|
| www.benjagger.co.nz |
Media Release
Thursday 13th October 2011
2011 Valvoline Rally of the North
Saturday 15th October 2011 |
| Jagger Aims for Repeat Victory at Home Event |
|
 |
 |
|
Ben
Jagger and Ben Hawkins
images
LittleDevilMotorsport/Media
|
Ben Jagger
flying over the Hella Bridge at Rally Whangarei earlier this year
|
|
|
Whangarei
driver Ben Jagger will contest this Saturday's Valvoline Rally of the
North as defending title holder after his well deserved winning of the
event last year.
A consistent and fast paced drive earned Jagger the win last year and
was a fitting way for him to cap off his debut season in the NZRC four
wheel drive category in 2010.
He along with co-driver Ben Hawkins won the two wheel drive category in
the New Zealand Rally Championship in 2009.
As number one seed this year Jagger in the SeedForce Subaru WRX Impreza
will lead a field of around 40 rally cars across the start ramp and
into the opening special stage of the one day rally which gets underway
at 7am this Saturday the 15th October from the Paihia public carpark.
The drivers will briefly head south for special stage one on Oromahoe
Rd before heading north for another three stages followed by lunch at
the Kaitaia A & P Showgrounds just before 12pm.
Aterwards the field will head east where the rally's total of eight
special stages will come to a conclusion just outside of Kerikeri. The
official finish will be at the Williams St carpark back at Paihia with
the first car expected just before 5.30pm.
Although not part of the national championship calendar, NZRC contender
Ben Jagger looks forward to the Rally of the North each year saying it
has become one of his favourites.
"I really llike this event, we have the best (rally) roads in New
Zealand up here and especially the ones further up north they use in
this rally. They are just so well cambered and well maintained it makes
it an enjoyable rally." said Jagger.
However the event won't be an easy task for Jagger who will have his
closest rival tucked right up behind him on the road.
Kerikeri's Kingsley Thompson will start from second in the running
order and will be expected to charge hard and push Jagger even harder
as he looks to win this event again as in 2007.
Last year Thompson was leading the charge early on and looking good to
win the rally for a second time before leaving the road in his
Mitsubishi. In doing so he handed the lead to a tightly chasing Jagger
who's consistently fast pace brought him eventual victory ahead of his
biggest rival.
Thompson is the only Northland driver who contested the national
championship this season other than Jagger.
"Kingsley will be pushing hard to win it this time and I think will be
my strongest competitor.Also there are Dylan Turner (Auckland) and
Brendon Oakden (Whangarei)." said Jagger.
Brendon Oakden won this year's Rally of Whangarei Clubman's event which
he has done twice previously and will be a strong contender for an
overall win at Rally of the North and easy pick for winning the pre-94
category in his older Subaru.
Info: The 2011 Rally of the North comprises approxiamately 180km of
competitive stages and 230km of touring. Based in Paihia where the
start and finish will take place, the event will also have a lunch stop
at the Kaitaia A&P Showgrounds. More information including a
downloadable map can be found at www.rallyofthenorth.co.nz
|
Further information
regarding Ben Jagger and the SeedForce Subaru Impreza WRX
is available at www.benjagger.co.nz.
|
