My predictions:
1.solberg
2.loeb
3.gronholm
4.saniz
5.hiroven
thats my prediction i hope subaru can over come what happened in mexico w/ the time penalty and i think its gonna be a shootout between lorb and solberg

I think:
1.solberg
2.loeb
3.gronholm
4.hiroven
5.sainz

Hirvonen is good on gravel, but Sainz is better on dust and dirt, so watch out when cyprus and greece come along!

As always, I'm backing the best - SWRT!!

If you are interested... (source PeugeotSportUK)

RALLY NEW ZEALAND BRIEF

34th Rally New Zealand

4th Round of World Championship 2004

Scrutineering : Wednesday 14 April 2004

Shakedown : Wednesday 14 April 2004: 13.30 - 15.30 : Komokoriki Hill Road - Kaukapakapa

Local Time : GMT +12 (France : GMT +2)

LEG 1 : Auckland - Paparoa - Auckland
565 km (+ recce 96 km)
9 Special Stages (141.9 km)
Thursday 15 April 2004 : 19.10 - 21.00
Recce Leg 3 (1st passage) : 08.30 - 12.00
SS1 Manukau Super 1 (2.1 km) 19.25
SS2 Manukau Super 2 (2.1 km) 19.55

Friday 16 April 2004 : 10.00 - 21.00
Recce Leg 1 (2nd passage) : 07.50 - 09.40
SS3 Wairere 1 (18.9 km) : 10.13
SS4 Cassidy (15.8 km) : 10.46
SS5 Bull (31.7 km) : 11.14
SS6 Wairere 2 (18.9 km) : 13.13
SS7 Possum (Cassidy/Bull) (48.2 km) : 13.46
SS8 Manukau Super 3 (2.1 km) 19.25
SS9 Manukau Super 4 (2.1 km) 19.55
Service Parc (A) Paparoa : 09.40 (10)

Regrouping Paparoa : 09.50 (10)
Flexi Service (B) Paparoa : 12.00 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 12.20 (40)
Flexi Service (C) Paparoa : 14.55 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 15.15 (25)
Regrouping Manukau : 18.30 (40)

LEG 2 : Auckland - Paparoa - Auckland
Saturday 17 April 2004 : 11.00 - 21.00
Recce Leg 2 (2nd passage) : 07.50 - 10.00
524 km (+ recce 121 km)
8 Special Stages (144.5 km)

SS10 Parahi 1 (25.2 km) : 11.23
SS11 Batley 1 (19.8 km) : 12.16
SS12 Waipu Gorge 1 (11.2 km) : 12.44
SS13 Brooks 1 (16 km) : 13.07
SS14 Parahi 2 (25.2 km) : 15.13
SS15 Batley 2 (19.8 km) : 16.06
SS16 Waipu Gorge 2 (11.2 km) : 16.34
SS17 Brooks 2 (16 km) : 16.57

Flexi Service (D) Paparoa : 10.00 (45)
Regrouping Paparoa : 10.45 (15)
Flexi Service (E) Paparoa : 13.45 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 14.05 (45)
Flexi Service (F) Paparoa : 17.35 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 17.55 (25)

LEG 3 : Auckland - Raglan - Auckland
Sunday 18 April 2004 : 09.51 - 17.00
Recce Leg 3 (2nd passage) 07.20 - 09.15
324 km (+ recce 83 km)
6 Special Stages (114.7 km)

SS18 Te Hutewai 1 (11.2 km) : 09.54
SS19 Te Patatapu 1 (16.6 km) : 10.17
SS20 Whaanga Coast 1 (29.6 km) : 10.45
SS21 Te Hutewai 2 (11.2 km) : 12.28
SS22 Te Patatapu 2 (16.6 km) : 12.51
SS23 Whaanga Coast 2 (29.6 km) : 13.19

Flexi Service (G) Raglan : 08.50 (45)
Regrouping Raglan : 09.35 (6)
Flexi Service (H) Raglan : 11.33 (20)
Regrouping Raglan : 11.53 (22)
Flexi Service (I) Raglan : 14.04 (20)
Regrouping Auckland Americas Cup Village : 16.45 (15)
Total Distance : 1.414 km 23 Special Stages (401.2 km)

Nominated Entries
N 1 Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC
N 2 Mikko Hirvonen Subaru Impreza WRC
N 3 Sebastien Loeb Citron Xsara WRC
N 4 Carlos Sainz Citron Xsara WRC
N 5 Marcus Grnholm Peugeot 307 WRC
N 6 Harri Rovanper Peugeot 307 WRC
N 7 Markko Mrtin Ford Focus WRC
N 8 Franois Duval Ford Focus WRC
N 9 Gilles Panizzi Mitsubishi Lancer WRC
N 10 Kristian Sohlberg Mitsubishi Lancer WRC
N 11 Henning Solberg Peugeot 206 WRC
N 12 Daniel Carlsson Peugeot 206 WRC
N 14 Jari Viita Ford Focus WRC
N 15 Anthony Warmbold Ford Focus WRC

this weekend can't wait any longer Go SWRT!!!

this weekend can't wait any longer Go SWRT!!!

Cars No 1 & 2 are ready to go, with winning potential! I think Ford will be the biggest rival for the Subaru lads, since they did well here last year.

so far solberg is + 2.0 sec on gronholm and both mitsubishi's are out b/c of electrical problems so far great rally :D

Cool, I can only rely on WRC.com for info, as our TV coverage is only an hour on Sunday.

Thanks for the update!

Hey whoa whoa were is ford in this mix. Markko martin and fracious (can't speel his freaky french name) duvaul are doing great this year last time i checked.

