A special scholarship for junior rally drivers competing in the two-wheel-drive categories of the Brian Green Property Group New Zealand Rally Championship, powered by Brother, will continue for the 2012 season.

The Rally New Zealand Rising Stars junior scholarship is designed to provide a leg-up for younger competitors in their early years in the sport and offers up to five drivers who are 25 years of age or younger, as at 1 January 2012, the opportunity to receive a range of resources to assist their 2012 campaign.

Initiated last year, the Rising Stars junior scholarship was well received by competitors with four scholarships being awarded to Nelson's Ben Hunt, Tauranga's Phil Campbell, Christchurch's Josh Marston and Rangiora's Matt Summerfield. Hunt, the inaugural Rising Stars scholarship recipient in 2009, went on to win the 2011 New Zealand Rally Championship for 2WD competitors driving a Ford Fiesta.

Peter ('PJ') Johnston, chairman of Rally of New Zealand, says the Rising Stars driver development programme run by Rally New Zealand in recent years has played a major part in helping Kiwi drivers like 2011 production world rally champion Hayden Paddon, from Geraldine, and 2010 International Fiesta SportTrophy winner Stephen Barker, from Kerikeri, to compete in the international arena.

"New Zealand motorsport competitors have a strong heritage of boxing above their weight on the world stage - look at drivers like Scott Dixon, Brendon Hartley Chris van der Drift and more recently Hayden Paddon - but, like other sports, it starts at the grassroots level. Between our scholarship and MotorSport New Zealand's Elite Academy, we continue to support and encourage new talent into rallying," says Johnston.

For 2012, the Rising Stars junior scholarship offers the very tangible resources of tyres and fuel courtesy of Dunlop and Gull, as well as free entry to one of the five NZRC rounds courtesy of the organisers.

NZRC co-series coordinator Paul Burborough says: "The successful scholarship recipients also receive professional mentoring from experienced competitors and Rally of New Zealand personnel. The total value of each scholarship package is estimated to be around $7,500 and we appreciate the assistance of Rally Wairarapa and Rally Otago by offering to provide free entry to their events to complement the three events run by Rally of New Zealand."

The young drivers applying for the scholarship will need to be registered for one of two NZRC categories, being category two for FIA Group N 2WD, R1, R2 and R3 vehicles or category four for open class 2WD vehicles.

Burborough says the successful junior scholarship applicants have some obligations in return. "These include being available for promotional activities as part of the championship as well as carrying defined Gull and Dunlop livery on their cars. They also have to provide pre-and post-event reports from each of the five rounds. Our junior scholarship applicants from last year are eligible to apply again this year if they were still under the age of 25 on 1 January this year."