Inaugural Jackson Rally Day – Roaring Success!
On a bluebird day, south of Auckland, a gathering of rally enthusiasts, ranging from seasoned pros to absolute novices, assembled at the Maramarua Forest Rally Track for the much-anticipated Jackson Rally Day.
Jackson Rally Day 2023: A Thrilling Experience for our 9 Competition Winners
On Friday, July 28, 2023, a group of both highly experienced and complete novice Rally enthusiasts converged at Maramarua Forest Rally Track for the inaugural Jackson Rally Day. While the event showcased the incredible skills of our host and Rally Driver, James Dunlop, and his fantastic support crew, it was also a unique opportunity for nine lucky competition winners to experience the heart-pounding action from inside the Jackson sponsored rally car.
As the sun soaked the track on a bluebird day, these passengers were in for an unforgettable ride filled with speed, twists, and turns.
An Exclusive Opportunity
The Jackson Rally Day was hosted by Jackson Industries, where the chance to be a passenger in the Rally car for a hot lap was won via various competitions run over the year. Nine competition winners, chosen through a random selection after entering promotions at the BUILDNZ Trade Show, Placemakers Monster Tool Event, in-store at J. A. Russsell plus social media channels and EDM entries, were given the chance to step into the shoes of a rally navigator for a hot lap and experience the thrill firsthand.
Nine Winners, Nine Thrilling Rides
The day started with a warm welcome from Jackson Industries General Manager, Mark Jackson, and was followed by an in-depth safety briefing from Sam Miller, owner of Rally Drive NZ, and our Driver, James Dunlop. Following these crucial formalities, the winners were ready to roll!
Over the course of the day, each passenger was suited up, then strapped into the rally car alongside James, and took off on a high-octane adventure that got hearts pumping.
From the moment the engine roared to life, it was a blur of speed, excitement, and exhilaration. James enjoying showing off by expertly manoeuvring through the challenging course while each of our winners held on tight, experiencing the skill involved in navigating a tough course safely, but also at literal breath-taking speed.
The Maramarua Forest Rally Track: A Playground for Speed
The Maramarua Forest Rally Track is known for its challenging terrain and intricate layout. The track’s fast and fun nature, combination of tight corners, sweeping bends, and hair-raising jump sections demands precision driving promised an adrenaline rush and made for some tightly held seats by our winners! As all passengers finished their laps, smiles were large and abundant.
A Day to Remember
For the passengers, this day wasn’t just about the thrill of speed; it was an immersive experience into the world of rally driving.
As the car roared around the track, our winners were able to communicate with James, sitting in the Navigator seat – experiencing what it would be like to call out turns, jumps, and hazards.
A day etched in our memories.
In summarising the day, it would be remiss not to mention the weather. Mother Nature must have been a rally fan herself, as she graced the event with a stunningly clear blue sky. It was a picture-perfect day.
The beautiful weather added to the already vibrant atmosphere. As the group chatted together, enjoyed refreshments and a light lunch in the sun, awaiting their turn in the passenger seat – it was definitely a day to enjoy the great outdoors and witness the raw power of these incredible machines.
As the day came to a close, the passengers (carefully) drove home with exhilarated smiles and a newfound appreciation for the world of rally driving. For our winners and the Jackson team, the inaugural Jackson Rally Day was an enormous success and was more than just a day at the track; it was an adventure and an experience to be remembered.
Check out the awesome video highlights from the day here.
Quotes from some of our Winners:
“An amazing day at the Jacksons Rally Day. The Lap in the car was absolutely brilliant, even if James was a little reluctant to let me drive. Well looked after by the Jacksons team…”.
Neville Manson, Redpaths
“It was an incredible experience, Jackson hospitality and the chance of riding in a rally car made it a memorable day. Looking forward to more exciting events in the future.”
Martin Lena, Emirates Team New Zealand
“The day was great fun, somewhat scary first time around. Big appreciation of the skills of the rally drivers. I really enjoyed the day ….”
Murray Wells, JDW Chartered Accountants
“Truly a great day out, an awesome experience in the car with James. A big thank you to the team at Jacksons for organising such a fantastic event.”
Ross Smith, Auckland Meat
“Went to the Jacson Rally Day event and it was an awesome experience and amazing how quick you fly around the dirt road feeling strapped in safe all the way round, the only downside was it was over too quick 😊”
Jose Ubiaga, Wellington Entertainment Group