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Back-to-back international rallies for Mike

New Zealand rally driver Mike Young is preparing for two back-to-back international events in India and Australia in November, where he’ll pilot two different European cars to compete with the world’s best....

Not everything goes to plan ......

Cusco Racing Japan invited New Zealander Mike Young to drive their new development AP4 car, a Toyota Vitz at Septembers APRC Rally Hokkaido....

Young challenged with new Cusco Toyota Vitz in Japan

Mike Young is set to tackle one of his favourite events in Japan with his Japanese team, Cusco Racing, this weekend at Rally Hokkaido, also held as the fourth round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC)....

Young fourth and first Group N in muddy Malaysia

Kiwi rally driver Mike Young has finished a credible fourth at the International Rally of Johor in Malaysia. Norwegian Ole Christian Veiby extended his lead in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship with victory while title rival and Skoda teammate Gaurav Gill finished second. Young was fourth overall behind WRC regular Jari Ketomaa and first in Group N. "Third time lucky - we have had some bad luck here in the past," a content Young said afterwards. "It was good to come here and finish. We had a g...

The heat is on in Malaysia

Following is an article written by Dale Budge of the NZ Herald previewing the APRC Rally of Johor, Malaysia....

July 2017 Update

I thought it was time for a quick update about our rallying this year.Going forward, we're aiming to do: - APRC Asia Cup - WRC Rally Australia It has been a tough few months for us with no rallies and no time behind the wheel except for Rallyschool WA. Unfortunately, our one-off event at APRC Rally Canberra didn’t go well. With a crash in testing due to brake failure, the car was too badly damaged to compete in the rally so we had to withdraw. But there is good news below!...

Young wraps up APRC season with 2nd in India

New Zealanders Mike Young and co-driver Malcolm Read finished their FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) season with an excellent second place at a very tough and torturous India Rally while also enjoying multiple APRC championship class success. Based in the coffee plantations near Chikkamagaluru, 240 kilometres west of Bangalore, the event had a massive following of fans who had come to watch newly crowned APRC champion Gaurav Gill win on home soil. As one of the few international driver...

Malaysian Rally bites Kiwi duo

While in third overall at the fifth round of the FIA Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) held in Malaysia this weekend, Kiwi driver Mike Young’s weekend ended in disappointment as he slipped into a ditch and was forced to retire after the car couldn’t be freed. The drama unfolded for Young and Hamilton based co-driver Malcolm Read in the first stage on day two, after the duo climbed their way up to third at the end of the first leg in their Cusco EZY Racing Subaru Impreza. “It was such ...

Podium for Young in Japan

Mike Young has managed to secure third place at the fourth round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) after several close battles, held at Rally Hokkaido in Japan. After sitting in second place for most of the first day in his Cusco EZY Racing Subaru Impreza, Young fell to third after two punctures handing the runner-up position to Fabian Kreim of Germany in the process, who drives a much faster Skoda Fabia R5. “We’re happy to hold onto third place, especially when you consider what...

Young debuts for car manufacturer in China in a world-first

Following his Rally Estonia debut in July where he finished second in class, Kiwi rally driver Michael Young now flies straight to West China and Zhangye, a beautiful historic city near the Mongolian border for the third round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC). After enjoying a short break in Europe, Young is now preparing for his next rally, the China Rally held this weekend on August 6th and 7th in Zhangye where he’ll debut the new BYD Hybrid rally car; a first for an FIA-sanctio...

Mike ready for Rally Estonia debut

New Zealand rally driver, Michael Young, is set to compete at Rally Estonia this weekend alongside Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) team-mate Sanjay Takale of India. The duo, which sees Takale driving the Markko Martin Motorsport built Subaru Impreza with Young stepping in as co-driver, say they simply had to make it happen when the opportunity arose. Competing in the open category of Rally Estonia held on July 15-17, Young says he is really excited to compete in Europe for the first time....

Sixth in Japan, now looking to Europe

Mike at Rally Toyo, Japan ...

Mike's Japanese Rally Championship debut with Cusco

New Zealand rally driver, Michael Young, is set to continue his international rallying quest as he tackles the 2016 ARK Rally of Toya in Japan with major sponsor Cusco in a new shape Subaru WRX this weekend. The new Subaru, built by Cusco in Japan, is a major opportunity for Young to show his talent on the Japanese Rally Championship circuit before returning to other major international events. “Cusco invited me to come along and of course I had to say yes. Rallying in other countries is somet...

Mike secures podium in challenging conditions

Michael Young has managed to secure third overall at the International Rally of Queensland, the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, despite difficult conditions that saw the cancellation of four stages on Sunday afternoon. The 23-year-old from New Zealand battled through the ever-changing slippery conditions, on roads that, even in ideal conditions, are notorious for being tricky to get his podium place behind the two much-faster Skoda Fabia R5’s. At the end of the event, Youn...