Markko Märtin was in 4th & François Duval was in 6th (and he's Belgian, not French!) after Day 1 (Friday)

Solberg now in first by 5 secs rovenparra is in 2nd and 3rd is gronholm

Final Results from WRC.com:

1. Solberg 4:02:29.5
2. Gronholm +5.9
3. Martin +25.6
4. Loeb +1:05.2
5. Rovenpara +2:23.7
6. Sainz +3:08.9
7. Hirvonen +5:42.5
8. Carlsson +13:23.8
9. Herridge +15:42.9
10. Stohl +16:23.8

Anyone know why Harri Rovenpera dropped form 2nd to 5th?

very close rally by far the best of this year just so much action the first day Gronholm rolls his car and the last day Solberg almost lost it but Gronholm made two huge mistakes w/ the last one giving solberg the win :D . The 307 looked reliable finally the new Subaru is running great but the new Xsara was a bit slow IMO.

If you are interested... (source PeugeotSportUK)

RALLY NEW ZEALAND BRIEF

34th Rally New Zealand

4th Round of World Championship 2004

Scrutineering : Wednesday 14 April 2004

Shakedown : Wednesday 14 April 2004: 13.30 - 15.30 : Komokoriki Hill Road - Kaukapakapa

Local Time : GMT +12 (France : GMT +2)

LEG 1 : Auckland - Paparoa - Auckland
565 km (+ recce 96 km)
9 Special Stages (141.9 km)
Thursday 15 April 2004 : 19.10 - 21.00
Recce Leg 3 (1st passage) : 08.30 - 12.00
SS1 Manukau Super 1 (2.1 km) 19.25
SS2 Manukau Super 2 (2.1 km) 19.55

Friday 16 April 2004 : 10.00 - 21.00
Recce Leg 1 (2nd passage) : 07.50 - 09.40
SS3 Wairere 1 (18.9 km) : 10.13
SS4 Cassidy (15.8 km) : 10.46
SS5 Bull (31.7 km) : 11.14
SS6 Wairere 2 (18.9 km) : 13.13
SS7 Possum (Cassidy/Bull) (48.2 km) : 13.46
SS8 Manukau Super 3 (2.1 km) 19.25
SS9 Manukau Super 4 (2.1 km) 19.55
Service Parc (A) Paparoa : 09.40 (10)

Regrouping Paparoa : 09.50 (10)
Flexi Service (B) Paparoa : 12.00 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 12.20 (40)
Flexi Service (C) Paparoa : 14.55 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 15.15 (25)
Regrouping Manukau : 18.30 (40)

LEG 2 : Auckland - Paparoa - Auckland
Saturday 17 April 2004 : 11.00 - 21.00
Recce Leg 2 (2nd passage) : 07.50 - 10.00
524 km (+ recce 121 km)
8 Special Stages (144.5 km)

SS10 Parahi 1 (25.2 km) : 11.23
SS11 Batley 1 (19.8 km) : 12.16
SS12 Waipu Gorge 1 (11.2 km) : 12.44
SS13 Brooks 1 (16 km) : 13.07
SS14 Parahi 2 (25.2 km) : 15.13
SS15 Batley 2 (19.8 km) : 16.06
SS16 Waipu Gorge 2 (11.2 km) : 16.34
SS17 Brooks 2 (16 km) : 16.57

Flexi Service (D) Paparoa : 10.00 (45)
Regrouping Paparoa : 10.45 (15)
Flexi Service (E) Paparoa : 13.45 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 14.05 (45)
Flexi Service (F) Paparoa : 17.35 (20)
Regrouping Paparoa : 17.55 (25)

LEG 3 : Auckland - Raglan - Auckland
Sunday 18 April 2004 : 09.51 - 17.00
Recce Leg 3 (2nd passage) 07.20 - 09.15
324 km (+ recce 83 km)
6 Special Stages (114.7 km)

SS18 Te Hutewai 1 (11.2 km) : 09.54
SS19 Te Patatapu 1 (16.6 km) : 10.17
SS20 Whaanga Coast 1 (29.6 km) : 10.45
SS21 Te Hutewai 2 (11.2 km) : 12.28
SS22 Te Patatapu 2 (16.6 km) : 12.51
SS23 Whaanga Coast 2 (29.6 km) : 13.19

Flexi Service (G) Raglan : 08.50 (45)
Regrouping Raglan : 09.35 (6)
Flexi Service (H) Raglan : 11.33 (20)
Regrouping Raglan : 11.53 (22)
Flexi Service (I) Raglan : 14.04 (20)
Regrouping Auckland Americas Cup Village : 16.45 (15)
Total Distance : 1.414 km 23 Special Stages (401.2 km)

Nominated Entries
N 1 Petter Solberg Subaru Impreza WRC
N 2 Mikko Hirvonen Subaru Impreza WRC
N 3 Sebastien Loeb Citron Xsara WRC
N 4 Carlos Sainz Citron Xsara WRC
N 5 Marcus Grnholm Peugeot 307 WRC
N 6 Harri Rovanper Peugeot 307 WRC
N 7 Markko Mrtin Ford Focus WRC
N 8 Franois Duval Ford Focus WRC
N 9 Gilles Panizzi Mitsubishi Lancer WRC
N 10 Kristian Sohlberg Mitsubishi Lancer WRC
N 11 Henning Solberg Peugeot 206 WRC
N 12 Daniel Carlsson Peugeot 206 WRC
N 14 Jari Viita Ford Focus WRC
N 15 Anthony Warmbold Ford Focus WRC


thanks for the info