Ohakune hosts weekend car rally

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 10, Issue 479, 30 March 1993, Page 4

Ohakune hosts weekend car rally

Frompage 1 15 minutes the cars go to stage 4, Ratamaire Road, (6.80km), which is due to start at around 11.50am. Where to watch: the property of Mr Mike Punch, off Highway 49, 4km west of Ohakune, will provide a view of instage action. The cars return to Ohakune for a lunch break, to arrive at midday. Stage 5, Oruakukuru Road (19.75km), is due to start at around 1.10pm. The cars will service and change tyres at the end of Oruakukuru Road before attempting stage 6, Fields Track (29.08km), at 1.50pm. Where to watch: the Whangaehu Valley Road end of Oruakukuru Road. You will be able to watch the finish of stage 5, the service area and the start of stage 6. Alternatively,

at any road junction with Fields Track between Ngamoki Road and Highway 4. The cars will service in Raetihi for 10 minutes before starting stage 7 (Pakihi Road 8.20km) at 3.10pm. The cars return to Ohakune for a 10-minute service and tyre change before returning to Ratamaire Road (stage 8 6.86km) at 3.48pm. Where to watch: again, Mr Punch 's property will be available. After a 1 5 -minute service at Piwai Road, the cars return to Karioi Forest again to start the 62.10km 9th special stage at 4.25pm. Where to watch: from the Karioi Mill you will be able to see the mid-point and finish of the s'age. The cars return to Ohakune to finish outside the New World

Supermarket at 5.20pm. Statistics The total rally distance is over 360km, with approximately 150km of touring stages and 210km of special stages. Approximately 150km of the special stages are on gravel roads. Public roads closure times: S1 Ohakune Mountain Road closed 20.00 reopened 23.30; 54 Ratamaire Road closed 11.00 reopened 17.00; 55 Oruakukuru Road closed 12.00 reopened 15.30; S6 Fields Track closed 12.30 reopened 16.15; S7 Lakes Road/Pakihi Road closed 13.45 reopened 17.00; S8 Ratamaire Road closed 11.00 reopened 17.30. Watching in safety • If you take a vehicle into a special stage so that you can watch the

rally, make sure that you have parked your vehicle well off the road before the road closure time. • Don't stand on the outside of a curve or on roads and driveways that a driver might use if he or she fails to take a corner. • Don't stand below the level of the road, up a bank is best. • Watch for the Lead Car and the Trail Car. A rally car could be on the road at any time after the Lead Car has passed by, until the time that the Trail Car has passed. •Although rally cars usually leave the start line of each special stage at 1 -minute intervals, you cannot use that interval to calculate when the next car will arrive. Cars catch one another in special stages and sometimes there are gaps longer than 1 -minute between cars at the start

line. • Watch for approaching cars: your ears are not a good enough warning that a car is approaching. The less modified and turbo charged cars are

very quiet and will be upon you before you hear them. The Wellington Car Club is grateful for the use of your road as a special stage for the rally

this weekend. If the road outside your property is closed for the rally and you need to use it urgently, please telephone Rally Headquarters on 385-9221.