Engines are revving for the Otago Rally with 119 entries ready to tackle the challenging multi-stage course this weekend.
It marks the traditional start to the New Zealand season and has attracted local and international competitors.
Those vying for a win will face off across 16 timed stages over 280 kilometres.
Dunedin rally driver Emma Gilmour grew up around cars and started as a navigator for her sister and cousin.
But it was the driver's seat that felt like home.
"Once I had a go in the driver's seat, I was hooked. It was a bit like a duck takes to water," she said.
She was no stranger to the Otago Rally.
Auckland rally driver Zeal Jones, 19, was preparing for a challenging course at Otago Rally. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
"It's my favourite event. It's the event where I had a first go at driving so the organisers here have been amazing, a crucial part of my career journey," Gilmour said.
"They let me be the course car 20-something years ago so I started and it was my first time driving on gravel."
Navigator Katrina Renshaw and Dunedin rally driver Emma Gilmour ahead of the Otago Rally, on 10 April, 2024. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Auckland rally driver Zeal Jones, 19, switched from karting three years ago.
"I was on a search for a kart and we did that for about seven years, and developed all the basics and learnt everything you need to about a car, and the fundamentals of set up and things like that.
"From there on, we transferred into rallying. It was quite my driving style, really aggressive."
Rallying was in his blood, he said; his grandfather was a driver, his aunty is his co-driver and his uncle owns the car he is racing.
While not his first rodeo, he was preparing for a challenging course.
"The nature of the road is quite different in Dunedin. It's a lot more faster, a lot of crests. You need a lot more commitment."
Otago Rally's Roger Oakley says it is shaping up to be a great event. Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
Otago Rally organiser Roger Oakley said the teams would be put through their paces.
"Fast flowing, open public roads. Lots of blind brows. Huge reliance on the pace notes from the co-drivers."
The rally gave back to the host city, he said.
"Last year's event, the economic impact was 6700 bed nights for Dunedin and a direct spend of about $3 million."
The Otago Rally kicks off with a ceremonial rally start in the Octagon on Friday night, before preparing to welcome spectators as wheels hit the gravel over the weekend.
Photo: RNZ / Tess Brunton
