stoked to get an entry to the Development Award final,” says 25-year-old Malley. “I can’t wait to put my best foot forward in front of the judging panel especially after having had quite a difficult season, despite our proven speed in the Ford Fiesta class. With our strong result in the Nelson Rally, it’s great to see that others have recognised our potential.”

The Rising Stars shootout takes place over the weekend of 21 and 22 November to determine which young drivers win the 2009 International Award, the 2009 Development Award and the 2010 Scholarship. Each category has a prize worth at least $50,000 which includes a financial contribution and professional mentoring. The International Award winner receives funding to use towards competing in an international rally in 2010, while the Development Award winner receives funding towards a 2010 national rally campaign in a four-wheel-drive Group N car. The Scholarship winner receives mentoring, support and $50,000 towards the preparation and use of a two-wheel-drive Ford Fiesta in the 2010 New Zealand Rally Championship.

The Rising Stars Scholarship is currently open for entries. Contact Rally New Zealand via email, info@rallynz.org.nz, to receive an application form and entries close 2 November 2009.

How the Rally New Zealand Rising Stars driver development programme works:

• Drivers must be under 26 years of age on 1 January 2010, a member of a MotorSport New Zealand-affiliated car club and a New Zealand resident.
• Applicants for the Scholarship must not have ever registered as a competitor in the New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC).
• To enter the 2009 Development Award, drivers must have competed in the Group N N3 (front-wheel-drive production car) class in the 2009 New Zealand Rally Championship.
• To enter the 2009 International Award, drivers must have competed in the Group N N4 (four-wheel-drive production car) class in the 2009 New Zealand Rally Championship.
• In 2009 drivers have nominated two NZRC events in addition to two compulsory events in which to collect points towards either the Development or the International Award. The two compulsory events were June’s NAC Insurance International Rally of Whangarei and August’s Possum Bourne Memorial Rally.
• In 2010, the Scholarship winner will have the use of the fully-prepared Ford Fiesta for all rounds of the New Zealand Rally Championship, including Rally New Zealand.