Battle of Jacks Ridge rally sprint cancelled amid Covid-19 uncertainty

The second Battle of Jacks Ridge has been officially cancelled as organisers address the current uncertainty amid Covid-19 restrictions.

Event organisers had already postponed the rally sprint once before. The earlier lockdown forced a shift in dates from November to February 2022.

However, as Auckland moves into the government’s new Red Light protection framework, which limits gathering size, organisers made the early decision to can the event altogether.

“We considered holding off until the next government announcement on December 13 to see if there was a confirmed date that Auckland would move into orange,” event manager Paul Fallon said.

“However, with the information provided and the likelihood of Auckland remaining in red for the next few weeks, we felt it was important to give the many competitors and fans who had purchased tickets a decision, as they have travel and accommodation arrangements that need to be cancelled or changed, and many would appreciate refunds prior to Christmas.”

Fallon added it was too much of a commercial risk to continue preparing for Jacks Ridge, given no one knows when Auckland will shift into Orange Light.

All tickets are automatically refunded.

The inaugural Battle of Jacks Ridge proved hugely popular with fans and drivers.

Shane van Gisbergen won the first event and had confirmed he would be returning to defend his title.

Organisers now shift their attention to next year’s return of the World Rally Championship in September.