Chris Alexander & Jackson Foster

Meet the Competitors –  Chris Alexander & Jackson Foster

📍 Te Kauwhata and Auckland
🚗 Ford Cortina Mk5

For Chris Alexander, one ride on gravel was all it took.

"I started rallying in 1999 as co-driver for Craig Stevens in a 2-litre Escort. Before that I was competing in club-level tarmac events with the Escort Car Club, but once I hit the gravel, I was hooked."

That passion has led to plenty of memorable moments over the years, including Chris's proudest achievement of winning a national championship title in Rally Xtreme Class C as Craig's co-driver.

"I can still taste the champagne!"

Of course, rallying also produces stories that are impossible to forget.

"At the 2010 Taranaki Rally I was trying to hold my lunch together at 200 km/h... unsuccessfully! Needless to say, the interior of Craig's car was well covered! We still finished second in class and fifth overall."

Chris’s reason for entering Rally Taumarunui is simple.

"I just love rallying. After losing valuable time in the sport following a cancer diagnosis in 2016 and a few other life hurdles, I'm determined to do as much as I can while I can. Rally Taumarunui has challenging roads and was always a must-do event."

Alongside Chris is co-driver Jackson Foster, a lifelong motorsport enthusiast who first competed in the Dunlop Targa in 2002. Before rallying, Jackson proudly represented New Zealand in cycling and triathlon during the 1980s and early 1990s. The pair's friendship spans more than 30 years, with Chris describing Jackson as "one of the most humble guys you'll ever meet."

In fact, the pair have swapped seats before, with Jackson driving his own Ford Escort in the 2011 Dunlop Targa while Chris co-drove!

If you're heading out to the stages, keep an eye out for their gold Mk5 Ford Cortina. Chris reckons many Kiwi families once had a Cortina sitting in the driveway, so seeing one charging along King Country gravel roads is sure to bring back a few memories!

Please join us in welcoming Chris and Jackson to Rally Taumarunui, and be sure to give them a wave when you see them out on the stages! 👋🏁

Photo credit: Chelsea Media Co.