New Zealand's top racing car drivers are back home for the Legends of Speed dinner, held at Vector Arena in last night, to celebrate the success the current crop of stars are having on the world stage.
Drivers at the dinner included four-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon, World Rally Championship driver Hayden Paddon, World Endurance champion Brendon Hartley and Le Mans 24 hour winner Earl Bamber.
The drivers are doing their part to raise money for the Elite Academy of Motorsport, as well as helping to fund the attempt to get Rally New Zealand back on the World Rally Championship calendar from 2018.
Rally New Zealand was last on the WRC calendar in 2012, but now with Hayden Paddon being a superstar of the sport and with Australia not having a fulltime driver in WRC, the case for New Zealand to host the event is strong.
Rally Australia doesn't want to share the event with New Zealand, and with its deal expiring with the WRC next year, the time to make a move is now.
Oliver Ciesla, WRC promoter and managing director was in New Zealand during the week to take a first-hand look at the proposed base in Tauranga.
"It would be cool to come to New Zealand to watch another form of motorsport," said V8 Supercars driver Fabian Coulthard.
Earl Bamber shared the same views.
"It's nice to see everybody has come back to New Zealand to support the young guys and also bring the Rally back. It would be awesome to see those rally cars back in New Zealand."
Paddon had plenty to say after his fourth-place finish at Rally Australia last weekend.
"There's certainly a lot more Kiwis than Australians - they were everywhere. So it just emphasises the fact that the rally should be on the other side of the Tasman.
"There's a lot of interest within the service park, the FIA, the promoters to bring it back.
"We have huge enthusiasm for rallying in New Zealand. You'd just get huge support. There would be tens of thousands of people out in the stages."
Rally New Zealand organisers hope to get an answer early next year.
Newshub.
