This also means the duo have gained top place in both the Asia-Pacific and New Zealand Rally Championship fields.
While it is Hawkeswood’s first Otago win, his co-driver Farmer is celebrating his second Otago Rally success, after winning in 2017 beside David Holder.
The fight at the top was fast all weekend, with little more than 20 seconds separating the top two drivers on any occasion.
Over the first two stages of Sunday, Hawkeswood traded times with Robbie Stokes and the pair entered the first service halt with an identical gap to overnight.
Hawkeswood and second-placed Stokes continued to trade stage times during the day.
But it was Hawkeswood who was able to take his Toyota GR Yaris AP4 to victory.
Classic Rally
Two Irish racers are celebrating after gaining the top spot in the Otago International Classic Rally.
Kris Meeke, of Dungannon and co-driver Noel O’Sullivan, of Killarney, took first place in a Ford Escort RS1800.
Meeke is a five-time World Rally Championship event winner and this was his debut on New Zealand roads.
Second on the leaderboard throughout the entirety of the weekend were longtime Otago Rally competitors Deane Buist and co-driver Karl Celeste, both of Christchurch.
Buist has won the International Classic Rally in three different types of cars over the years and used his trusty Escort to get himself another fine result.
Third place went to John Silcock and co-driver Donna Elder, of Fernside, in their Mazda RX7.
