Rivals still tipping Paddon for title
Fellow competitors in the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship think Hayden Paddon will win the 2024 title despite having to come from behind in the second half of the season.
Paddon missed the season opening round at Otago due to a clash with the European Rally Championship and has been chasing the likes of Robbie Stokes, Ben Hunt and Jack Hawkeswood ever since.
As it stands, Stokes leads the championship by a point from Hunt with Hawkeswood a further 20 points back in third and Paddon another three points back in fourth – 24 points adrift of Stokes.
But 66% of competitors that completed a recent survey have tipped Paddon to overcome that deficit by the end of the season and add a record eighth national title.
Hunt and Stokes were tipped as champions by 13% of those polled.
It would be Hunt’s third title and a break-through maiden title for Stokes and the first time the championship has been won by a father (Brian Stokes) and son.
Paddon would need Stokes or Hunt to not finish second at the remaining three rounds to give himself a chance of beating them in the title battle.
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