Young charges on at Rally Queensland

Mike has finished the first day of the International Rally of Queensland, the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), in third overall after eight tough stages through the Imbil forest. With roads significantly varied between slippery and dry, Young and co-driver Malcolm Read had to carefully manage their speed throughout the day, with their Dunlop tyres eventually making the difference to increase their speed. “It was a much better afternoon for us. Changing the tyres on t...

Young hunts down podium in Australia

Rally driver Michael Young will be racing for a podium in his Cusco EZY Racing Subaru at this weekend’s International Rally of Queensland, the second round of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), based around Australia’s Sunshine Coast. As the only registered New Zealand driver competing in the APRC against drivers from all around the world, the 23 year-old says his main focus is on the overall APRC championship though admits the Queensland roads are tricky to get right. “We’ll at...

Young shows International Class

Michael Young, the only New Zealander registered in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC), finished third overall at the first round of the championship held at the International Rally of Whangarei this weekend, after a committed drive to make up a 14 minute time loss. Following an electrical fault on the start line of the first stage on Friday night, which forced Young and co-driver Malcolm Read to miss the stage and incur the subsequent 14 minute time penalty, the Kiwi duo simply focused ...

Mike looks to repeat history

New Zealand rally driver, Michael Young, is revved up and ready to tackle the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) which starts this weekend at the International Rally of Whangarei in Northland. Fresh from his win at the Quit Forest Rally in Western Australia, Young says he is determined to carry on his history of strong results in the international series which kicks off at his home rally on Friday. “As this is my second full season in a four-wheel-drive car and my fifth year with the Cusc...

Mike makes Western Australia driving debut

New Zealand rally driver Michael Young is set to tackle his first rally event of the year, at the Quit Forest Rally in Western Australia (WA) this weekend, ahead of his 2016 Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) campaign. The 23 year-old originally from the Bay of Plenty, is driving in his first event of the year with WA local and rookie navigator Cameron Tunstall in a Subaru WRX GC8. “I’m really looking forward to the Quit Forest Rally and getting back into a car. It’s going to be great ...

Young’s 2015 Asia Pacific rally success

Young’s 2015 Asia Pacific rally success - second overall APRC drivers championship and winner of APRC Production Cup At 22 years-old Mike Young might still be considered a Junior driver, but 2015 was the New Zealanders fourth full year in the Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) and after winning a number of FIA titles in two-wheel drive cars, his Japanese based Cusco EZY Racing team decided it was time to promote him to a Group N turbo charged, four-wheel drive Subaru. Young revelled in the...

Guts, grit and glory for Young in China

Mike Young completed a remarkable recovery from a calamitous accident he had on Saturday to finish the runner up in the penultimate leg of Asia Pacific Rally Championship (APRC) here in Longyou, China yesterday. He also finished third on the podium in the overall rally. The 21-year old New Zealander representing Sri Lankan team Ezy Racing coasted home behind undisputed Swedish champion Pontus Tidemand who had already sealed the 2015 APRC title before he arrived here in China having won four out ...

Young prepares to put Cusco EZY Racing ahead in China

Cusco EZY Racing will be entering the Chinese leg of the Asia Pacific Rally Championship 2015 with great hopes of bettering their 2014 success where they achieved their first ever podium finish in the Asia Cup Segment by finishing 2nd in Rally China. The team has been a frequent visitor on the podium since they kicked off their campaign in New Zealand earlier in 2015. Cusco EZY Racing who signed up 3 time Junior Asia Pacific Rally Champion Mike Young who was in his very first year in the senior ...

Title chances back on track

Torrential rain and dangerously slippery roads didn’t stop Mike Young from winning the FIA Asia Cup category and finishing second overall at Rally Hokkaido, based in Obihiro city northern Japan. Young arrived in Japan third in the Asia Pacific Rally championship points and after crashing out on the last round in Malaysia, the first time in two seasons - the young New Zealander was keen to make amends for his Malaysian mistake. As this event was the Cusco EZY Racing Team’s home event, they to...

Young "reset" for Rally Hokkaido

Sri Lankan-owned International team Ezy Racing’s champion driver Mike Young revealed yesterday that his Cusco Subaru Impreza WRX Sti has received a comprehensive overhaul ahead of the crucial Rally Hokkaido here in the Northern-most island of Japan. The 21-year-old New Zealander said so many things were replaced, it could even be termed a brand new car. Ezy Racing’s formidable machine met with a debilitating accident in the previous round in Malaysia just a month ago, but Young said that it ...

Miserable Malaysia Rally for Young

After showing good pace during shakedown and second fastest on the Rallysafe split-times Mike Young’s Malaysian Rally ended in spectacular fashion, clouting a bank half-way through the first stage. The New Zealander managed to keep his Cusco EZY Racing Subaru Impreza going for a few more kilometres before pulling over to save further damage to the car. Back at the service park in Johor Baru, Young said, "Definitely not the rally we were hoping for, a small mistake but it was enough to end the ...