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Young takes two APRC titles in Japan

New Zealander Michael Young secured the two-wheel-drive Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and junior cup titles with a round to spare after dominating the class at Rally Hokkaido in Japan over the weekend. The 20 year old from Opotiki in the Bay of Plenty led the two-wheel-drive class and junior cup from the first stage but drove steadily to ensure a finish this year after failing to finish Rally Hokkaido for the previous two years. “I finally finished Rally Hokkaido, third time lucky. It...

Young aims for win at Rally Hokkaido

New Zealand rally driver Michael Young is aiming to win the two-wheel-drive championship at this weekend’s round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) held at Rally Hokkaido in northern Japan. On the back of his maiden APRC victory at the previous round at Rally Malaysia, Young and co-driver Malcolm Read say they are well prepared for the fast yet tricky Japanese roads but will be hunting down the two-wheel-drive win. "Our main aim, like in Malaysia, is to be smart and just finish the ...

Podium and class win for CUSCO-TRD Toyota Vitz

Michael Young’s first season in the brand new Cusco Toyota Vitz has got off to a great start in the 2013 Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) at the first round held at the International Rally of Whangarei over the weekend. It was an event of firsts for the Japanese based team, with Toyota returning to rallying for the first time in a number of years. "We've done pretty well on our first outing in the Toyota, and there were a lot of people in Japan watching how we got on. We're very happy wi...

Mike wins first APRC event

Kiwi rally driver, Michael Young, has taken his maiden Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) victory at the 2013 Malaysian Rally held over the weekend after a consistent and steady drive over Malaysia's famous tough roads. 20 year old Young battled through tricky roads and intense heat in his Cusco TRD Toyota Vitz to take the victory after his rivals all retired with mechanical failures or off road excursions. "It's great, we're absolutely stoked. I'm going to saviour this moment for a long tim...

Kiwi team set to tackle Malaysian Rally

New Zealand rally driver, Michael Young, is ready to tackle the challenging Malaysian roads around Johor Bahru ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian Rally, which doubles as the fourth round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). Young is the only registered New Zealand driver in the APRC and is now joined by fellow Kiwi, new co-driver Malcolm Read, making the duo an ‘all Kiwi team’. “Daniel [Willson – former co-driver] and I had a great run together and we got some good results but...

Young suffers disappointing end to Rally Queensland

New Zealander Michael Young had a disappointing end to the International Rally of Queensland, the third round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) after the tricky road conditions caught him out prior to the midday service causing his end to the rally. 20 year old Young, piloting his Cusco TRD Toyota Vitz RS, was forced into retirement after the car left the road in a tricky fast, downhill section of Special Stage 17 (SS17) leaving the team bitterly disappointed. "I'm still not exactly ...

Kiwi driver determined to increase Championship lead

New Zealander Michael Young, the leading Two-wheel drive and Junior Cup driver in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) is determined to extend his lead in the championship at this weekend's International Rally of Queensland. Based out of Caloundra, the International Rally of Queensland is the third round of the APRC, but only Young’s second, as he opted out of the New Caledonian event. “Our goal is just to get more time in the Cusco Toyota Vitz and win the two-wheel-drive class outrigh...

Toyota Enters 2013 Asia Pacific Rally Championship

Toyota has returned to international rally competition with a Toyota Vitz RS registered for the 2013 Asia Pacific Rally Championship - a joint venture between Japan’s Cusco Racing and Toyota Racing Development (TRD). The Toyota Vitz RS (known as Yaris in some markets) will compete in the APRC’s FIA Two-wheel drive, FIA Junior cup and the Asia Cup. The first international event for the Cusco TRD Vitz will be Round One of the 2013 APRC - Rally of Whangarei, New Zealand May 17-19th, followed by...

Mike Young Motorsport confirms 2013 APRC

20-year old Michael Young with Australian co-driver Daniel Willson will enter the 2013 Asia Pacific Rally Championship Junior Cup, and pending funding have added the Asia 2WD Cup to include the new Thailand Rally. Young showed plenty of potential in 2012, winning the Junior class in New Zealand and the 2WD/Junior class in Australia, but quickly went from 'hero to zero' with two big crashes in Malaysia and Japan. "It was certainly a tough lesson to learn, but I know that experience will make me a...

Success and drama for Kiwis in Japan rally

The recent Rally Hokkaido in Japan delivered success and drama for the two New Zealand drivers, experienced Brian Green and teenager Michael Young, who contested the 2012 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) event....

Young focused on championship prospects at Malaysian Rally

Michael Young, the 19-year-old rally driver from New Zealand, heads to the 2012 Malaysian Rally next weekend focussed on consolidating his championship prospects. Young currently has a commanding lead in the Junior Cup category of the 2012 FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship with the Malaysian event counting as the third round of the series. The only Kiwi in the four-strong junior class, Young has twice the number of points of his nearest rival, Japanese driver Akira Bamba, after contesting APRC...

Young wins APRC Junior Cup Class in Queensland

Rising rally driver Michael Young has scored his second FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship Junior Cup category win of the season while competing in the International Rally of Queensland for the first time. Young, a 19-year-old from Bay of Plenty New Zealand, in his first full season of international rallying, enjoyed a tight tussle with young Japanese driver Akira Bamba throughout the two-day event. Young and co-driver Tasmanian Daniel Willson went into the Queensland event leading the Junior C...

APRC Junior Cup leader faces challenges of Queensland

Teenage rally driver and current leader in the APRC Junior Cup Michael Young, from New Zealand, makes his debut drive in the International Rally of Queensland this weekend. Young and Tasmanian Daniel Willson, an experienced co-driver, have arrived in the coastal town of Caloundra, about an hour north of Brisbane on Queenland’s Sunshine Coast, ready for the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) event which runs 25 to 27 May. Young, at the age of 19, is the only New Zealander competing in t...