Latest news with #Paddon
Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Motorsport: Paddon targets Donegal success on first competitive Irish outing
Reigning and double European Rally Champion, New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) gets his first competitive taste of Irish rallying shortly after eleven o'clock on Friday on the 14.3km Malin Head stage, the first of the weekend's twenty stages of the Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally. Although the three-day Letterkenny-based event is the fourth round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the fact that both Keith Cronin and Matt Edwards, have for different reasons, paused their rallying, some of the usual shine has been taken from the series. However, the presence of Paddon along with Kesh driver Jon Armstrong and Moira's William Creighton has cranked up the competition level in the north-west. Paddon has faced both and indeed top seed Callum Devine in last year's Rali Ceredigion in Wales, where the New Zealander took a comfortable victory. However, Donegal will be very different as Paddon told the Irish Examiner yesterday morning. "We (with his Cork born co-driver David Moynihan) have just completed all our recce (reconnaissance), the stages are very fast and technical at the same time. It's going to be very difficult to be at the same speed as the locals when you don't have the knowledge of the roads. We're going to do the best job we can but its difficult when you don't have the experience. Ceredigion was even, we had the same amount of experience but coming here is different as they (local drivers) know the roads so well and we have respect for that. "First and foremost we've come here to enjoy ourselves. The second pass through the stages will be quicker, but until you actually drive them for the first time and have a feel of all the bumps and how the car reacts you don't know. For sure on the second pass you would be more confident." He concluded: "It's a big challenge for us both, obviously Dave (co-driver) has got to learn my pacenote system and for me it's a different voice that you hear in the intercom and how I interpret the words. A challenge is good, it makes it more exciting." Paddon will try and add his name to other luminaries that have triumphed in Donegal like Achim Armbold (1975), Ari Vatanen (1978) and Sebastien Loeb (2007) all of whom have added to the event's legendary status. Top seed Devine will be followed off the start line by Jon Armstrong - fresh from a fine third place on last weekend's Rally Poland and without the shackles of a championship bid, he's unlikely to hold back. In any case, such is the pace, there's no time to adopt a wait and see process when seconds or even parts of, are crucial. Creighton missed the last round of the BRC but arrives in Donegal as leader of the BRC courtesy of his victory in the East Riding Stages and second on the Carlisle Stages. At the wheel of the MEM Castrol-backed Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, he is fulfilling a personal desire. "Donegal is a rally that I've always wanted to contest in a Rally2 car. It's such a special event for Irish rallying and the atmosphere is second to none. The pace at the front of the ITRC is very strong. There's no room for error. It's important to find a good rhythm from the beginning of the rally. But that's what makes it such a brilliant challenge." Others in the top ten are Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Welsh ace Meirion Evans in the second of the MEM Castrol Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 cars, who will be aiming to go one better than last year when he finished 17.4s behind Devine. "I'm happy with where I am with the Yaris Rally2 at the moment and I hope I can translate that into a really strong performance again. Our speed on the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney was really good and we managed to move our pace forward a bit more on the Jim Clark Rally. It would be great to go one better this time." Today's first leg is a loop of three stages repeated twice with servicing in Carndonagh.
Otago Daily Times
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Paddon revved up for triple-header
Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard have a busy schedule ahead. PHOTO: SUPPLIED Life is flat-tack for New Zealand rally star Hayden Paddon. The Cromwell-based ace is about to contest three very different rallies over three consecutive weekends in three countries with three different co-drivers. Rally Queensland, running July 4-6 near Gympie, north of Brisbane, has been booked in all year. Paddon is set to continue his bid to win his first Australian Rally Championship title with longtime co-driver John Kennard alongside in the PRG-run Hyundai i20 Rally 2 car. Paddon and Kennard took the lead of their respective drivers' and co-drivers' championships at the previous ARC round in Western Australia and know they face a challenge in Queensland as most of the frontrunners have considerable experience on the rally's gravel, forestry plantation roads. Two more dates unexpectedly popped up on the calendar. Paddon received an invitation to compete in the Ypres Rally in Belgium, June 28-29, an event he contested in 2013 at the start of his international career. One of the longest-running rallies in Europe, Ypres is a high-speed, all-tarmac rally that regularly attracts top international drivers. Paddon will be joined by New Zealand co-driver Jared Hudson in a Hyundai i20N Rally2 car prepared by last year's Belgian champions, BMA. Finally, just this week, a late change in the entry list for Ireland's most competitive motorsport rally, the Donegal Rally, provided Paddon with the opportunity to drive another Hyundai i20N Rally2 with co-driver Dave Moynihan. The car will be run by C&M Motorsport and the event takes place on June 20-22. Described as the ultimate three-day tarmac rally, Donegal attracts over 70,000 spectators and close to 400,000 viewers on television and online. Being the only three-day tarmac rally in Ireland and the United Kingdom, it attracts the best Irish, British and international drivers from around the globe