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Teenager Brooklyn Horan and 35-year-old Tyson Jemmett were the two people who tragically died.
When Horan and Jemmet’s car crashed into a river at the Arcadia Road Rallysprint in Paparoa, they were racing.
According to a police investigator, the car went off the gravel road and into a flooded river.
First responders pronounced both of them dead at the scene.
MotorSport New Zealand made it official that Horan was behind the wheel of the car when it crashed.
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New Zealanders can’t get a driver’s license until they are 16 years old, but younger drivers can compete in some situations.
MotorSport New Zealand’s website says that the junior driver program “means that people aged 12 to 16 can get a competition license.”
MotorSport says that young drivers often take part in these kinds of competitions.
The organization has said, though, that it will be doing a full investigation.
“The event took place on Arcadia Road in Paparoa which was closed to the public for the duration of the event under the authority of the local Road Controlling Authority,” a statement from MotorSport said.
“It is too early in the investigation to comment on what the main contributing factors to the crash were, however, it does not seem as though the road was in a detrimental or unsafe condition.”
“Our thoughts are with the families and friends of these two competitors and everyone involved with the Arcadia Road Rallysprint,” said Wayne Christie, president of Motorsport New Zealand.
“This terrible tragedy will, without a doubt, shock and upset everyone in the motorsports world.”
“We will be offering support to all those involved in the coming days.”
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A lot of people have been paying tribute to the two on social media.
After hearing about the two-fatality crash, Hyden Paddon, winner of the World Rally Championship, went on X to say how sorry he is.
He said, “What a sad event yesterday! Two great people were taken too soon.”
“Tyson was a huge rally fan and family man, and Brooklyn Horan was one of the most exciting young rally stars who was going to make it big.”
“Your career may have only just been starting but you had already left your mark.”
Winger Motorsport wrote: “On behalf of the team at Winger Motorsport, we send our condolences to the friends and family of Brooklyn Horan and his co-driver Tyson.”
(1Eighty Racing) added, “Such a natural talent! Your family is in our thoughts and you will be missed on the track.
While Hodgson Motorsport wrote, “It was with a heavy heart that we heard the breaking news that Brooklyn died while doing the very thing our families loved together.”
“It’s times like these that you remember that the sport we chose comes with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.”
“Brooklyn you were an amazing kind loving happy kid and that hadn’t changed years later when we crossed paths again back at off-roading last year, the cheeky smile was still the same, you had just grown a weeee bit taller.”
His wife, Lucy, is pregnant with their first child and will miss him very much.
Some of his old coworkers have started a fundraiser to help his wife and unborn child.