International Rally of Whangarei

🔥 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗸𝗲 & 𝗔𝗺𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲?

After a storming drive in 2025, Mike & Amy were leading the Vertex Lubricants International Rally of Whangārei at the end of SS6, holding a 7.3 second advantage over Jack Stokes.

The pair had shown serious pace across the opening stages, and looked right in the fight for the win on Day 1.

Unfortunately, heading into SS7, the driveshaft mount bolts started to give way. The crew pushed on, but their rally came to an end after the Pohe Island Super Stage.

Welcome back team. We can’t wait to see you back on the Whangārei and Kaipara roads in 2026.

🫵 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀, make sure you plan ahead, choose an approved viewing point, and allow plenty of time to get into position safely.

𝗩𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
👉 https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/

Img: Geoff Ridder

🌟 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹 𝗣𝗮𝗹𝗮 & 𝗡𝗶𝗸𝗸𝗶 𝗦𝗶𝗺

Thanks to the 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗭𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, Hamil Pala & Nikki Sim will be on the stages on Sunday competing in Hamil's first ever rally on some ICONIC WRC stages.

To say he's excited (and nervous) is an understatement. My only suggestion is just watch Ruarangi Road.

👀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
👉 https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/

Bring the family, bring the camera, and enjoy a Saturday afternoon of cars, rally action, and the Whangārei atmosphere.

𝗜𝗺𝗴: A Little Bit Sideways (Jason Byrne)

𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭

Stage 4 & 6 on Saturday 26th September.

SS4 - GREENHILL 1 - 11:04am first car
SS6 - GREENHILL 2 - 1:35pm first car

This is a great spot with a fast approach onto a bridge (a nice jump) then a hard brake to the 90' right hand corner. Then its a drag up the tarmac to gravel road and off up the hill.

📍𝗟𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: https://maps.app.goo.gl/LDt7wXDSPyJuwYY46
🚗𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Come in on Access Road from the Ruawai end. Plenty of parking. It is a prime spectator spot so there is a charge, that goes back to the local community groups that help on the day. Please obey the marshals' instructions.
👀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
👉 https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/

Bring the family, bring the camera, and enjoy a Saturday afternoon of cars, rally action, and the Whangārei atmosphere on Saturday 26th September.

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𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗻𝘀.

A huge IROW26 welcome to 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗢𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗱𝗱𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗼𝗻, who will be taking on the Whangārei and Kaipara roads in the 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗿𝘂 𝗛𝟲.

Great to have you both joining the event, we reckon you’re going to enjoy these stages.

👀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
👉 https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/

Bring the family, bring the camera, and enjoy a Saturday afternoon of cars, rally action, and the Whangārei atmosphere on Saturday 26th September.

img: Copyright Geoff Ridder - Caleb & Larisa at IROW25

🚗 𝗖𝗮𝗿 𝗦𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝗧𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘂 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲

Saturday afternoon at IROW26 is going to be something special.

From 𝟰:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺, head down to 𝗧𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗮𝘂 𝗮 𝗣𝗼𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗴𝗲 for a car show featuring over 60 cars parked along the northern side of the bridge.

Expect a mix of machinery, including American Cars, Hot Rods, Japanese Performance Cars, a local Drift Car, and even a classic Subaru once driven by the legendary 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺 𝗕𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲.

The first rally car is expected to start the Pohe Island Stage at around 𝟱:𝟬𝟬𝗽𝗺, so come down early, check out the cars, grab your spot, and enjoy one of the most spectator-friendly parts of the 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘅 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮̄𝗿𝗲𝗶..

Make sure you plan ahead and use the official spectator information.

✅ 𝗞𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟱 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘!!

👀 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
👉 https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/

Bring the family, bring the camera, and enjoy a Saturday afternoon of cars, rally action, and the Whangārei atmosphere.

🔥 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗔 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗪𝟮𝟲

We’re excited to welcome the Group A Subaru Legacy of 𝗥𝗼𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗼-𝗱𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗻, to the 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘅 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮̄𝗿𝗲𝗶.

There is something special about seeing a classic Subaru rally car on the gravel, and this one is sure to be a crowd favourite across the Whangārei and Kaipara roads.

Planning to come and watch on the 𝟮𝟱-𝟮𝟳 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲? Make sure you use the official spectator maps, arrive early, and choose an approved viewing point.

👀 Spectator maps here:
👉 https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators/

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗠𝗮𝗹, 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀.

Img: Geoff Ridder - Waitomo Rally 2019 with Tony Gosling / Blair Read

🚗 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸, 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘅 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀!

We’re excited to welcome 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗲𝘅 𝗟𝘂𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 back as the 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮̄𝗿𝗲𝗶.

Their support helps bring the rally rockstars back to the Whangārei and Kaipara Districts for another huge weekend of gravel, community, volunteers, spectators, and serious rally action.

📍 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵?
Check out the spectator maps here: www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/spectators

🏁 Competitors, don’t leave it too late.
𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝟭𝟭 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

A huge thanks again to Vertex Lubricants for getting behind the International Rally of Whangārei. Bring on IROW26.