Understanding the rally can be confusing at first, as many of the activities take place in different locations. We will explain how to use the Spectator Map and Itinerary (please scroll down the page to view more info on the City of Auckland Rally)
REPCO BATTLE OF JACKS RIDGE – 15 NOVEMBER 2020
Jacks Ridge, Whitford has been purpose-built as a World Rally Championship Power-Stage for the 2020 WRC Rally New Zealand which was subsequently cancelled in May due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Jacks Ridge WRC Power-Stage has been built around the natural landscape of the rolling hills of Whitford, 20 minutes from downtown Auckland and utilises the undulations, ridges and valleys of the property.
It has been described as “amazing to drive” by the few drivers that have been privileged to sample the course while the view for the fans is simply mind-blowing.
The Jacks Ridge WRC Power-Stage is 6.3km of stunning gravel road, of which we have chosen the 2.2km spectacular jump-filled mid-section as the Battle of Jacks Ridge Rally Sprint stage.
No matter whether you chose to be a GA ticket holder, watch the action from Jacks VIP Bar or are a guest in the Hospitality Village, you will be close to the action and will be able to see most of the Rally Sprint Stage.
Tickets will are available now! Get them on Ticket Fairy
Tickets are now 60% sold out – VIP are 100% sold out. If you are keen to come along, make sure you get their tickets online now via https://www.ticketfairy.com/event/rally-new-zealand-the-battle-of-jacks-ridge-15nov2020/. No ticket = no entry. It is unlikely that there will be any gate sales!
PARKING, GATE AND DROP OFF INFORMATION
Parking
- Parking space on site is VERY LIMITED. Please remember to car pool wherever possible.
- Bring your 4WD or your mate’s 4WD if you want to park nice and close to all the action (cars with good ground clearance will also do the job)!
- There is plenty of 2WD parking however you will need to catch one of our free shuttles to get to the spectator areas.
- You MUST have a car park ticket to get in, you cannot park on the road outside and walk in.
Drop off
If you plan on getting a taxi or having a friend drop you off at the event, the drop off location is at Gate A, you will be scanned in with your ticket and then then can walk a short distance and catch the free shuttle to the main spectator area.
General Admission and Jacks VIP Bar
GA and Jacks Bar ticket holders go to Gate B
Disability Parking
Disability Parking Gate A (you will need a government disability car pass)
Maps will be out soon with venue entry locations.
WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW
Please remember that the event is in a farm environment. Make sure you dress warm, pack your boots/sturdy footwear and maybe a rain coat and bring a refillable drink bottle as we will have water stations to reduce waste.
No BYO.
Gates Open at 10:00am
Can I buy tickets at the gate? Due to demand and limited capacity for parking, at this point in time there are only pre-sale tickets available.
Can I buy a parking pass at the gate? Due to the limited amount of parking onsite, it is likely that car parking will sell out. If you don’t pre-buy a parking pass, you may need to park at the Papatoetoe Pony Club (yes there is a fee to park here) and catch a free shuttle to Jacks Ridge.
Can I park roadside and walk in? No. Brookby Road and Whitford Road are narrow and have no provision for roadside parking. The viewing areas at Jacks Ridge are a significant distance from the entrance ways to the property and access is via narrow driveways. Gate security are instructed not to allow pedestrian access.
Onsite Facilities
– 2x Food Villages – Portaloo Toilets- Wash Stations- Environmental Waste Stations- St John Medical – Please remember to bring a reusable drink bottle – we will have water refill stations on site.
Please remember this is a motorsport event so leave dogs at home.
- No BYO Alcohol. Repco Battle of Jacks Ridge is a no-BYO alcohol event. Bag checks will be conducted on entry to the event, alcohol will be confiscated. Jacks Public Bar will be open to the public during the event for the purchase of alcohol.
- Drone Information. Drones will be flying at the event as part of the Live SKY TV Broadcast and may include images of the public that are recognisable. The use of private drones at the event is strictly forbidden.
Prepare to have fun and see the best rally, circuit, speedway, UTV and drift drivers in the country take on a WRC-calibre power stage!
Kumeu Showgrounds is the main hub of the rally, everything that happens during the competition is controlled from here. The cars return here to the Service Park during the day for repairs, refuelling and tyre changing. Fans will have the chance to get up close and personal with the teams and cars here. There will also be food available. Rally Control and the organisation office and medical are also located here. No ticket is needed to check out the service park at Kumeu showgrounds.
Tickets will be available to purchase on the day via cash at the Spectator spots marked on the City of Auckland Rally Map ($10 for Northern stages). Tickets to the Jacks Ridge stage on Saturday afternoon will be extremely limited and will be cash sales only on the gate, first in, first served ($20).
Rural stages are the true essence of the City of Auckland Rally. Competitors run three rural stages in the morning, they come back to Kumeu Showgrounds service park for the lunch service and they then go out again to run the same three stages from the morning circuit. Each stage is run twice which is why in the Itinerary you will find, stages named for example, ‘Name of Stage 1’ and ‘Name of Stage 2’.
You can stay for both stages or go after the first run is finished and head to the Service Park at Kumeu Showgrounds for example. However do keep in mind that the stages are closed for most of the day so access is only via adjoining roads.
Some stages in the Itinerary will have Official Spectator Areas. An Official Spectator Zone has access through an alternative route to avoid crossing the competition roads that remain closed around 4 hours before the first car scheduled time.
Safety is very important on these stages, please follow the marshal’s instructions and always stay within the safe spectator areas.
The Super Special Stage is the last stage of the rally. This will be held at Jacks Ridge, Whitford in the afternoon.
All finishing crews will then attend the Awards Ceremony at Jacks Ridge.
The Itinerary – how to read it
In the itinerary, you will be able check the timing schedules of each stage and note that you can attend more than one place on the same day. We highly recommend doing this to live the full experience of Rally New Zealand. We recommend arriving at least 1 hour in advance. Remember that the rally schedule is strictly on time.
If you want to go to the rural stages:
- Select the stage you want to attend. Look for the starting time in the Itinerary; this time indicates the starting time of the first car. You should plan to arrive two hours before.
- Locate on map the spectator areas and choose the best for you.
- Make sure you use adjoining roads to get to the spectator areas, the rally roads themselves will be closed to traffic.
In order to understand the itinerary we will give you the meaning of abbreviations and important things to consider.
SS means Special Stage, which are the competition stages (roads are closed to public).
SSS means Super Special Stage – these have great spectating and are short stages.
Stage Closure indicates the time in which the competition roads will be closed to public access, however, we will have alternative routes to access the Spectator Areas at any time of the day. It is very important to remember that you can’t walk on the competition road 60 minutes before the stage start, or the section may be cancelled.
SP means Service Park, the place where the cars head to for maintenance throughout the rally. For the City of Auckland Rally, it is located in Kumeu Showgrounds.
Rally Tours
For all information on rally tours – please contact our partner Rally Tours NZ https://www.rallytours.co.nz/contact/
Electric Charging Stations
There is an electric vehicle charging station at New World, 110 Main Road, Kumeu, and two in Manukau – one at 6 Cavendish Drive, and another at Cnr Ronwood and Davies Ave. We encourage spectators to utilise electric vehicles to access spectator areas at the rally if possible.
