Following a successful revival in 2023, the Daybreaker Rally, powered by Brian Green Properties, returns in 2024, traversing the scenic roads of the Manawatū and Rangitīkei regions, with some new public interactive features.
Scheduled for 13-14 September, the event kicks off on Friday afternoon at Palmerston North’s The Square with a meet the crews and car show from 4:00pm. The cars will then convoy to the Arena at 5:30pm for a head-to-head Harcourts AFC Super Special Stage beginning at 6:00pm, offering multiple spectator vantage points for an exhilarating start to the 192km competition.
The rally resumes at 4:00am on Saturday morning (14 September), with the first car departing the overnight park for a day of gravel road action. The route winds through Rangitikei’s Turakina Valley and towards the switchback hairpin of Ridge Road North near Mataroa, north of Taihape. A second service of the day will be held in Taihape before the teams journey south across the famed Peep-o-Day and McBeth roads.
A second meet the drivers and car show will take place in Feilding Town Centre just before midday on Saturday, followed by a 30 minute service break in the Manfeild Arena carpark. They then repeat the Peep-o-Day and McBeth sections before tackling the 30.97km Ridge Road, concluding at Pohangina.
The remaining cars will return to Palmerston North’s arena where a demonstration event will precede a reversed field run of the Super Special Stage. The final run will determine the overall winner with the finishers parked on the arena infield for the concluding ceremonial finish.
As a round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, the event will feature entrants contesting the series' fourth (of six) rounds for the overall title. Currently led by Canterbury’s Robbie Stokes, former champion Ben Hunt is just one point behind, with opening round winner Jack Hawkeswood in third. Hayden Paddon, a seven-time champion, sits in fourth, having missed the season opener due to also contesting the European Rally Championship (ERC). Paddon won last year’s revival event, following his inaugural ERC victory.
The Daybreaker Rally continues to attract veteran competitors, first-timers, and several international guests to the region and its iconic roads. Entries close on 16 August, with full details on the competitors and spectator locations to be revealed.