Two Official Rally Tours to see Paddon

Hayden Paddon's New Zealand World Rally Team (NZWRT) have announced they will host two official rally tours for fans to see the star Kiwi driver in action during 2012.

The special team tours cover Rally New Zealand, running 21 to 24 June, and Rally Spain, running 8 to 11 November, which wraps up Paddon's first season of competition in the FIA Super 2000 World Rally Championship (SWRC).

Run by Hayden Paddon Rallysport Global Ltd representatives, the two tours promise to take fans behind the scenes while seeing one of the best motor sports in the world.

Paddon's first tour last year to Australia was successful with a group of 70 fans, including many from South Canterbury.

"The tour to Australia was really successful and everyone involved had a great time," Paddon said.

"It was particularly special for me and my co-driver John Kennard to have a big contingent of New Zealand supporters with us when we secured the Production World Rally Championship title on Australian soil.

"This year, we're offering two tours for our New Zealand and Spanish WRC events. They're both significant events in our campaign. New Zealand, obviously, because it's our home event and it's going to be brilliant to be rallying on roads I know so well in our new S2000 Skoda, which is a wicked car.

"Spain will be our final event of the season and hopefully where we'll have the opportunity to win another world rally title."

The Rally New Zealand tour has two packages – standard and gold – offering accommodation, dedicated tour bus and experienced guide, rally passes, team clothing and the opportunity to share meals with Paddon, Kennard and the team.

The gold package includes half a day of rally viewing by helicopter.

Paddon said he loves the support and seeing the New Zealand flags flying.

"It means a lot and really helps us to lift to another level especially when there is a close battle.

"Particularly on our home ground when Rally NZ comes I am really looking forward to it and sharing the rally with our tour group."

Full details of the Rally Spain package are still being confirmed, but Paddon expects it to be very similar to Rally New Zealand with a combination of accommodation, fantastic rally viewing and opportunities to spend time with the team.

The Spanish event is based in Salou, an hour south of Barcelona, and consists of one day of gravel followed two days of tarmac.

Paddon will also know a fair bit about Spain by then as he is now based in Montgat, north of Barcelona.

Paddon is currently preparing to test the Skoda with his new Spanish team ASM Motorsport before commencing the first of eight SWRC events in Sweden on February 9.
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"We have completed our first test of our new Skoda S2000 car and I am buzzing.

"The car was amazing to drive and unlike any other car that I have driven in the past."

Paddon said the test was on a short piece of gravel road near Barcelona.

"The sole target of the test was for me to learn the brand new car and the systems before heading to Sweden.

"It didn't take long until I was comfortable in the car and we were able to try several changes to see how each change affected the car.

"Not only is the car very responsive, agile, light and fast, it also responses to set-up changes very well which will mean finding the sweet spot with the set-up will be crucial as we gain more experience with the car.

"Our team, ASM Motorsport have been doing a great job with the car and we are all really looking forward to Rally Sweden in less than 2 weeks."

Paddon said a lot of hard work also continued on trying to secure the budget for this season which was by no means an easy task.

Those interested in finding out more about the New Zealand World Rally Team tours are invited to visit the rally tours page of www.haydenpaddon.com or email katie@paddonrallysport.co.nz.