International Rally of Whangarei

09/06/2026

👏𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗬

Welcome 𝗥𝗼𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘀, our first entry for IROW26 and taking advantage of the pay for a day, get a day free. Great to have you back with us, I am guessing here, but will there be a trio of MR2's at IROW26?

👉We look forward to hosting you in the winterless North at 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗶 - 25-27 September 2026

📸Geoff Ridder | Rodney James & Adam Miller at IROW25.

08/06/2026

✅𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗘𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗢𝗣𝗘𝗡

We are excited to open the entries for the 2026 International Rally of Whangarei, entry is via MSNZ Sporty.

𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 & 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲:
https://www.rallywhangarei.co.nz/

Some key things early on to note in preparation of your visit to the cambered highways of Northland:

🏠 𝗥𝘂𝗴𝗯𝘆 - there is a NPC rugby game on Saturday night, so make sure your accommodation is sorted. There will be more people from out of town this year.
🍨𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗹 - until the 31.07.2026 if you enter Clubmans and pay for Day One, you will receive Day Two as a complimentary gift. How good is that!
🤔 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲 - if you are only doing only One Day, you can choose Day One or Day Two. You can thank Kingsley Jones for this great idea 👏
👩‍👩‍👦‍👦 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - please make an effort to be at the Mayoral Welcome on Thursday night, this is how we show the WDC our appreciation of the their support.
🌍 𝗠𝗮𝗽𝘀 & 𝗜𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 - the latest map and itinerary is online, along with the service crew instructions for IROW26. They will be updated, so just keep an eye on the dates.

👉We look forward to hosting you in the winterless North at 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗶 - 25-27 September 2026

📸Geoff Ridder | Justin & Michele in the rapid Starlet at IROW25.

07/06/2026

The 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗟𝗼𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 ran on Sunday at Ruarangi Road.

Congratulations to everyone that survived the rollercoaster ride over Ruarangi Road, seems one competitor decided to add a loop at the spectator junction.

👏Well done to Carl Adnitt in the Mazda RX8 4WD for the win.

Check out a small selection of shots from Geoff Ridder. More images can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/204389169584359

📌 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 are with MSNZ and we are hoping to have them back soon so we can open entries. Watch this space.

👉𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗶 - 25-27 September 2026

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.

See less

03/06/2026

✅𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸𝘀

In the coming weeks the team will head out to check the route and the road-book for this years event. While we know there were updates / fixes that are needed from IROW25, but we were wondering if you wanted any further information, such as:

1️⃣ Where the best pies are, we are happy to help ascertain this over the day
2️⃣ Good spots for a Instagram selfie for "Rally" posts to keep your social game going while on event
3️⃣ Should you need a ti**le, where can you stop with confidence, cause lets face it some toilets are "scary" concrete and cold
4️⃣ Where the streaming will be so you can put on the show for the cameras and relating back to point 2, your social fans
5️⃣ Any famous spots to look out for, esp Buists Ditch, Turners Corner (there are many), or Emma's Drop

Let us know, and we will see how we go.

📌 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 are with MSNZ and we are hoping to have them back soon so we can open entries. Watch this space.

👉𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗶 - 25-27 September 2026

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.

15/05/2026

✏ 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴

To help with your planning, here are 🔟 key things to think about:

1️⃣ 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗰𝗲 is Thursday / Friday, the same as in 2025. Make sure you get your snack bag ready and a big bottle of fluids. Also be sure to wave to the locals as you pass thru the stages.
2️⃣𝗠𝗮𝘆𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 is Thursday night - attendance is compulsory but if you can't make it them please let us know - we are pretty reasonable but we also want a good turnout. We will probably have the Audi there again this year but with a For Sale sign - anyone interested?
3️⃣𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 is still Friday arvo. Any team taking part we request you take one event nominated person for a ride to assist with promoting the event locally. Remember it is shakedown and don't do a Jay Sharp.
4️⃣𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮 are the same route as 2025. So Saturday is a day to pin your ears back and really go for it, Sunday is the more twistier stages.
5️⃣𝗣𝗼𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗦 will be late Saturday arvo - if there are event delays there is a possibility that you could be running in diminished light (aka Dusk). Plan accordingly, eat lots of carrots or make sure your lights are ok.
6️⃣ 𝗗𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 changes over on Saturday night... so watch your timings on Sunday. Remember the ⏰'s will "Spring Forward" by an hour over night.
7️⃣𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 is really preferred for all teams other than for Cat1 teams. Cars running on Saturday or Sunday, please organise the remote scrutineering checks pre-event.
8️⃣𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 - book early as that place you like is likely to be liked by someone else too.
9️⃣𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸𝘀 like 2025 - Pohe / Dargaville / Ruawai plus a few refuels. Try and team up with other teams to make it easier if you are a small team.
🔟There is an 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗶𝗿𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆 offer coming soon - so keep an eye out for it.

👉𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗶 - 25-27 September 2026

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.

29/04/2026

✅𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗪𝟮𝟲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲.

If you are a clubman's entrant and you aren't interested in overall glory, then for 2026 we are going to let you choose which day you want to do.

👉A 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 at IROW26 can choose to compete on the Kaipara stages on Saturday, or run the Whangarei stages on Sunday.

Regulations are being worked on at the moment.

🗺 𝗜𝗥𝗢𝗪𝟮𝟲 𝗜𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 & 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄.

27/04/2026

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘

As we explored a fresh route for 2026, the challenging weather over the past few months has had a significant impact. Unfortunately, two key roads planned for the new stages are currently impassable and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

As a result, the 2026 rally will return to the proven 2025 stages, along with the same format for the super stage and pre-event activities. While this is not the direction we had hoped for, the safety and wellbeing of our local communities must come first.

𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.

03/04/2026

Remembering Ken Block… we hosted his team at IROW and this photo is just sensational. Corners, camber, Ken Block (and Alex Gelsomino) and the stunning scenery, oh and that flame!!!

Remembering Ken on this 4/3 Day, with one of our most memorable shots, while winning Rally Whangarei - the first round of the 2015 .

You can watch the live stream on YouTube.

4/3 DAY NATIONAL KEN BLOCK DAY
Join Brian Scotto, Ron Zaras, and Zac Mertens for a global livestream from Block House Racing HQ.
A rare look inside the private headquarters, world-class auctions, guest appearances, and real impact supporting 43i.

WATCH LIVE at www.43i.org
April 3rd, 2026 9am PT / 10am MT / 12pm ET / 6pm CET

27/11/2025

The perils of being the cameraman - Jack & Jason were a little wider than most, and we got a lovely Northern Gravel Shower.

22/11/2025

Watch the action … today at 3pm on CRC Motorsport

- For the final time in 2025, park up in front of the telly and check out the rallying action!

Highlights of the Vertex Oil International Rally of Whangarei play today at 3pm on Three!

For our overseas viewers, check back on the NZRC page or YouTube channel (www.nzrc.tv) next week for the coverage!

Thanks to our sponsors:
Brian Green Property Group
Mentor Tyres / MRF Motorsport Tyres
MRF Racing
Mentor Tyres / MRF Motorsport Tyres
Palmside NZ

Crème Insurance