Photo: Jeff Judd (Silver Fern Rally 2010)2012 epay Silver Fern Rally organisers are pleased with the 48 entries lodged by the December 31st deadline for the events discounted early-bird entry, and expect to see up to 20 more competitors by the time the event starts in Auckland in 10 months time.
As part of the early-bird deal, competitor’s names went into a draw for a free entry, and following the draw, which was made by sponsor epay’s New Zealand Country Manager Roger Smith, organisers are pleased to announce that English competitor Grant Shand (Ford Escort RS1800) was drawn as the free entry recipient.
At the draw, epay’s Roger Smith said, “I was pleased to be asked to make the draw for the free entry. It is great that the winner this time is an international competitor and one whom I believe has given the event great support in the past. We are really excited about being involved again with this innovative event and as sponsors we recognise the need to support and assist in the development of sports like this within New Zealand, and we look forward to helping organisers continue to build their event further.”
Winner Grant Shand, speaking from his UK based rally car preparation business “RallyXtreme”, told organisers he was “really looking forward to the November event. That’s brilliant, I can’t believe it, it is an unexpected surprise and it will all help with my intentions to bring out other drivers, probably from Europe, to support this superb event.”
Shand added, “there is a lot of preparation that goes on for us to come to New Zealand to compete, we lose our cars for up to four months with shipping and the event, so that has to be taken into account.”
Shand had decided early on to compete here again this year after finishing 6th in 2006, and 3rd in 2008, before stepping aside for another driver to use his car in 2010. “I was waiting for this event to make a change to the North Island as I want to experience that, with the different roads and scenery.”
Chairman of the organising committee, Timaru’s Carl Rabbidge, said “given that our competitors come from all over the globe (Europe, UK, Australia as well as NZ) it seems appropriate the free entry has gone to Grant. He has supported us right from the first event in 2006 and is a deserved winner.”
Starting in Auckland, on Saturday November 10th 2012, the event travels to overnight stops in Rotorua, Gisborne, Napier, Feilding, Ohakune and Taupo before it finishes near Hamilton seven days later.
