Quentin Palmer & Noel Moloney

📍 Škoda Fabia – Class F

For Quentin Palmer, Rally Taumarunui isn't just another event on the calendar.

It's home.

Born and bred in Taumarunui, Quentin grew up surrounded by rallying. Some of his earliest memories are of heading out with his dad to watch events—sometimes at night, watching the headlights weave through the darkness while rally engines echoed through the hills.

"I remember going to events with Dad and helping at the Kururau Hillclimb. I even got rides in rally cars with Campbell Wright and Shane Collett. From then on, I was hooked."

After enjoying considerable success in motocross and ATV racing, including winning multiple New Zealand titles, Quentin eventually made the move into rallying, purchasing his first rally car, a Mitsubishi Evo 5, in 2011.

His biggest rallying milestone so far came earlier this year.

"Winning the 2025 Taranaki Tarmac Rally. I wasn't expecting to win, especially as tarmac isn't really my favourite surface!"

Now Quentin is looking forward to something even more special.

"I entered because it's my home rally—literally on my doorstep."

Competing on roads he considers some of the very best in the country makes Rally Taumarunui particularly meaningful.

"I'm looking forward to rallying on some of the best roads in New Zealand. They haven't been used for quite a few years, so hopefully this is just the start of many more events to come."

Alongside experienced co-driver Noel Moloney, Quentin will be aiming to put on a great performance in the Škoda Fabia—but for a local competitor, simply seeing rally cars back on the roads around his hometown is already something worth celebrating.

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

Photo Credit: Geoff Ridder