FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) star Hayden Paddon has been confirmed as a special guest speaker at next month’s Australian Rally Hall of Fame dinner in Ballarat.

 

The Kiwi will be in town to compete in the Pedders Eureka Rush taking place after the gala dinner, with the event acting as a round for both the CAMS Australian Rally Championship and the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship.

 

Holding the record as the only New Zealander to win a WRC round after taking out Rally Argentina in 2016 with Hyundai, Paddon will reunite with the manufacturer as he drives Tasmanian Marcus Walkem’s Hyundai i20 R5 for the one-day Victorian event. 

 

Fresh from taking part in the WRC’s Rally Finland, Paddon will head to Victoria’s west to speak at the Hall of Fame dinner on the Friday night before completing recce the next day in readiness for Sunday’s event.

 

"It's an honour to be asked to be a part of the Hall of Fame Dinner and great to see Wayne Bell, the man who took Hyundai into rallying, being honoured on the night," Paddon said.

 

 

Paddon won’t be the only special guest in attendance at the dinner with Alistair McRae headlining a special line up of Australian rally royalty to be in attendance.

 

Tickets for the three-course dinner are available for $80 with a special ticket to share a table with McRae for the evening also available for $120.

 

 

Former works Subaru driver and rally presenter Dean Herridge will host the special evening with a number of Victorian rallying heroes also to be inducted tat the evening.

 

The Australian Rally Hall of Fame dinner will take place at the Ballarat Trotting Club on 23 August.