It is essentially a two-horse race at this point as defending champion Ben Hunt and Canterbury young gun Robbie Stokes fight it out in their Skoda Rally 2s.
Hunt holds a slender 11-point advantage over Stokes heading into the second-last event on the calendar.
If the three-time national champ beats Stokes at Rally Bay of Plenty, he would go a long way to defending his crown and capturing a fourth title.
Stokes needs to come out on top of the battle this weekend to set up a thrilling finish in Whangarei next month.
He has been superb so far in 2025, adding consistency to his outright pace and getting that breakthrough NZRC round win at home in Canterbury.
Can he find a maiden win in the North Island to really give his championship chances the boost they need heading to the finale?
Neither driver can afford a DNF, as a poor result could throw the championship the other way, or if both were to have a drama, it opens the door for the chasing pack.
Jack Stokes (Ford Fiesta AP4) is searching for a maiden NZRC win while the likes of Jack Hawkeswood (Toyota GR Yaris), Dunedin star Emma Gilmour (Citroen C3) and Josh Marston (Holden Barina AP4) are all capable of mixing it up with Hunt and Stokes and having a say on who gets what points.
Bryn Jones (Ford Fiesta Rally 4), fresh off a successful outing in Portugal, can secure the NZRC 2WD championship if results go his way.
He holds a 20-point lead over Dunedin driver Tim Mackersy (Ford Fiesta Rally 4) and if he can grow that to 30 or more, Jones will secure the title with a round to spare.
Little has separated the pair all season, so Mackersy would love to triumph at Bay of Plenty and make Jones take the battle to Whangarei.
Dave Strong (Honda Civic) will look to put a couple of rough outings behind him in the Open 2WD class and is the only entrant this weekend.
Deane Buist holds a commanding lead in the Historic 2WD class in his Ford Escort. Second-placed Stephen Gill (Ford Escort) will aim to make up some ground ahead of the final round, while Mike Cameron (Mitsubishi Lancer) will keep the Escorts honest.
Caleb Macdonald (Mitsubishi EVO 6) returns to the Rally Challenge 4WD class after missing Coromandel and will take a two-point advantage into the event.
Ben Huband (Subaru Impreza), Will Menzies (Mitsubishi EVO 6), hometown boy Gavin Feast (Subaru Impreza) and the in-form Julien Lenglet (Subaru Impreza) will provide stiff competition for Macdonald’s return to the North Island.
Josh Keighley (Subaru Impreza) and Kevin Laird (Subaru Impreza) have both enjoyed outstanding campaigns in the Group A Challenge class. The pair have mixed it with the overall Rally Challenge leaders and will go head to head for the class title.
Keighley takes a two-point lead over Laird into the weekend after worst results from the opening four rounds were dropped. — Allied Media
