Hawkeswood Mining is naming sponsor for the 2025 North Island Rally Series

Hawkeswood Mining have been confirmed as naming sponsor for the 2025 North Island Rally Series.  Owner Andrew Hawkeswood has been a key figure in the domestic rally competition for several decades both as a driver and more recently as a manufacturer of AP4 spec cars through Force Motorsport.  In 2017 he won the New Zealand Rally Championship driving a Mazda2 AP4 and more recently stepped back from competing handing the keys to his son Jack.

“We are proud to support grass roots Rallying”, Andrew commented. “This is where the future champions will come from, so it is pretty cool to be part of that”

Hawkeswood Mining is a significant gold recovery business based at Millers Flat near Alexander in Central Otago.

Registration for the 2025 Hawkeswood Mining North Island Rally Series (NIRS) is now open to drivers and codrivers online at www.nirs.co.nz.  The series is expected to attract a strong contingent of North Island competitors across the five Rounds from May through to October.

First up for NIRS drivers and teams is the Ruarangi Rd Rallysprint in Mangapai, run by the Northland Car Club. The high speed, cresty gravel road has been compared to the 1000 Lakes stages at WRC Finland and is not for the faint hearted!

The SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac Rally, hosted by Taranaki Car Club, returns to the calendar as the second round on Saturday, 12 July 2025, this season based in New Plymouth.

Returning after a six-year hiatus is Rally Coromandel on 23 August, which also doubles as the fourth round of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship (NZRC).  Based in the seaside town of Whitianga, drivers will tackle gravel roads in this scenic coastal district.

This is followed by the Newstead Lodge Waitomo Rally based in Pio Pio, 21 September, organised by the Hamilton Car Club. This will be a Clubmans Rally of 80kms and run “blind” with no safety or pace notes.

The final round also doubles as the fifth round of the NZRC.  The Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty gets underway 11 October 2025 run by Motorsport Bay of Plenty, and travels from Tauranga to Kawerau before returning to the Tauranga finish.

Another new series partner is Rallydrive NZ driving school, based in the heart of Maramarua Forest in South Auckland.  At each of the five NIRS rounds in 2025, an outstanding volunteer will be honoured with a “hot lap” voucher, offering them a first-hand taste of rally excitement. Additionally, two half-day test vouchers will be awarded to deserving new NIRS competitors, providing them with invaluable track time to hone their skills. The two youngest NIRS competitors will also receive full-day test vouchers, fostering the development of emerging talent in the rally community.

Competition is likely to be spicy at the pointy end with Quentin Palmer getting to grips with his new Skoda Fabia 2 and Todd Bawden in his Ford Fiesta R5

Phil Campbell has won the North Island Rally Series for the last two consecutive seasons in his Ford Fiesta AP4.  Will we see a new champion in 2025? 

• Round 1: 11 May Ruarangi Rd Rallysprint – think 1000 Lakes crests!
• Round 2: 12 July SBT Group Taranaki Tarmac – based back in New Plymouth –  new route 
• Round 3: 23 August Rally Coromandel – back after a 6-year hiatus!
• Round 4: 21 September Rally Waitomo – Clubman’s
• Round 5: 11 October Battery Town Rally Bay of Plenty 
• NIRS Prizegiving – 22 November, Mt. Richmond

Prepared by SB Networks on behalf of the North Island Rally Series