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Campbell gets new car for new season
A new season of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, coupled with the highly anticipated debut of his new Ford Fiesta R2, sees Tauranga driver Phil Campbell eagerly awaiting the opening round, Rally Otago, which runs this weekend.
For the last two seasons, Campbell has campaigned the older Ford Fiesta ST, which conforms to Group N ‘production class’ rules. But the Campbell Rally Sport team have been hard at work building a newer model Ford Fiesta to R2 specifications.
The new car, backed by Letts Construction, comes complete with engine modifications that increase the engine output to almost 170bhp from the 1.6 litre engine. It also features a five-speed sequential gearbox, Reiger dampers and big AP brakes. All of the equipment required to turn the car into a rally car comes from British rallying giant M-Sport, who also prepare and run the Ford Fiesta WRC cars.
Campbell’s car is one of two of the new to New Zealand rocketships, with Christchurch’s Josh Marston lining up as Campbell’s major rival for the season in the homologated two wheel drive class driving the identical cars.
“I’m really looking forward to Otago, it will be our first proper competitive run in the car,” says Campbell. “Hopefully we can make a good start and get on track for a good season with the new car.”
Rally Otago gets underway with a ceremonial start on Friday night in Dunedin, with the rally proper getting underway on Saturday with eight stages as far north as Oamaru. Day two sees a further eight special stages before a ceremonial finish at the Dunedin Railway station just before 4.30pm.
Press Release by BB Media
