Thanks to a generous offer from Subaru, our trip sponsor, we're in New Zealand for the final round of the '08 World Rally Championship season. Ken Block, Rally America sensation, is in town for competition in the Production WRC (PWRC) class of the WRC. He was originally scheduled to debut with a new 2008 STI rally car and we would be able to follow its debut, but the car got held up in production. The new car didn't make it out to NZ.

He was out on his recce recon run today and so we got the chance to check out the car that did come out, a Group N specification previous-gen STI formerly piloted by Travis Pastrana. Block will have his hands full taking on some of the best rally drivers in the world, who came out packing Evo 9s, '08 STIs, and previous gen STIs.

Today was just the setup day, so all the teams were busy putting their service areas and car together. Tomorrow is the shakedown time (in the morning) and the opening ceremony later in the day. I am scheduled to go on a course ride-along with Block tomorrow, so check back later for more details on that.