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Paddon and Jagger lead Rising Stars competitions

Both Hayden Paddon and Ben Jagger were able to repeat their Otago performance in Rally New Zealand’s Rising Star competition this weekend’s NAC Insurance International Rally of Whangarei.

The two day international event at Whangarei was one of two compulsory events for both Rising Stars award categories. The second, the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally in the Franklin district, will be run in August later this year.
 
Full domination is the only way to describe Hayden Paddon’s performance over the weekend as he took away maximum points over both days in the International Award four-wheel-drive section.

“We’ve taken maximum points here for Rising Stars, and from the first two events, so that’s one step closer to the scholarship. Next will be the Possum Bourne Memorial Rally and then a shootout event to attend in early October.”

Further down the overall Whangarei field Sloan Cox and Kieran Hall swapped stage placings until the very end, seeing Hall grab second for the International Award category.

The experience and guidance offered by the Rally New Zealand-backed Rising Stars scheme will be invaluable to the eventual winners, who also gain $50,000 funding towards their 2010 driving campaigns.

“There’s financial strain is on a lot of people around the world and $50,000 would go a long way to fund an international campaign next year,” Paddon commented.

On the first day it would have been anybody’s guess who would have come out on top in the Group N two-wheel-drive Development Award category and Ben Jagger found halfway through day two that the round win was playing into his hands.

 “It’s what we came here to do – I didn’t think we would have a very good chance yesterday morning, but everything seems to have worked in our favour and we’ve come out with a very good result. We’re pretty happy!” Jagger said.

Day one saw Daniel Harris start strong among the Development Award contenders, setting three fastest times over the morning stages. But a large roll meant he was passed by both second season Fiesta competitors Patrick Malley and Jagger who recovered in the afternoon.

Malley took full points for the first day after a disappointing crash in Otago, only to have gearbox problems on the second day, running with only one gear. He was still able to salvage second place for the weekend through sheer determination to keep running through the stages.

“It’s great to see the Rising Stars competitors doing so well. Ben Jagger’s experience and consistent performance saw him take the points this weekend, but Daniel Harris showed he had the speed needed in the two-wheel-drive class,” said Rally New Zealand chairman Chris Carr. “Some unfortunate problems for a few of them, but promising results elsewhere. It’s great to see drivers like Kieran Hall putting in fast times and finishing high – seventh – overall.

Overall Paddon leads with maximum points in the Rising Stars International section and Jagger leads the Development Award section with a ten point gap to Malley.

Rising Stars competitors next have a chance to earn points for their relevant awards in Rally Wairarapa in July.