Richard Mason is looking to mix it with the international drivers at this weekend's Rally of Whangarei, as well as extending his lead in the National Rally Championship.
After dominating the first two rounds of the series in the Wairarapa and Otago in his Impreza WRX STI, Mason and co-driving wife Sara already have a handy 29 points lead in this year's title race.
The two day event in Northland also doubles as New Zealand's round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, which will see all the national series drivers starting behind the international drivers, with Mason first local away as the 14th seed.
"We want to get more of a point's buffer in the national series and then see how we stack up against the internationals," said Mason.
"It's a couple of years since we've had a good run on the Northland roads, although I really like them."
 Two years ago when the Asia Pacific event was last held in Rotorua, Mason over took rally leader, Australian Cody Crocker on the final day to snatch victory.
"If the conditions are good and we can make use of the dry roads I'd like to see if we can do it again," said Mason.
The top local drivers would appear to have the pace. Crocker, who was the top seed 12 months ago and spent the event sweeping the loose gravel aside, finished second to Hayden Paddon.
If it is wet, Crocker, the defending Asia – Pacific series champion will have the advantage.
Emma Gilmour in another Subaru Impreza WRX STI has different ambitions for Whangarei.
Last year she wrote off her car in the biggest accident of her career, but is returning to Northland "to just do our own thing."
"I'm not worried about what happened then," said Gilmour. "The roads are really great. It's not their mistake I drove off it."
After a series of niggling problems at the first two rounds of the series this year, Gilmour is looking for a clean run at Northland. "The team's been over the car with a fine tooth comb and the testing we've done appears to have confirmed we've fixed everything" said Gilmour.
"If the car's right, everything else will fall into place. I just want to build my pace over the weekend."
And if the attrition rate is anything like last year it might be considerably easier for Mason and Gilmour to meet their respective goals for the event, which includes three stages at the Town Basin, as well as 12 back country road tests as far south as Paparoa.
National Championship Points going into Rally Whangarei.-
Drivers. – 1, R Mason, 129; 2, H Paddon, 100; 3, S Taylor, 95; 4, C West, 76; 5, B Martin, 67; 6, C McInnes, 57.
Manufacturers. – 1, Mitsubishi, 173; 2, Subaru, 161; 3, Ford, 33.
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