Ben Hunt has taken a firm grip on the 2025 Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC), storming to his second consecutive victory at the South Canterbury Hydraulics Rally on Saturday. Backing up his Otago triumph last month, the reigning national champion dominated proceedings once again, stretching his championship lead with a crushing win by 1 minute and 56 seconds.
Hunt in a league of his own
Driving the Skoda New Zealand Fabia Rally2, Hunt set the pace from the get-go, navigating the South Island’s fast and flowing gravel roads with surgical precision. While challengers battled issues, Hunt kept his cool, delivering a masterclass in consistency and pace.
With his second win on the bounce, Hunt is rapidly shaping this year’s NZRC into a title defence campaign on his terms.
Marston and Stokes scrap for podium honours
Behind Hunt, it was a day of hard-fought battles and heartbreak. Josh Marston in the RDL Holden Barina AP4 held his nerve to secure a solid second place, capitalising on misfortune for others.
Robbie Stokes, driving the Stokes Motorsport Skoda Rally2, had his work cut out after a mechanical issue on the opening stage. But the young Kiwi showed resilience, charging back through the field to snatch the final podium spot.
The podium wasn’t a given. Jack Hawkeswood looked set to challenge Marston for second until mechanical gremlins forced his retirement on the penultimate stage, a cruel end to a strong performance in the Force Motorsport Toyota GR Yaris.
Attrition takes its toll
South Canterbury didn’t go easy on the field. Among the notable retirements were:
- Emma Gilmour (Vantage NZ Citroën C3)
- Jack Stokes (Stokes Motorsport Ford Fiesta AP4)
- Haydn Mackenzie (Albany Toyota Yaris AP4)
All three fell victim to the demanding gravel stages, underlining just how tough this event can be.
Despite the carnage, Dylan Thomson delivered a strong result, guiding his older-generation Kiwi Carpet Cleaning Subaru Impreza to fourth overall — an impressive feat against the newer machinery.
Support class heroes shine
In the NZRC 2WD class, Bryn Jones continued his winning ways. Piloting his Ford Fiesta Rally4, Jones backed up his Otago success with another convincing win, finishing 40 seconds ahead of Tim Mackersy in a similar machine.
The Open 2WD battle saw a familiar face on top, with veteran Dave Strong claiming back-to-back victories in his fire-breathing Honda Jazz, edging out Paul Cross in his Toyota Corolla.
Historic fans were treated to a nostalgic showdown, with Deane Buist taking top honours in the Historic 2WD category behind the wheel of his iconic Ford Escort. Fellow Escort pilots Stephen Gill and Andy Martin completed the podium.
Challenge Class: Macdonald extends his lead
In the Rally Challenge 4WD class, Caleb Macdonald kept his momentum rolling. Driving his Mitsubishi EVO 6, Macdonald held off spirited drives from Josh Keighley and Kevin Laird, both in Subaru H6s.
Keighley also claimed victory in the Group A Challenge, leading home Laird and Ben Huband (Subaru H6).
Local ace Darren Galbraith delighted the home fans with a win in the Rally Challenge 2WD class in his Ford Fiesta, followed by Ian Warren (Nissan Pulsar) and first-round winner Thomas Paul (Honda Civic).
Championship picture: Hunt pulls clear
With two wins from two starts, Ben Hunt has firmly established himself as the man to beat in the 2024 NZRC. His mix of outright pace, mechanical sympathy, and rally craft is proving a potent combination.
But with plenty of racing left, including the next challenge at Lonestar Rally Canterbury over King’s Birthday weekend, the championship is far from over. Expect the competition to regroup and fight back hard.
Overall South Canterbury Hydraulics Rally 2024
- Ben Hunt / Tony Rawstorn (Skoda Fabia Rally2) – 1h 24m 14.0s
- Josh Marston / Andrew Graves (Holden Barina AP4) + 1m 56.8s
- Robbie Stokes / Shane Reynolds (Skoda Fabia Rally2 evo) + 2m 37.7s
- Dylan Thomson / Bayden Thomson (Subaru Impreza WRX) + 3m 13.0s
- Dean Buist / Karl Celeste (Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk II) + 9m 48.1s
- Bryn Jones / Sean Kockyear (Ford Fiesta Rally4) + 11m 08.9s
- Tim MacKersy / Lauren MacKersy (Ford Fiesta Rally4) + 11m 49.6s
- Stephen Gill / Grant Molloy (Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk II) + 13m 18.7s
- Dave Strong / Rob Scott (Honda Jazz) + 13m 30.3s
- Any Martin / Matt Hayward (Ford Escort RS 1800 Mk II) + 14m 14.0s
See the event’s full results here.
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