Brothers in Day breaker

Ruapehu Bulletin, 20 August 1991, Page 12

Brothers in Day breaker

BY

JOANNA

.SAUN-

DERS The Daybreaker Rally run last week, is a race of endurance and stamina and certainly not for the faint hearted or those who enjoy comfort and sleep. Alan and Graham Murdie of Ohakune completed the race after 18 hours of non-stop driving. The brothers have been members of the Taumarunui Car Club for two years and have competed in the Daybreaker Rally both years. "It was a little easier this year because we knew what to expect and basically knew where we would be going and the conditions of the roads", said Graham. Maps of the racing areas are given to the teams when the rally begins. Up until that time they can only speculate where they will be taken. Brothers racing can have a distinct advantage with communication but sometimes it has a lot more disadvantages. "You tend to tell each other exactly what you think of them, when really you should remain quiet. After all, without their help and that of the service crew you just could not compete", said Alan.

The service crew follow the team race car and do minor repairs as necessary. Even though they do not race they must remain awake and ready for action as there is not much time allocated for repairs between each stage. Graham recalls a fellow competitor who blew the starter motor during an early stage and could not afford any time to replace it so the engine had to stay running during the remaining stages and refueling stops. Race officials said because of the wet conditions the drivers were a lot more cautious and as a result many more finished the rally this year. A lot of pressure is placed on the motor and gearbox especially as most stages are run in first, second and third gear only. Most of the 21 who did not finish suffercd fforn one or both of these problems. The Murdies suffered a leaking manifold gasket, which did not cause any inconvenience. "It was so hard to drive through the night, even though we drove for 18 hours we must have been awake for at least 30. We were so pleased to cross the finish line and put our feet on the ground," Turnpage 13