Rally teams from all over the country and indeed the world descended on Whakatāne last weekend for the Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty.

Following a Friday evening start ceremony on The Strand in Whakatāne, 57 competitors competed on gravel roads and nine stages through the Eastern Bay and Matahina Forest.

The event was won by World Rally driver Hayden Paddon in a Hyundai i20 Rally2, with Ōpōtiki’s Mike Young second in his Pacific Toyota Yaris AP4.

Young battled all day with 2026 New Zealand Rally Champion Jack Hawkeswood in a Toyota GR Yaris, the Toyota pair swapping stages times and only seconds separating them.

Following a big push over the final stages, Young moved 45 seconds ahead of Hawkeswood, who finished third.

The event wasn’t without its challenges, with hot, dusty and sometimes rough roads testing Young’s team and the car.

“We had a bit of scare at the last service in Kawerau where the guys discovered a faulty steering arm, changed it, refuelled us and got us back in the event with just seconds to spare,” Young said at the finish.

“A great result for the team and our sponsors Seeka and Pacific Toyota.

“I really enjoy these stages in the Bay of Plenty and especially the Matahina Forest roads; they’re rough, wide and fast and suit my driving [style]”.

For Paddon, it was his fourth consecutive victory in the event. He has won the rally three times in a row with co-driver Jared Hudson, while WRC veteran John Kennard co-drove for Paddon in 2023.

The rally also marked a farewell to Paddon Racing Group’s highly successful Hyundai i20 N Rally2 – a car that has won almost every event it has contested in New Zealand and Australia.

“A good result always feels nice. As this was our final rally with this particular rally2 car, it was especially pleasing to bring its story to a close with one more victory,” Paddon said.

The day was not entirely trouble-free, however.

“We were first on the road, and the amount of loose gravel made the roads really challenging. Jared and I had to deal with those conditions. I would say the roads were more slippery than they have ever been in this rally.”

“The event also gave the team an opportunity to test different Hankook rally tyre compounds in practice and gather more data on them.”

Other than the last stage – Stanley Road reverse – being cancelled, the rally ran without a hitch and the Motorsport Bay of Plenty organisers were thrilled with the local support.

“A massive thanks to all the team of volunteers that made Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty happen this weekend. Such a great team of people with the energy and commitment to bring you what we think is the best rally in the North Island,” said event director David Loughlin.

“Fantastic hospitality from the Whakatāne community, too. Thanks all of you.”

LOOKING AHEAD: A few pre-race words from eventual winner Hayden Paddon.
Photo Troy Baker E6231-0503