Rally of NZ fears this year's event may be last

[Blue_Tires]

Motorsport bosses have warned that without government support the iconic Rally of New Zealand could be wiped off the calendar, but the man in charge of the purse-strings has a simple response - apply for funding.

The proposed dates for the 2011 World Rally Championship have been released and the Rally of NZ does not feature. That could spell the end of the event.

The promoters of the WRC do not believe the rally is meeting its promotional objectives, which has prompted Rally of NZ organisers to bemoan a lack of government backing.

However, Roger Wigglesworth, director of the tourism events and consumer affairs division of the Ministry of Economic Development, said rally organisers had not talked to his organisation nor even applied for funding.

"We have a funding round that is due to close on March 1, and I certainly have not yet seen anything from Rally of New Zealand.

"At the moment we have a fund that helps major events, and I haven't seen anything from them ...

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