Dust does it to the rally

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 531, 12 April 1994, Page 1

Dust does it to the rally

But the drivers love it!

Dust was a big factor in the high rate of attrition in Saturday's Wellington Car Club rally, held on roads around the Waimarino. Out of 65 cars, just 3 1 finished the whole course which saw rallying on metal roads in the Karioi Forest, Ratamaire Road, OruakukuraRoad, Field' s Track and Middle Road, plus the final special stage up the Ohakune Mountain Road. Clerk of course Barry Lakeman said as the rally is the first in the season there is usually a high dropout rate, being a tough test for drivers, some with new cars, as well as service crews and navigators. The dry conditions and lack of wind added difficulty because of the dust. "A lot of drivers miscued corners because of poor visibility with the dust hanging in the air from the previous car," said Mr Lakeman. "That's a hazard of rallying." "Those who finished the rally really enjoyed it," he said. The club comes to the W aimarino because of the roads and the hospitality, he said. There are not enough metal roads around Wellington to get the

same number and length of special stages, he said. And trying to keep roads closed is a real problem. "We come here because the roads are so good and the people are so good. "In Wellington it would take 16 stages to get 100km of special stages, and that means a lot of marshals. Here wecan get 230km in just 10 stages." The final stage, the night hill climb up the Ohakune Mountain Road, is really special for most competitors. "It's a real killer, especially after rallying all day. Some of the cars just didn't have the grunt left to get up it," said one official. He said three cars dropped out. "Its attraction is it's steep and really twisty in places - a real trial on cars." "It's always a temptation, because it's the last stage, to give it everything." With drivers, navigators and crews there were about 300 people taking part, plus marshals and other officials, plus a large number of supporters. Organisers said they wanted to give the people Turn to Page 2

Dusty rally

FROMPAGE1 of the Waimarino a big thank you for putting up with the rally and for supporting them. "We couldn't run the rally without that support." They said there were very few complaints about road closures, though they did change times for one stage to suit local market gardeners who had to use a road. One local store owner was not happy about the amount of space that was taken up at the Ohakune Bakery Mall carpark, but otherwise support seemed to be almost unanimous, they said. First overall in the rally was Joe McAndrew and Bob Hall in a Subaru Legacy, second was Geoff Argyle and Greg Davis in a Nissan GTR, third was Bruce Herbert and Bernard Teal in a Mistubishi VR4. Taumarunui team Campbell Wright and Mike Gibbs driving car number 45, a Mitsubishi Lancer, were placed 20th and Taihape team Ross Martin and Stuart Robertson in a Mitsubishi VR4 withdrew from the rally.