Media Release
27 September 2002
Autosport Club (Inc.)

HANMER MOTORSPORT WEEKEND READY TO RUMBLE

Tomorrow morning, Saturday the 28th of September, the preparations and postulations will end, and the cars will take to the forest roads in the Hot Springs Hotel Autosport Club Hanmer Rally. The sharp end of the contest will be an exciting battle between local hotshots of rallying with any of the top cars and crews capable of taking out the event. The crews in this "clubmans" rally will not be using pace notes, so the rally is driven without a knowledge of the road ahead. The rally roads wind along valleys, where the road can be very slippery under tree cover, and up and down steep hillsides where tightening corners also offer a few surprises! Spectators will get a great view of the cars driving sideways at the autocross stage. This will be held in farmland adjacent to SH7a, 2.5km south of Hanmer, starting at 12:45pm.

On Sunday the 29th of September competitors will then have the challenge of driving their cars in the second event on the weekend's agenda, the Bent Sprint.  The sprint will be on a similar 5km piece of road to that used by the rally and will attract a wider variety of cars eligible for the event. The sprint also enables drivers to drive more than 1 car, or two drivers to share a car. Some of the co-drivers from the previous day's rally will have a crack at driving and it is interesting to see their times when compared to the rally pilots. With the shorter distance to cover and little opportunity to stretch out a dominant lead, the sprint event will be a closely fought contest with drivers on the limit for the extent of the run through the road. This makes for spectacular driving and more than the odd "moment" for spectators to enjoy. Spectators can find the event by following the red arrows from the main gate of the forest on Jollies Pass Road.

Come to Hanmer and enjoy the action packed rally and sprint during the Hot Springs Hotel Hanmer Motorsport Weekend. Spectator maps are available from Autotech Services in Rangiora, Palmside Rallisport in Christchurch, Hurunui News in Amberley, and of course from the sponsor, the Hot Springs Hotel in Hanmer Springs. See you in the forest!

David Fletcher
Event Publicity
Autosport Club (Inc)
(021) 261-0082