22 year old Hayden Paddon scored his second win at Rally Whangarei, this year New Zealand’s premier rally, beating the FIA’s Asia Pacific competitors headed by Cody Crocker.

Crocker was disadvantaged running the first day in front of the local drivers, giving Richard Mason a chance to lead but he retired on the second day with turbocharger failure. Paddon inherited the lead and won by over a minute from Crocker, ahead of a fellow Australian Brendon Reeves. Among other APRC contenders, Katsuhiko Taguchi finished fourth ahead of Crocker’s APRC teammate Emma Gilmour, second best local finisher, but Taguchi’s teammate Gaurav Gill went off the road on day 2. Crocker now heads Taguchi in the APRC standings after the third round, while Paddon was guaranteed a place in the APRC section of the Pirelli Star Driver shoot-out to be held at Repco Rally Australia.

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