NEW ZEALANDER MARK TAPPER
TO RALLY IN MALAYSIA
New Zealand rally driver
Mark Tapper will compete in the third round of the Malaysian
Rally Championship in Kuantan this weekend. He is looking
to gain valuable experience towards the Pirelli Star Driver
award, which is an initiative by the FIA to discover a future
World Rally Champion. Contesting the rest of the Malaysian
Championship is also an option the quick Kiwi is considering.
The Pirelli award is open to drivers
27 years or younger in the Asia Pacific region and they
are invited to a shoot out at the Malaysian Rally in October,
which Mark has entered. The most talented driver from the
region will be offered a funded drive in the production
category of the World Rally Championship for 2009.
Tapper is no stranger to international
rallies having competed in Indonesia Thailand and England.
Certainly he is one of New Zealand’s fastest drivers
placing second overall in the opening round of the NZ championship
and he proved to be quicker on his home ground than any
of the APRC competitors in the recent Whangarei Rally. As
the current NZ 2WD champion he is setting his sights on
that break that will set up an international career. “This
is my only shot at this amazing award as I just sneak in
age wise, I want to prepare the best I can and this event
best mirrors the conditions I am likely to experience in
Johor when I compete for the Pirelli package”
The conditions in Malaysia are extreme
from oppressive heat and humidity to the very technical
roads in the palm plantations. An afternoon downpour can
radically transform the roads into ice like conditions and
along with deep ditches and very solid palm trees going
off the road is not an option as it will certainly be terminal!
For this event Tapper has enlisted
the services of top rally co driver Jeff Judd. “Jeff’s
experience is amazing, he will be a real help to me as he
has written gravel notes for the great Possum Bourne in
Malaysia and last year was second in this event co driving
for Indian driver Narren Kumar”
SR Motorsport in Kuala Lumpur are
supplying a Subaru Impreza and service package for this
weekend's round while Mark will switch to a Kiwi prepared
Mitsubishi Evo 9 and his own service crew for the October
challenge. “ I am not out to win this weekend, it
is more important to learn first hand the conditions that
I will encounter in October to best prepare for the show
down in Johor”
At this stage Tapper is funding the
Kuantan event out of his own pocket however support is certainly
being sort for the Malaysian Rally and possible other rounds.
You can follow Mark's progress this weekend on www.malaysianrally.com
For more information or comment from
Mark, he can be reached on (64) 21777133 Website: www.tapperrallysport.com
Picture and story Alan McDonald (64)
274510612 email: Macspeedfoto@actrix.co.nz
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