Otago Sports Car Club's annual Dunlop International Classic Rally of Otago has rapidly become the premiere event of its type in Australasia.

 

In it's brief history it has, in addition to a plethora of New Zealand and Australian classic drivers, attracted a worthy list of world class drivers, including ex Australian and FIA Asia-Pacific Champion Ross Dunkerton and former British Open Champion Russell Brookes.

 

This list was bolstered in 2002 with the inclusion of the first ex World Champion, Björn Waldegård, who drove a locally prepared Ford Escort BDA to 5th place behind ex New Zealand Champion Brian Stokes.

 

So impressed was Waldegård, that he returned in 2003, this time in a similar Escort prepared by top local crew, Rossendale Rally Team.  In a further fillip for the events status, Waldegård was joined by rallying legend Hannu Mikkola, using the car Waldegård drove previously.  In the end neither triumphed, after brushes with the scenery, Stokes again collecting the laurels.

 

This string of star entries was further extended in 2004 with one of the most recent retirees from the world rally scene, four times World Champion Juha Kankkunen.  However, it was his younger team mate in the Rossendale Escort BDAs, 1999 Finnish Champion and Subaru test driver, Pasi Hagström who ascended to the top of the podium.

 

In 2005 an enthusiastic Hagström returned to the Rossendale Team, joined by a driver with one of the most well known names in UK rallying, 5 times British Open Champion and patriarch of a rallying dynasty, Jim McRae.  While Hagström again dominated the times, a costly 3 minute stop after a water crossing left McRae the victor, with Hagström half a minute down in second.

 

After 1-2 finishes in both 2004 and 2005, the Rossendale Team attempted to go one better in 2006, entering cars for Hagström and McRae, but also adding a newly acquired Porsche 911 RS for Italian ex WRC driver Alex Fiorio and renowned female co-driver Fabrizia Pons.  While the 1-2 record remained intact, with Hagström back on top of the podium, this time from Fiorio, the 1-2-3 eluded the team with McRae retiring on the very last stage after an accident.