every year. Paddon is understandably excited. "It's fantastic to be heading back to Europe for some rally action again during what will be one of the busiest three-week windows of my life," he said. "There's certainly a challenge ahead with three different cars, three different co-drivers and teams across the three events that span halfway round the globe. "Donegal and Ypres are very famous events where the locals are extremely fast on demanding stages. "Then, on our return to Australia, we are going into a rally where most of the ARC competitors are familiar with the stages from last year. "We are going to have to prepare and push hard at all three events. It's a challenge I'm definitely up for. "The dream is to try and challenge for victories across all three events, but the challenge to do that is huge. "Together with my three co-drivers and teams, I know we'll give it everything we have and try our best to keep up with the locals. "It's a unique and exciting privilege, to get outside your comfort zone and try new challenges, and for me, that is motivation to push us to try even harder." — APL
Otago Daily Times
26-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Paddon up to third in standings after dual wins
Hayden Paddon (right) and co-driver John Kennard celebrate after their win in the Forest Rally in Western Australia on Sunday. PHOTO: TAYLER BURKE New Zealand rally stars Hayden Paddon and co-driver John Kennard overcame intense competition and muddy conditions to win the Forest Rally in Western Australia. It was the second round of the Australian Rally Championship, run as two single-day events across the weekend. The Kiwis worked hard to secure the maximum available 50 points each day and claim the win in their Hyundai i20 Rally 2 car. Paddon is now third on the ARC drivers' points table behind Lewis Bates and Scott Pedder after two of the six championship rounds. The Cromwell driver was seeded fourth heading into Saturday's heat one and Paddon and Kennard were among the top runners from the outset as expected. But the competition was hot, 2020 FIA junior world rally champion Tom Kristensson winning the first stage, three-time ARC champ Harry Bates securing the second, and Paddon the third. Heavy rain made conditions very slippery in places, but high grip in others, and nothing like the loose, ball-bearing surface typical of this rally run in the forests near Nannup, south of Perth near Margaret River. Into the afternoon loop, Rally of Canberra winner Scott Pedder took the fourth stage win, then Paddon and Kennard were able to wrap up the day to their satisfaction by winning the last two stages with a margin of 12.3sec over Pedder, and secure maximum points for heat one. Sunday morning's loop of three stages were very wet and muddy, but Paddon said drying conditions in the afternoon suited them and the car better. Four different stage winners — Kristensson, Pedder, Harry Bates and Paddon — throughout the day highlighted the intense competition. Paddon was ultimately the day's victor by a margin of just 5.4sec over Bates. Paddon was delighted to take the rally win and maximum points. 'It was a really good weekend and we're really happy to come away with the win on both days," Paddon said. "It was more than we expected especially as the conditions were very challenging. "We had to really dig deep to try and get the result. "To get the win in that fashion is very satisfying. It's been a huge effort from everyone in the PRG team being over here for the week. It's great to get our bid to win our first Australian championship back on track with our next challenge taking place at Rally Queensland near Gympie next month.' — APL
Otago Daily Times
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Otago Daily Times
Paddon after max points in WA
Hayden Paddon. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES New Zealand rally stars Hayden Paddon and John Kennard head into new challenges in the second Australian Rally Championship, round which starts in Western Australia today. The Forest Rally runs around the towns of Busselton and Nannup, south of Perth near Margaret River. The two-day rally features a stacked entry list of 39 crews, including international stars such as 2020 FIA junior world rally champion Tom Kristensson and co-driver Andreas Johansson, of Sweden, and regular local top runners such as the Bates brothers. With the roads described as "unique, ball-bearing gravel", Paddon and Kennard are expecting plenty of fast, sideways-sliding action on the stages in their refreshed Hyundai i20 Rally 2 car. The New Zealand pair again have the support of their Cromwell-based PRG crew in Australia. Paddon is fresh from an outright win in Rally South Canterbury, in which Jared Hudson co-drove in the team's Hyundai i20 AP4. While the pair's first Australian outing this year did not go to plan in March — thanks to some local wildlife — they are looking for maximum points this coming weekend, and have been working through their pre-event preparation with their usual thoroughness. "This is our first time competing in Western Australia," Paddon who will be starting No4 four on the road, said. "We've heard a lot about the loose marbles here that make it slippery, but from what we have seen from our homework, the stages look generally smooth and flowing. "We've been working on a couple of small upgrades on the car, so we are looking forward to trying to get our championship bid back on track. ''That means we really need to target maximum points here, but we are also expecting a lot of fast teams here like the first ARC round in Canberra. ''Our goal is to focus on doing the best job we can from when recce starts on Thursday until the end of the rally on Sunday night." The Forest Rally gets under way today with a rally show in the evening (WA time) near the Busselton foreshore. Tomorrow's six special stages take competitors into the Nannup forest and comprise two repeated loops of three stages with a total competitive distance of 103.28 km. Sunday's six stages are also three tests repeated morning and afternoon, over a total 81.02km, before the rally finish and podium celebrations in Nannup later in the day. — APL
