VOLUNTEER VOICES
Read the stories from the heart of the Rally
Every month we’ll be shining a spotlight on the unsung heroes of our sport – showing our appreciation for everything they do.
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The Rally Family
The Unsung
Heroes
At the heart of Rally NZ is a passionate, dedicated community of volunteers who make everything we do possible. From stage crews and safety teams to admin support and zero car crews, every single person plays a vital role — and we’re so incredibly grateful for the time, energy, and heart they bring to the sport. Naturally, with such a diverse group, there are some truly amazing stories behind the hi-vis vests, and through Volunteer Voices, we’re shining a light on the unsung heroes and their stories.
For those of you who have been around Rallying for more than a few events – you are bound to have ran into the man, the myth, the legend himself Mr BB.
Notorious for cracking a crude joke, sinking some bourbons at the after party, and not taking life too seriously, BB is one of the key members of the NZRC team – all of whom deserve their moment in the spotlight; because I tell you now, these guys dedicate more time, energy and effort into our sport every single year than even fathomable.


When I asked BB to answer some questions for us to feature in this month’s Volunteer Voices I knew we would end up with some truly golden nuggets and an all-round great read. So good in fact, that I’m just going to include his answers as he wrote them – no edits or changes – simply letting BB’s personality do the talking.
But I will say this – BB has never once said no when asked for help, and has always been one of the first to offer assistance with any volunteering efforts – even finding himself wrangled into MCing for our Volunteers Fundraiser Quiz last year.
However, as a worker in the shadows up until the Rally event, not many people truly understand the time and dedication that BB has, and continues to put into our sport, and it is with whole-hearted truth that I say Rally NZ and the NZRC wouldn’t ever be the same without you BB. From co-ordinating the Championship, to running the livestreams, and filming the post-event show for TV3 you genuinely are one of the legends of our sport.
And on behalf of everyone at Rally NZ I say a very big and sincere thank you for your service, and for simply being you – jandals in winter and all.

Sample Subtitle
PARTNERSHIPS
With each leg of the NZ Rally Championship hosted by local car clubs, we as a volunteer body are there to provide extra manpower and support as and when needed. We also provide organisational support if required, with many of our volunteers belonging to more than one car club.
The Rally NZ Club takes pride in working closely with the NZRC – and enjoys providing our volunteers the opportunity to travel across the country to various motorsport events, getting to do what they love in new and exciting environments.
We are also the first point of call for large-scale international events, including the International Rally of Whangarei and the World Rally Championship.



BB's Interview
Year first started volunteering:
2010 with Rally NZ
How long have you been involved with Rally NZ / in the motorsport scene? And what was it that you started off doing?
I’ve grown up amongst motorsport, my Mum used to compete in circuit racing and my Dad built race cars back in the day, but was more recently a co-driver. I guess it was a case of being exposed to motorsport regardless, it was just kinda handy that I seemed to have a passing interest myself….
Cut a long story short, a lot of the story reverts back to the early days of Targa. Dad was crewing and ended up co-driving for a good family friend and I’d get the week off school as a young fella, then try to keep up with the stories and goings on of the event. Through that, I got to meet some fantastic people, a lot of whom are still friends now. As I got older, the family formed a timing team and that was our way of staying involved.
Around 2000, PJ who most of you will have heard of turned up at Targa with an old Group B Metro 6R4. He told me if I got good grades at school, I could go for a ride in the Metro and we stayed in touch. By the time I actually got any decent grades (and even that was probably questionable), the Metro had turned into a Peugeot 205 T16 so that was a bonus and an eye opening ride, but that’s another story. We continued to stay in touch, then eventually my Dad ended up working for PJ. In 2007, PJ launched the Fiesta Sporting Trophy in NZ, Dad was signed up as series co-ordinator and PJ gave me a chance as the media man for the class and from there the NZRC journey began.
After a few years trying to make money writing press releases (hint, not a good way to make money!), Rally NZ acquired the promotional rights to the NZRC in 2011 when TMC went belly up, PJ said he had this young guy working for him (the Bartels were trying hard to outnumber Johnstons at GVI by this stage) who could drive a van load of gear to and from the opening round at Dunedin. I ended up working with Laurie Brenssell and Paul Burborough for two years until Simon Bell and Blair Read took over the role of co-ordinators and eventually I joined them. When Blair left for Australia, Carl Fenn jumped in.
That’s about the short version of it, if you want the long version, get me a Heineken and strap in, there’s been some adventures!
What was it that made you first get involved in Rally?
Really the family involvement, but I was obsessed for as long as I can remember. One opportunity led to another and another and now we’re here.
What is your favourite memory/what has been the highlight moment from your years in the sport?
The number one highlight over the years would absolutely be the people I’ve met over the journey and I’m lucky to count a number of my friends from rallying amongst my best friends out there.
It’s hard to pick a specific moment, there have been so many that have been so special for so many reasons. Going for a run around the Jacks Ridge Rallysprint course with Andrew Hawkeswood in his AP4 car would be right up there.
Andrew was a hero of mine growing up and I was lucky enough to do a lot of work with him around both the AP4 project and out at Jack’s Ridge (also he’s got some very cool Tonka Toys!) and after a long day, Andrew wanted to do a small test and blow off some steam. It was a hell of a ride and one that if you’d told me 20 years earlier was ever going to be an option, I’d have crawled over broken glass for. Turns out Andrew’s pretty reasonable, so we could at least avoid the broken glass. But I’ve been fortunate enough to have some really special rides over the years for a number of reasons.
Out of all the things you love about rallying, what is it that keeps you coming back for more?
There are so many facets to rallying that makes it so incredibly special. We travel to some stunning parts of this country you’d have no business being anywhere near for any other reason.
To stand on the side of a fast bit of road and watch the best drivers in the country blast past in the best cars in the country is simply staggering to watch and never ceases to blow me away.
But it always comes back to the people. People are what makes our sport great, the bad eggs seem to weed themselves out pretty quickly and the ones that hang around long term are great people!
That, and I’m a little partial to a good after party….
If you could drive in any rally in the world, what one would it be, and what car would you drive – and why?
As much as it would be tempting to say some exotic event half way around the world, when you look at what we have for roads in this country, I wouldn’t want to go anywhere else. Some of the old roads for Rally of the North were pretty special, so I’d probably go with that rally in a BDA Escort, I do quite like them just quietly.
If you could spectate any rally in the world, what one would it be and why?
WRC wise, Finland would have to be the ultimate. Maybe sneaking through a paddock to a spot outside of the main spectator junctions (it’s not not listening to the marshalls if you don’t come across one…), the sight of a Rally1 car flying sideways would be quite something.
Otherwise something like Rally Legend in San Marino would be quite cool, more so for the variety of cars that really appeals to the rallying nerd within. Either that or Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Any other highlights to note/stories to tell?
Nothing not yet exonerated by the statute of limitations
Any other note-worthy comments?
Don’t know about dedication, but there’s plenty of people that will back up that I should be committed. Unsure if that’s to the sport or an asylum, I’ll leave that with you.
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